December 2015
INTERCULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMME
GUIDANCE NOTES
Application round opens / Deadline for receipt of applications / Decision dueFriday, 18 December 2015 / 4pm, Thursday 31 March 2016 / May 2016
These Guidance Notes and the relevant application form are available on request in large print format, disk and audio tape and also on the Arts Council’s website: http://www/artscouncil-ni.org
GUIDANCE NOTES
Please read these notes carefully before completing the application form
Introduction:
Improving relationships between and within communities and building a shared and better future for everyone is a vital element of the Arts Council’s vision, which is to place the arts at the heart of life in Northern Ireland. This vision applies to everyone. It is absolutely inclusive and means ensuring that everyone living here – regardless of social, economic, community or ethnic background – has the opportunity to access and engage fully with the arts, and enjoy the many benefits of doing so.
As part of its Intercultural Arts Strategy, the Intercultural Arts Grants programme aims to provide opportunities for minority ethnic communities across Northern Ireland to access the arts; use artistic activities as a creative vehicle in which to highlight social issues that impede access and participation in the arts; and explore, through artistic activities, ways in which to support intercultural competence.
This programme has been informed by the evaluation report of the pilot programme (2012 – 2015), Opening Doors; An Arts-led Approach to Building Social Capital and Arts Council’s Intercultural Arts Strategy.
The Intercultural Arts Grants programme aims to support meaningful collaboration between ethnic minority communities, host communities and artists.
Applications to the programme will have to demonstrate that the proposed project is informed through consultation and due consideration is given to the development of a meaningful intercommunity creative process through intercultural arts practice. For information, it may be useful to refer to Community Arts Partnership’s Between Ourselves publication launched in October 2015.
Community Arts Partnership (CAP) will offer support to you in the development of applications to this programme. CAP will also facilitate Funding Clinics on the following dates:
Friday 15 January 2016, 10am – 3pm, Armagh
Tuesday 19 January 2016, 10am – 3pm, Derry/Londonderry
Thursday 21 January 2016, 10am – 3pm–Belfast
For further details on venues and registration, please contact:
Charo Lanao-Madden
PICAS (Programme for Intercultural Arts Support) Coordinator
Community Arts Partnership
Tel: + 44 (0)28-90923493
E:
W: www.comartspartner.org
Strategic Themes of the Programme:
The Arts Council proposes to meet the creative and social needs of minority ethnic communities through a set of Strategic Themes. Projects must meet one or more of the Strategic Themes:
1. Supporting intercultural collaboration and engagement
Promoting exchanges and collaborative working between new and existing communities.
2. Using the arts to increase awareness of diversity and developing Good Relations
Promoting understanding of diversity and developing good relations between new and existing communities in Northern Ireland.
3. Supporting anti-racism through the arts
Working to tackle racism between new and existing communities in Northern Ireland.
Who can apply?
The programme is aimed at;
1) Constituted community and voluntary groups working at a local level across local ethnically diverse communities with minority ethnic communities;
2) Arts organisations with a proven track record of working in the area of Intercultural Arts and for this project, with a confirmed prospective partnership in place with community/ voluntary group (s) to engage in Intercultural Arts Practice.
Who cannot apply?
Individuals
Organisations with statutory obligations to provide services for Minority Ethnic Communities
Broadcasters (excluding community service broadcasters)
Local Authorities
Central Government Departments
How much can I apply for?
Grants from £10,000 to £20,000 are available. You can apply for up to 75% of the eligible costs of the project. Projects can be up to 2 year duration. If you are seeking funding for less than £10,000, please refer to the Arts Council’s Small Grants Programme. Information for this programme is available on the Arts Council website.
Do I need Partnership Funding?
The ICAP Grants Programme requires match funding from other sources – either your own money or money raised from another funder. The minimum partnership funding you need to demonstrate from non-Lottery, non-Arts Council sources is 25%, at least half of which, (i.e. 50%+ of the partnership element), must be in cash. However, the assessment process takes into account the other funds you are able to bring to the project.
What you can apply for
(These are examples only)
· Projects and events
· Commissions and productions
· Artists’ fees up to £35 per hour or a maximum of £150 per day for workshop-based activity.
· Artists’/volunteers’/essential administrative travel expenses within Northern Ireland at 25.7p per mile
· Venue hire for workshops
· Language translation costs
· Materials/equipment
· Equipment hire
· Publicity and marketing costs
· Co-ordination costs (Which are not already part of an existing salary)
· Premium payment costs – any additional costs you are likely to incur through the involvement of Section 75 groups, e.g. carers costs, visual aids (e.g. Braille), sign language and hearing assistance. Note: these costs must be accounted for separately and will be paid retrospectively at the end of the project.
What you cannot apply for
· Retrospective events
· Party political and religious activities
· Travel outside Northern Ireland
· Excursions
· Tickets to attend events
· Overhead Costs (exceptional circumstances may be considered in a small number of cases).
· Activities that are not arts related
· Fees for non-arts-based courses
· Fees for further or higher education courses at third level
· Ongoing building maintenance costs
· Web site design and upkeep
· Building design (architecture)
· Fundraising events
· Activities or events which duplicate what already exists
· Catering/hospitality
What we are looking for in projects:
We are interested in proposals that are:
Developed through consultation with individuals and people from minority ethnic communities;
· enable participants to shape the activity and be involved as decision makers
· demonstrate a clear vision underpinned by in-depth understanding of the current issues effecting minority ethnic communities and local populations.
Based upon a partnership approach;
· builds on and does not duplicate existing provision and has a strong strategic fit with other activity at a local and regional level
· demonstrates a high level of partnership working e.g. development of a project Consortia, links to Local Authority Good Relations and Community Planning
Support best practice in working with minority ethnic communities through creative activities;
· prioritise excellence – in both the art and the approach to intercultural engagement; including working with artists or arts organisations with a proven track record in this area
· challenge artists, arts organisations and arts providers to develop new, imaginative or more effective ways of meeting the strategic themes of the programme
· encourage and demonstrate opportunities for networking across the sector and the arts sector
· demonstrate a ‘person centred’ approach that safeguards vulnerable individuals, takes into account equality and is sensitive, respectful of and empowering for all involved.
Consider legacy and sustainability;
· develop on-going programmes across the widest possible range of quality arts activity that strive to be sustainable in the long-term and/or replicable by others
· demonstrate a lasting legacy e.g. links to training and developmental opportunities, capacity building and improved community cohesion.
Consider scale of impact;
· have scale of impact, whilst adapting to and meet local needs
Consider advocacy;
· projects consider fully the public profile of a project and cost accordingly.
· have an impact on the widest possible section of the general public and engagement of participants from a range of British, Irish and minority ethnic backgrounds;
What are the criteria for decision making?
The Council will assess your project against the following criteria:
Criterion 1: Strategic impact
Criterion 2: Partnership working
Criterion 3: Quality of arts activities planned
Criterion 4: Organisational and Project Viability
Your project must meet ALL the above criteria. It is very important that you think carefully about how your project satisfies each criterion and use the application form to demonstrate this.
Criterion 1 – Strategic Impact: You should indicate how your project links to one or more of the identified themes of this programme as detailed under ‘Strategic Themes of the Programme’.
Criterion 2 – Partnership Working: Your project should have the widest possible support of your local community and the maximum possible impact. You should provide any evidence you have that there is a demand for your project, e.g. letters of support, market research, evaluation of previous projects. You need to give careful consideration to the way in which your project is organised and presented so that it provides access to people from all sections of society and builds community cohesion. You need to show that you are committed to working in partnership with relevant organisations in order to meet the strategic themes of this programme.
Criterion 3 - Quality of Arts Activity: You will need to demonstrate that the artists or facilitators involved in your project have relevant experience, achievement or ability to deliver the project to the target group. This should include CV’s including names, skills and experience of artists and the other main people who will be involved in the project. If you have not identified artists we can support you in doing this by providing guidance on where to source artists and arts organisations.
Criterion 4 - Organisational and Project Viability: You need to tell us about any plans you have already made and how you will manage and carry out the activity to achieve its aims. You need to show how you will manage the main stages of your project and what each stage contains. You have to demonstrate that your project represents good value for money and show what financial control systems you have in place to make sure that money is spent wisely.
Assessment and Decision Making Process
· Once we have received your completed application we will acknowledge this in writing and you will be given a unique reference number.
· The application will be assigned to a Community Arts Officer who will be responsible for the assessment process. You may be contacted for additional information following the initial checking of the application.
· A decision will be made through a moderation process. Moderation is the name given to the meeting of Directors, Arts Development Officers and Assistant Arts Development Officers to decide/ make recommendations on which applications should be funded and to what level.
· We aim to inform you of our final decision within 3 months of the closing date.
· If you are unsuccessful you will receive a letter outlining the reasons for the decision.
· If successful you will receive a letter of offer setting out the conditions attached to the offer.
Please note: The project elements for which you are seeking funding cannot start until after you have received the Letter of Offer.
Depending on the level of funds available, it may not be possible to support all applications which simply meet the relevant criteria. Under such circumstances applications, which, in the opinion of the Arts Council, best meet the criteria will be successful.
Projects will receive the grant in instalments, which will be set out in the letter of offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can apply to this scheme?The programme is aimed at;
(i) Constituted community and voluntary groups working at a local level across local ethnically diverse communities with minority ethnic communities;
(ii) Arts organisations with a proven track record of working in the area of Intercultural Arts and for this project, with a confirmed prospective partnership in place with community/ voluntary group (s) to engage in Intercultural Arts Practice.
2. How much can I apply for?
Grants from £10,000 to £20,000 are available. You can apply for up to 75% of the eligible costs of the project.
3. Can I apply for more than £20,000?
No, the maximum award is £20,000. The total costs of your project may be more than £20,000 but the Council will not make grants of more than £20,000.
4. Do I need Partnership Funding?
The Grants Programme requires match funding from other sources. The minimum partnership funding you need to demonstrate from non-Lottery, non-Arts Council sources is 25%, half of which, (i.e. 50% of the partnership element), must be in cash. However, the assessment process takes into account the other funds you are able to bring to the project.
5. When will I get a decision on my application?
We aim to inform you of our final decision within 3 months of the closing date of the programme. Please note that if you fail to meet our requests for further information this will delay our decision.
6. Who can help me with queries concerning completion of the application form?
The Arts Council’s Participatory Arts Team will be available to answer queries concerning completion of the application form and guidance on contacting artists.
Community Arts Partnership (CAP) PICAS is the dedicated support programme for Intercultural arts to support you in the development of applications to this programme. Please contact CAP on 028 90923493, www.comartspartner.org
7. Do artists have to be involved in my project?
Yes. Artists and/or arts organisations must be involved in all projects. The Arts Council’s Participatory Arts Team and Community Arts Partnership can provide advice on how to access artists.
8. How do I buy services?
You will need to seek minimum of two quotations (fax or email confirmation should be obtained) for supplies and services up to £1,500 in value (inc VAT);
4 selected tenders for supplies and services between £1,500 and £10,000 in value (inc Vat);
5 selected tenders for supplies and services between £10,000 and £30,000 in value (inc Vat).
This requirement does not include contracting artists to carry out workshops or give performances.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland reserves the rights to examine all paperwork to verify compliance with this condition.
9. What is a Premium Payment?
A payment of up to £3,000 is available for successful applicants who can clearly demonstrate that additional costs are associated with the delivery of their project for people with particular needs as defined under Section 75 of The Northern Ireland Act 1998. This payment must be accounted for separately and will be paid retrospectively at the end of the project on detailed evidence of expenditure. Under this programme, Language and Interpretation costs are considered core to the programme and do not fall into the Premium Payment category.