Ikigai Journal #039

Sources of Funds to Support Your Creativity

This week I have been in transit and have been down 1 researcher but you know how it is when things don’t go exactly to plan - you have to roll up your sleeves, dig deep and get things done. Thank you for being patient with this edition of the newsletter.

Within this weeks selection of exciting opportunities curated for you, definitely check out the new opportunity from WeTransfer. They have been supporting creatives in various ways for years and it’s great to see them directly wading into the world of offering creatives much needed financial support.

Next week I will be getting back into the flow of putting this newsletter out earlier in the week, and as usual, filled with the funding you need to get your passion projects moving.

This weeks featured artist is the wonderfully talented Martine Johanna.

Until next week.

Open City Documentary Festival #2021
Film | TBA | Now Open
Open City Documentary Festival creates an open space to nurture and champion the art of creative documentary and non-fiction filmmakers. We provide a platform for emerging talent as well as established masters working within the documentary form.

Submissions for Open City Documentary Festival 2021 are now open. We’re looking for creative, innovative, challenging non-fiction filmmaking at short, mid-length and feature-length, as well as short audio documentaries, and cross platform projects.

Prizes are awarded in four categories: Open City Award, Emerging Filmmaker Award, the UK Short Award, and International Short Award. Learn more and apply here

Remote Archive & Library Artist Residency 2021
Creative Arts | TBA | 9th May 2021
Residency Dates: 5 July – 13 August 2021

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA) and The Portico Library are collaborating on an exciting new project involving an artist residency and an exhibition. We are now accepting applications from North West-based contemporary artists and practitioners for a 6-week remote residency working with CFCCA’s online archive and library collection. The intended outcome of the residency is for the artist to produce one or more new artworks in the form of a Chinese folded book, to be included in an exhibition developed in collaboration with Open Books International collective at The Portico Library in central Manchester in autumn 2021. Learn more and apply here

Deptford X
Creative Arts | £1400 | 16th May 2021

Launched in 2019, Supported is intended to widen access to participation in the festival by providing funding, production and curatorial support to successful applicants. We are committed to the aim of celebrating and promoting the creativity in our area and with 43% of Lewisham’s population constituting POC groups, this opportunity is aimed specifically at early career POC artists and curators based in the London borough of Lewisham. Applications from people based outside of our local borough will also be considered, provided they can demonstrate how their work will resonate with our geographical context.

Contributions are welcome from artists or curators of any kind. This year’s festival is an outdoor art trail so we are looking for proposals that can be exhibited, performed, or installed outside for the duration of the 10 day festival from 9th – 18th July. Learn more and apply here

Product Hunt Maker Grants
Digital Creative |  $5000 | Monthly Award

Each month we are blown away by the creativity of the Product Hunt community. Hundreds of products are launched on Product Hunt every week, from the clever, to the useful, to the downright zany. It’s our privilege and joy to play a part in each Maker's journey and each new product discovery.

We know that building products can be expensive work, and passion doesn’t always pay the bills. As a way of saying thank you to the community, and to encourage makers to keep building, this year we’re offering cash gifts of $5,000 to three makers each month. Learn more here 

Sensoria Festival Open Call
Digital Creative | Undisclosed | 23rd April 2021

The UK’s festival of film, music and digital will land in Sheffield from 1 – 9 October 2021.

The festival team are on the hunt for exciting new work in the realms of music, film and digital. There are two themes for 2021: SuperNature and Better Together.

Following a year of online projects, Sensoria is looking forward to returning with a hybrid offer of real life events and some streaming of talks and events too.

While both themes are to be taken as inspirational starting points and are open to interpretation, SuperNature is concerned with the urgent issues of the environment, sustainability and climate change. As well as music, film and other pieces of work, the festival is also open to ideas for outdoor events, especially those that promise a low carbon footprint. Learn more and apply here

The Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund (HDBID)
Film | Up to $40,000 | Open Soon

The  fund for filmmakers who live and work on the African continent. The Fund offers grants in Development and Production for feature or broadcast-length documentaries. Approximately four to 10 projects are awarded each year. All successful applications will also be considered for a mentorship program.Learn more and apply here

#GETHEARD c/o Girls I Rate, PRS & Spotify  
Music | Up to £3000 | May 31st 2021

We are looking for the FUTURE HITMAKERS of the UK, to give an amazing opportunity to get your music heard in our A&R Listening Competition!! We want to hear your future hits, so if you believe you are the next best songwriter, producer or lyricists to blow… then now is YOUR time to send us your hottest track and #GETHEARD!! All you have to do is submit one original track that you have written or composed that you think is next to blow on your scene. The top 10 applicants will be listened to by our A&R panel of industry experts, who will decide the Top 3 songwriters and/or producers. Learn more and apply here

The National Lottery Fund UK
Social Impact | Up to £10000 | Open now

National Lottery funding can help you to make a difference in your community. We offer funding from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities. With the COVID-19 pandemic still with us, we'll continue to support people and communities most adversely impacted by COVID-19.
Learn more and apply here

Art Business Accelerator c/o Artwork Archive
Creative Arts | $2500 | May 14th 2021

Open to both emerging and established artists, the Art Business Accelerator distributes unrestricted funds to invest in your art business, as well as six weeks of self-guided online educational resources that increase business skills, economic proficiency, marketing knowledge, and more. Recipients receive funding and expert guidance in order to make the growth process easier, to gain confidence, and establish a solid business foundation for their art practice. Grant recipients will receive grant funding, a lifetime account to Artwork Archive, and one-on-one access to expert career guidance. Learn more and apply here

Screencraft Film Fund Grant Program
Film | $30000 |May 31st 2021

Whether you have a simple screenplay or a film that’s already in production, we want to consider it for our grant program. We consider a range of projects, from standalone screenplays, to fully-packaged projects seeking finishing funds. If your aspirations are solely to become a produced screenwriter, you can rely on ScreenCraft and BondIt to package the winning script with a talented director and in-house production resources with up to $30,000 in cash financing, judged on a case-by-case basis, depending on each project’s budget and needs as determined by our internal jury of industry professionals. Learn more and apply here

My Carbon Family c/o Creative Giants 
Visual Arts | £8000 - £15000 | Open now

This is a public art project funded by Coventry City Council and in partnership with Coventry City of Culture Trust. Initially proposed by BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Artist Simon Bingle, this project will be widely covered by the BBC, including a BBC World documentary. Creative Giants have been brought on-board to manage this project of which the outcome will be a public artwork – My Carbon Family. It will encourage a dialogue with Coventry residents and visitors regarding their own carbon footprint and a wider discussion of the Climate Crisis. Learn more and apply here

The Supporting act c/o Wetransfer
Visual Arts | TBA | TBA 

We believe creativity is a force for good. But belief without action isn’t enough to help aspiring creatives thrive. That's why we're launching WeTransfer's Supporting Act Foundation.

Our mission is to inspire and enable young creatives to fulfil their potential. For artists such as musicians, filmmakers, photographers and designers, the foundation will provide funding for study, both at home and abroad. Learn more here 

Fringe Artist and Venue Recovery Fund 2021
Creative arts | Up to £5000 |  3rd May 2021

In August of 2020, responding to Covid-19 and the resultant loss to Fringe creatives and venues, the Fringe Society raised £75,000 through our Fringe Makers platform in partnership with Crowdfunder. This amount was raised through ticket sales to our AJ Bell Fringe on Friday online events and through direct donation and support from AJ Bell. These donations were sought to help the Fringe make a progressive return in 2021 with the promise that all money raised would be made available to artists and venues of the Fringe. Learn more and apply here

UK Global Screen Fund
Film | Undisclosed | Open from April 28th

A one-year pilot fund designed to boost international development and distribution opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector. The £7 million UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) will target support across the screen sector, including film, TV, animation, documentary and interactive narrative games content. Financed by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and administered by the BFI, it will focus on accelerating export growth, boosting revenues to independent UK screen companies and deepening international relationships. Learn more and apply here