Links

Links on this page take you directly to other arts organisations in MK and the region which either support or fund the arts. There are also lots of other links inclduing to useful national organisations such as the Arts Council England and the Voluntary Action Network who provide a useful round-up of information - including more funding - for artists working further afield. If you would like to submit a link email: info@artsgatewaymk.org.uk

Arts Organisations

Arts Organisation locally and nationally

Arts and Heritage Alliance(AHA-MK)

 (previously MK Cultural Alliance) is a representative forum, working collaboratively to position the cultural sector as a key strategic contributor in the development of Milton Keynes.

Arts Unit

 Formerly the CultureMK coordinates the action plans outlined in the Milton Keynes Cultural Strategy, the Public Art Strategy and the emerging Heritage and Arts Strategies.

ArtworksMK

 Providing specialist equipped art and craft workshops, artists’ studios and exhibition space in Milton Keynes

Festive Road

 Festive Road is a carnival arts company that organise summer and winter carnival workshops, lantern parades and street performances. Our parades show off; our spectacular giant figurines, handmade lanterns created by school and community groups, processions of carnival goers in creative costumes and theatrical performances through the streets accompanied by live Bhangra or Samba music!

InteractionMK

 A creative development charity cultivating artistic abilities from the community and bringing arts to life in Milton Keynes.

Living Archive

 A cultural, educational and artistic agency set up to record, archive and celebrate the unique history of residents’ lives and sense of place. Also involved with film projects, creating original film scripts and young peoples documentaries.

MaD (Make A Difference)

 Offers high quality, diverse volunteering opportunities in an inclusive, supportive and encouraging environment across a wide variety of areas: Sports, Urban Art, Music, Mentoring, Media, Arts Awards – to name but a few.

Madcap

 Performing Arts Centre and Community Arts Projects

Milton Keynes Arts Education Forum

 MKAEF is a voluntary organisation set up to enhance arts education opportunities beyond the national curriculum in Milton Keynes.

MK Arts For Health

 Work with health, community and corporate clients across the Milton Keynes area to devise, manage and deliver public art projects, artist-in-residence schemes and arts-in-hospitals programmes.

stArt

 Helps businesses to grow, in the arts and creative industries. Individuals and partnerships planning to set up their own creative based businesses can access free or subsidised support.

VAN(Voluntary Arts Network)

 A development agency for the voluntary arts. They aim to promote participation in the arts and crafts across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Other Arts Funders/Funding Advice

Links to other Arts Funders and Funding Advice

Arts Council

 The national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from Government and the National Lottery.

Awards For All

 A Lottery grants scheme funding small, local community-based projects in the UK.

British Council

 Offers advice and funding bringing the best of UK arts to the rest of the world. They help to create and support numerous events yearly in more than 100 countries.

Business Link

 Offer grants and government support

Clore Duffield

 The Foundation is a grant-making organisation which concentrates its support on education, the arts, museum and gallery education.

Community Radio Fund

 Funding to help fund the core costs of running a community ‘not-for-profit’ radio station.

First Light Movies

 Set up to fund and inspire the making of short films by young people aged five to 19 years.

Milton Keynes Community Foundation

 A local independent grant-making charity supporting the local community

MK Contemporary Project Development Grants

 Offers Visual Artists up to £2700 project development and materials fees for exhibitions

MK Youth Bank

 Run by young people for young people. If you're between 13 and 19 and have an idea for something to do for young people, you could get money to help make it happen!

MKCVO Funding Advice Service

 For any voluntary or community group who operate in the area of the Milton Keynes Unitary Authority. As well as one-to-ones you can receive a regular email alert and members of MKCVO can obtain direct access to GRANTNET – an online grants programme.

Musicians Benevolunt Fund

 Professional musicians from all musical backgrounds; classical to rock, jazz to bhangra, are invited to apply for a new MBF Professional Development Award of up to £5,000. The funding can be used for projects which will inspire musical creativity and develop skills, explore new creative directions or extend professional knowledge.

Nesta Creative Investor

 NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - a unique and independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative.

Own Art Scheme for New Galleries (part of the Arts Council)

 Designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy contemporary works of art and craft including paintings, photography, sculpture, glassware and furniture. You can borrow up to £2,000, or as little as £100, and pay back the loan in 10 monthly instalments - interest free.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

 An Awards scheme in 1993 to support artists by providing them with financial assistance at a critical point in their careers. The aim of the Awards was to give artists the freedom to develop their creative ideas and to contribute to their personal and professional growth. They also have an Open Arts Scheme.

Philip Leverhulme (Performing and Visual Arts)

 The prizes are for outstanding young scholars who have made a substantial and recognised contribution to their particular field of study and whose future contributions are held to be of correspondingly high promise. For Performing and Visual Arts.

Princes Trust Community Cash Awards

 Grants of up to £5,000 to help young people set up a project that will benefit their community.

PRS Foundation (Music)

 The UK's largest independent funder purely for new music of any genre. Its main aims are to stimulate and support the creation and performance of new music in the UK, ensuring this reaches a wide audience. In addition, it motivates public debate about creative music-making in the UK, for example through ground-breaking projects such as the New Music Award.

Screen South (Film)

 Funding and support for Media and Film in the South East

UK Film Council

 Funding script development, film production, short films, film export and distribution, cinemas, film education, culture and archives, festivals and audience support schemes.

Wolverton Science & Art Institution Fund

 Promotes education and in particular education in art, studying or working in ancient parish of Wolverton and Stantonbury. Some funding available.

Young Musicians Awards

 Awards between £200 and £2,000, based on evidence of musical talent and financial need. The awards can help with: the purchase or hire of musical instruments and accessories; music lessons; weekend music schools; music courses; orchestra fees; travel. Applicants are required to: have achieved distinction in their last music exam, or, show evidence of this level of ability; be recommended by their music teacher; have their families show evidence of financial need.

Youth Music

 Youth Music distributes its funds in a variety of ways including: Open Programmes, Partnership Programmes, Action Zones and Youth Music initiatives.

Visual Arts

Anything relating to the Visual Arts

Milton Keynes Film Network

 The Milton Keynes Film Network is an open network started to bring together all those interested in Filmmaking in our great city. We hope this will help in establishing a more public film scene, encourage new collaborations and enable productions to happen.

Music

Anything relating to Music

Grid City Committee

 GCC aims to promote the music of MK, to support and advise local musicians. The concept behind Grid City Committee is to generate interest in and set up an Advice Hub/Drop In and Information Centre for musicians in Milton Keynes- offering free advice and support for both aspiring and established musicians in the city trying to break in to the music industry. The GCC runs in conjunction with MaD and in partnership with Snoosh Productions.

Snoosh Productions

 From free parties in the Mid 90's, to a free urban music festival in 2006, from Get Funked to the Buszy Jam, Snoosh Productions have provided music lovers of all generations around MK, a chance to experience underground sounds and genres. We showcase some of the best in local Breakbeat, Hip-Hop, Drum&Bass, Tech House, Electro, Funk, Soul, and Reggae DJ's and live acts to give u that unique Underground party atmosphere.

Dance

Anything relating to Dance

Desperate 2 Dance Company

 Established in 1993, the desperate 2 dance company is a performance based dance group to provde lovers of street dance, jazz and hip-hop with the skills they need to go out there and boogie! Girls and boys from 6 - 18yrs, ladies, choreographry for those special First Dances for wedding couples. Working with many schools (pupils with varied learning abilities), as well as shopping centres and at birthday parties.

Other

Anything that doesn\'t quite fit into the other link sections!

MK Mix

 The MK MIX goes beyond strands of equality and diversity by simply crelebrating the contribution individuals are making to the positive development of Milton Keynes through Art, Culture and Enterprise.