Welcome to the new Leeds Cultural Investment Programme
The new Leeds Cultural Investment Programme replaces the arts@leeds and Leeds Inspired funding schemes. It builds on the strengths of these long running programmes, retaining opportunities for project funded and for revenue funded activity. The programme will provide funding opportunities for both creative individuals and organisations. We will continue to promote cultural funding opportunities city-wide.
As with any new programme, we may not have everything right at first and we look to the independent sector for feedback to help us continually improve these programmes in the future.
The independent cultural sector in the city is an important part of ‘Team Leeds’ and, alongside the Council’s own directly delivered cultural services, makes significant contribution to our Best City Ambition.
Following extensive consultation with artists and arts organisations, the Leeds Cultural Investment Programme has been developed to align the city’s investment in culture with the Best City Ambition.
The new programme will provide more flexibility and agency to artists and arts organisations. Access to the investment funds will support city readiness for the legacy of LEEDS 2023.
In 2024 we will launch a new Cultural Impact Survey. This will allow us to evidence the benefits of culture to Leeds and support us to tell the story of how culture has a vital impact. Funded individuals and organisations will be required to complete the survey as a condition of funding.
A set of Priorities and Principles have been co-produced with the creative sector to underpin the new programme. These gained over 75% approval in a public consultation and were approved by Leeds City Council Executive Board in June 2023. These new Principles and Priorities have shaped Leeds Cultural Investment programme and will help us to assess and award funds.
Our Priorities
Culture
To value culture as a golden thread that runs through the Leeds Best City Ambition and contributes to all three of its pillars for 2030: Health and Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth, Zero Carbon.
Engage
To ensure everyone who calls Leeds home should have the opportunity to engage in high quality creative and cultural activity.
Communities
To champion the creative diversity of our people and communities.
Culture
To use culture and creativity to tell our stories to the world and to maintain our city (and region) as a great place to live, work and grow.
Our Principles
Ambition
Encourage creative ambition and excellence.
Public benefits
Ensure City Council funds are used for public benefit and all funded activity will contribute to the Best City Ambition.
Local Impact
Support individuals as well as organisations, small projects as well as large ones and activities with local impact alongside those with national and international reach.
Diversity
Reflect the growing diversity of the city and foster creativity in every community.
Collaboration
Encourage organisations to work mutually, with generosity and in collaboration and to support individual artists and freelancers to develop their practice and careers in Leeds.
Grow investment
Work together with the cultural sector to maximise opportunity and grow investment for culture and creativity in Leeds.
Inclusive
Make funding guidance clear, easy to understand, accessible and inclusive. To make monitoring consistent and proportionate to the level of funds awarded.
Open
Make decisions based on open applications, share data on decisions openly and use monitoring data gathered to inform future funding.