Create North is running a fully-funded two day Celebration of Creativity for arts practitioners and micro creative organisations based in County Durham. It will be hosted within Ushaw Historic House, Chapels, and Gardens on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 January.

For those of you yet to be dazzled by this emerging jewel in Durham’s crown, Ushaw is quickly establishing itself as a fantastic centre of contemporary creative practice with over 50 resident artists, studio spaces and a rolling programme of arts activities. Its stunning Chapels, Refectory, Exhibition Hall & Parlour make it a wonderfully inspiring place for artists, performers, designer-makers and participatory artists to step away from day-to-day matters and focus their energies purely on their creative work in the company of peers, practitioners and commissioners.

Thanks to funding from Durham County Council Community Cultural Events Funding this event will include professional development workshops, opportunities to create work individually and collaboratively, the chance to (re)establish relationships with other practitioners, the opportunity to platform ideas and sell your work, and an ‘Open Space’ workshop to explore and develop ideas for new projects or resolve challenges. And, there will be wonderful food and drink.

Both days will be festooned with opportunities to spend time with other practitioners and build your creative networks, plus lots of opportunities for creative activity, but each day will have its own special flavour.

Day one: 9am until 11pm

Day one will include:

• Professional development workshops
• Create Together – quite simply, a fun thing. But also as a means through which to reflect on our creative development individually, collectively and as a cohort rooted in County Durham.
• Lunch
• A platform to share ideas, share your creative journey, or sell your work
• Dinner in the beautiful refectory at Ushaw

Day two: 9am until 4pm

Day two will include:

• Workshops which focus on wellbeing – providing a relaxing experience for all of us, but also showcasing how wellbeing links to the arts and can be an opportunity for many of us
• Brunch
• An afternoon of ‘Open Space’ project development – an opportunity to work with new people developing ideas for new projects and activities that tackle specific challenges or questions that we feel are significant within the county
• Afternoon Tea

For those of you who would like to stay overnight at this wonderful venue (and who wouldn’t?) Ushaw has overnight accommodation. This is chargeable but can be booked by event participants. There is limited availability so if you wish to stay overnight please book early at events@ushaw.org to avoid disappointment.

Book Friday 21 January: day one

Book Saturday 22 January: day two

                                                        

Funding for Capital Projects in Secondary Schools and Sixth Form Colleges
Secondary schools and colleges can apply for a grant of up to £100,000 to improve the teaching of science, computer science, design & technology, art, languages, music and performing arts at GCSE and A-Level.
The application process is in two stages. The closing date for stage 1 applications is the 5 January 2022. Schools and Colleges successful at this stage will have until the 15 February 2022 to submit their stage-two application.
Click here for further details

Funding for Community Radio Stations (UK)
Community radio stations can apply for funding to help support the core costs of running licensed community radio stations. The closing date for applications is 5pm on the 7 January 2022.
Click here for further details

Support for Heritage Organisations at Risk of Closure Due to Covid-19
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage: Emergency Resource Support has re-opened to help heritage organisations at imminent risk of closure return to financial viability. This round will provide funding of between £10,000 and £1 million to help heritage organisations and businesses in England which face collapse within twelve weeks of their application date. Funding is being distributed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Historic England. Expressions of interest are invited until 12pm on the 11 January 2022.
Click here for further details

Culture Recovery Fund: Emergency Resource Support Re-Opens to Applications
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Culture Recovery Fund: Emergency Resource Support has re-opened for applications.  The aim of the fund is to help cultural organisations at imminent risk of closure return to financial viability.
Round two will provide funding between £25,000 and £3 million to not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations in England which haven’t received funding and face collapse within twelve weeks of their application date. Up to £1 million is available to commercial organisations. Funding will be distributed by Arts Council England.
Organisations must submit a permission to apply request by 12pm on the 11 January 2022. Those eligible will then be invited to apply in full by 12pm on the 28 January 2022.
Click here for further details

Grants for Small Charitable Organisations Working in Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods
Charitable organisations working in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the North East of England can apply for grants of up to £20,000 per year for up to 3 years to increase their capacity to deliver quality services. Grants can cover running costs and core salaries for not-for-profit organisations with a turnover of less than £300,000 who work in the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and Teesside. The funding is being made available through the Greggs Foundation North East Core Funding Programme. The closing date for applications is the 28 February 2022.
Click here for further details

Funding to Improve the Display & Interpretation of Nationally Significant Museum Collections (UK)
The Wolfson Foundation has launched a new funding round to support museums and galleries undertaking projects to improve the display and interpretation of nationally significant collections for the public.
Grants, usually in the range of £50,000 to £500,000 (minimum £15,000), are available to registered charities and local authorities for creating new galleries, refurbishment and equipment, or occasionally, education and learning spaces. Projects should aim to improve future sustainability, increase the numbers of visitors to museums and galleries across the UK, and help the conservation of architectural heritage.
There is a two-stage application process.
The deadline for applications for stage one is the 5 January 2022.  Applications successful at this stage will have unit the 1 March 2022 to submit their full application.
Click here for further details