Access Folk
Small Project Grants
Call for applicants
Access Folk explores ways to increase and diversify participation in folk singing in England. We need your help to achieve these goals!
Access Folk Small Project Grants are worth up to £1,000. Funding is available to support new events and organisers. It's also available to existing organisers who are interested in making changes to the activities they already run. Eligible projects should focus on communal singing activities – that is, activities that encourage people to actively participate in singing.
All projects must be based in England.
What is an Access Folk Small Project Grant?
Explainer Video.mp4Our explainer video walks you through what action research is and how we can work together to test new ideas and approaches to broadening access to folk singing in communities across England.
Who are you?
Getting involved might be right for you if:
You're a singer, work or volunteer in the culture/heritage sector, or are interested in organising folk singing activities in your community
You recognise a barrier that’s getting in the way of someone's participation in folk singing
You want to make changes to how you and others participate in folk singing
You're interested in how research can support making folk singing more widely accessible
What are the deadlines?
The application process has three deadline rounds and project starts will be staggered. If you apply for the first two rounds but are not successful, you will have the opportunity to receive feedback, update your application, and resubmit. Our deadlines are:
Round 1 – 22 January 2024
Round 2 – 29 March 2024
Round 3 – 31 May 2024
It can take up to six (6) weeks for a response to your application, so if your start date is time sensitive, be sure to apply early!
How do I apply?
You’ll need to prepare an application that:
Outlines a series of six (6) folk singing events that you will organise.
Or, proposes changes to how you deliver existing events that address the barriers to participation.
All projects should address one or more of the challenges that are outlined in the Accessing Folk Singing in England Report or Access Folk Podcast Series.
Do I need support to apply?
You don’t need to be an experienced folk singer, event organiser, or grant writer to apply!
We can provide guidance about applying. Support is available in different formats.
Get started!
Apply
Submit your application.
What's involved?
Download the Call for Access Folk Small Project Applications, learn about your role in action research, and find out if your project fits the criteria for funding.
Am I ready?
Take a short quiz that asks you questions about your project. It will help you think about your proposal and whether you’re ready to apply.
Get help applying
Register for a Q&A session, read our FAQ, request a callback, or find out about other ways we can support you.
Other resources
Access podcasts and reports about the current state of folk singing in England, and other resources that can help inform your application.
What happens once a decision is made?
Support if your project isn't funded
Get information about what to do if your project isn't funded.
Support if your project is funded
Are you new to planning events? Find resources to help you plan.
Get in touch
If you have a question, require this information in a different format, or have feedback on how we can make this information more accessible, please reach out to us!