A NEW grants scheme to help support Bradford’s creative sector, and develop activities for people in lockdown, has been launched.

#Response2 will be the second of Bradford Council’s grant making programmes to support the sector, with this grant focusing on supporting those struggling with home schooling.

It is is aimed at finding innovative ways to engage families both online and offline as the district builds on preparations and activity linked to bidding for UK City of Culture 2025.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We were one of the first Local Authorities in the country to launch a grant programme to support our creatives and we know how important this was to them and the people they created projects with and for. This is why we believe it’s essential to continue to support our cultural sector and trust them to create amazing activity that reaches the families in our district.”

More local arts groups get much needed cash boost

Councillor Imran Khan, Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills added: “We are delighted to create this unique opportunity to support the families in our district that are struggling with the pressure of home schooling and navigating the digital world. This grant programme will hopefully help ease some of the pressure and bring some fun into our households over this current lockdown.”

In March 2020 Bradford Council acted swiftly to respond to the first lockdown.

The #Response initiative supported 55 artists, creatives, and cultural groups across the district with a series of grants as the Coronavirus pandemic took hold.

This pilot project was quick to recognise the contribution that the arts and culture sector makes to the Bradford district, but also the enormous challenges faced by a widespread hiatus on the usual creative calendar.

The result has been a clear display of Bradford’s trademark grit and resilience, with great creative flair to match. Individuals and groups supported through #Response served Bradford’s communities by inspiring and entertaining the district, and wider world, during 2020.

#Response2 is a small grant programme of up to £1,500 to support the creative and community sector in developing ideas and tools to support families that are home schooling. As many families lack access to digital infrastructure, suggestions for activities both offline and online would be welcomed.

Applications which assist families affected by recent lockdown measures and have benefit to the local community will be considered. The criteria for applications are:

• Create new ideas and activities to develop alternative ways to support and engage young people through various platforms, online & offline

• Create activities that encourage families to interact with each other without leaving their homes and create a sense of community

• Provide R&D time for artists and freelancers to generate new ideas and approaches to their work with young people

• Applications welcome from artists/organisations/groups

• Applications from artists/organisations/groups outside the boundaries of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District council will not be considered for this one-off initiative

• The maximum allocation would not normally exceed £1,500 for any individual project and the minimum amount to be support is £500.

• Projects should not contravene Council policy guidelines in areas of equal rights (eg; policies regarding gender, equality, ethnic minorities, special needs)

• All awards are one-off

For more detail and to apply visit: https://www.bradford.gov.uk/arts-and-culture/funding/community-arts-and-culture-grants-response2/