Metal is working with Arts Council England (ACE) to host a series of talks and open advice sessions about how artists, creatives, community and voluntary groups can apply for a Project Grant to fund their work. ACE are keen for more people from the Peterborough and Fenland area to apply.

On Wednesday 23 May, we’re offering free sessions for d/Deaf, disabled, and/or neurodivergent (DDN)* artists who live and/or work within our local area (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and surrounding villages). This session will be supported by local artist Kate Marsh along with a member of the Metal team. These sessions will have an Arts Council project Grant focus, but will be led by you and what you’d like to discuss, which might include: 

• Talking through a project idea  
• Deciding which Arts Council funding stream is right for you 
• Budget development or reading draft applications  
• Discussing your creative practice  
• Building relationships with different organisations, voluntary groups, partners or venues to support an application

About Kate Marsh: Kate Marsh is a disabledcrip artist researcher. Assistant professor at C-Dare (centre for dance research at Coventry University). Kate’s practice – research is focused on nurturing spaces for disabled and crip artists to develop and realise their ideas and practice. She is interested in re-imaging leadership in the arts in a way that truly makes access for everyone.

How to book
We’re offering these sessions in person at Chauffeurs Cottage, as well as the option to discuss your work with us online. There is one session available per artist and the slots are 1 hour long. 

Sessions will be open on a first come first served basis. Book your free place . When booking on the session, please also let us know of any access requirements you may need.

This ACE Project Grant open advice session will prioritise artists and creatives who are d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent we are also holding further ACE Project Grant open advice sessions that prioritise Global Majority artists, as well as a session open to all. These sessions are being held in response to research and findings from ACE (Arts Council England) which show a lower number of funding applications made by people existing within these underrepresented groups.

There are more Project Grant Open advice sessions here: 

• Friday 7 June: ACE Project Grant Open Advice with artist Yvonne Hercules, for global majority artists

*What do we mean by d/Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent (DDN)?

d/Deaf: writing d/Deaf in this way acknowledges that some people are born Deaf, and other people develop deafness later in life.

Disabled: a term that is used to describe anyone who has a physical condition or illness that impacts the way they live their life.

Neurodivergent: is an umbrella term used to describe people whose brains work differently. Neurodivergent can be used to describe all kinds of disabilities that affect how people think or develop, including autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and more.

Our definitions of these terms have been helped by research carried out by Peterborough Presents via their Reasonable Adjustment project, you can read more about here.