Inspire fund

A new £300,000 fund has been launched in Greater Manchester to support freelancers and smaller organisations working in music and the arts.

Photography, literature, heritage projects and visual arts are some of the cultural groups who could benefit from individual grants of between £500 and £2,000.

Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports have shown the level of investment and support for freelancers, independent creatives, artists, musicians and performers across the arts could be improved, with many freelance artists leaving the sector.

The investment, funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will be administered by Salford CVS (Community and Voluntary Services) and allow freelancers and small organisations to apply for funding over the next three years.

Applications are encouraged from independent artists, musicians and small creative arts organisations from across Greater Manchester. 

The fund aims to support freelancers, independent creatives, artists, musicians, and performers across the arts. See the video with Dominic and People With Grit Studios to see an example of the work the fund supports:

Round 4 is open 28 March - 28 April 2025 (external link)

CLOSED - Round 1

Round 1 closed at 12:00PM, Friday 1 March 2024. Below you can see a list of those funded broken up into our three main categories - creative organisation, independent organisation, freelance. 

Creative Organisation

Independent Organisation

Freelance 

CLOSED - Round 2

Below you can see a list of those funded.

CLOSED - Round 3

Below you can see a list of those funded.