Arts Council England - Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) Support Work

This grant is for creative practitioners looking to make a step-change or develop their creative practice in some way. Arts Council England will provide funding to help you apply if you need support with the application form. You can use a freelance support worker (like me)- to help.

No one should ever charge you for support work as Arts Council England pays us directly. Please do not pay anyone for support work for this grant application.

There are lots of eligibility criteria, and it is important that you check them before reaching out to me. The main ones are living in England, being over 18, and having a creative practice in one of the areas identified by the Arts Council.

This service is about removing barriers so that you can complete your own application in your authentic voice. This means that I can't design your grant for you, or tell you what to do. If you need help understanding the guidance, and refining your idea because you become easily overwhelmed, distracted or have difficulty understanding or applying long guidance documents however, I can support with this. I can also help with tasks like budgeting, setting up a project timeline, scribing your ideas, or accessing the online system, or help after your grant is approved with managing your budget or evaluation.

I have limited capacity and I am not able to take everyone who applies, or meet everyone's needs. I only work with people that I think I can help, and who I know I will be able to provide excellent support to. This is is why it is really helpful when you apply if you can tell me a little bit about your idea, and if you indicate your availability (e.g. mornings, weekdays etc).

It is open to anyone who is chronically ill (mentally or physically), neurodivergent, Deaf/deaf/HoH, disabled etc. You don't need to provide evidence of your conditions- we just need to discuss what support you need. 

As a disabled person with physical disabilities, with support needs of my own, I know what difference great support makes- and the impact when someone doesn't deliver what is promised. It can be the difference between you submitting the amazing application that you are capable of, or nothing at all. If I say I am not the right person for you as I don't have the right skills or capacity for new clients, please don't be offended. 

Sometimes I may know another freelance support worker who could be a good match.