Grants and Commissions

St Helens Borough of Culture Arts and Heritage Grants and Commission opportunities

To celebrate St Helens Borough of Culture 2023, St Helens Borough Council will award a number of grants and commissions for arts and heritage projects for groups and individuals through 4 different routes as outlined below.

Opportunity 1 - Reside Creative Commissions

Reside* Creative Commissions is the 2023 Artist Commission programme funded through St Helens Library Service as part of its Cultural Hubs Arts in Libraries programme work as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.

The commissioned work will be promoted as part of the St Helens Borough of Culture Reside* residency programme that will showcase artists who live in St Helens. The Reside* programme will also offer developmental residential weekends, artist meet ups and public sharings, which will be open to all artists/creatives in the Borough to attend.

For full details of the commission and how to apply, please read the   Reside Creative Commissions process and applications form (Word doc) [126KB]

Deadline: 20th March 2023

Opportunity 2 - National Lottery Heritage Fund Creative Underground Grant

St Helens Library Service has secured National Lottery Heritage funding of almost £250,000 to deliver an ambitious new programme of work which will uncover the borough's rich heritage in the arts, culture and creativity industries. 

As part of this project and with support from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, there is an exciting opportunity for community groups based across the Borough of St Helens to apply for funding of up to £4,000 to explore the heritage of the amateur arts sector and celebrate St Helens' wider heritage through creative collaborations as well as developing new skills and expanding horizons. 

For full details of the commission and how to apply, please read the  National Lottery Heritage Fund Creative Underground Grant (Word doc) [137KB]

Deadline: 17th April 2023

Opportunity 3 - Borough of Culture Open Grants

The St Helens Borough of Culture 2023 Open Grants (Arts, Heritage and Sport) will provide grant funding for arts, heritage and sports projects to celebrate St Helens Borough of Culture 2023. These grants are made possible through funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Culture Strand.

For full details of the grants and how to apply, please read the  Borough of Culture Open Grants process and application form (Word doc) [134KB]

Deadline: 1st May 2023

Opportunity 4 - Harry and Mavis Pilkington Fund

Funded through Harry and Mavis Pilkington Foundation Fund for Arts and Leisure and administered by St Helens Borough Council​

Deadline: 5th June 2023

For full details of the grants and how to apply, please read the  Harry and Mavis Pilkington Fund process (Word doc) [143KB]