Freelands Foundation Invites Applications to Learning Through Making Fund

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The Freelands Foundations, a registered charity, is offering grants of up to £25,000 for UK-based visual art education projects that creatively engage audiences with the process of making and exploration of materials. This fund is intended to provide an opportunity for activity to take place that might not otherwise be possible.

The aim is to support exploratory projects that embrace openness, collaboration and iteration, enabling organisations 'to work in an expansive way with materials, unpicking and challenging preconceptions about making and material literacy, interrogating practice and working in an open and collaborative way'.

Grants of up to £25,000 are available. Proposed projects can be of any length but must take place between 1 January and 31 December 2027.

Applications will be considered from UK based visual arts organisations which are run with a charitable purpose and for public benefit.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Organisations registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Scottish Charity Regulator, or The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

  • Exempt charities.

  • Galleries, museums, or organisations which are part of a Local Authority.

  • Galleries, museums, or organisations part of a larger charitable organisation, such as a university.

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs), Community Benefit Societies, and other organisations with charitable purposes run for public benefit.

The Foundation welcomes action-research projects that enable learning through exploration and testing – they do not need to have fully defined outcome.

The funding can be used for the following project costs:

  • Project staffing (salaries and freelance rates) 

  • Materials and equipment 

  • Room hire or spaces

  • Transport 

  • Marketing associated with the project 

  • A contingency of up to 5% of the total budget.

Online application support sessions will be held on 9 July (10:30am to 12pm) and 12 August (10:30am to 12pm). Registration is required through eventbrite. 

Applications are accepted from 17 June to 11 September 2026 (noon). For more information please visit Learning Through Making Fund | Apply | Freelands Foundation