Are you an artist or maker in Sheffield? Do you want to make something creative happen in 2016? Then maybe a Yorkshire Artspace Microgrant is for you!

We are pleased to open up our Microgrant awards to support Sheffield artists & makers for a third year. In 2016 these will be part of Sheffield's Year of Making - a major city-wide initiative celebrating our city's past, present and future as a city of makers.

Year of Making Microgrants

We intend to award up to four Year of Making Microgrants to artists and makers working in Sheffield. Successful applications will address both the Yorkshire Artspace Microgrant aims and respond to some or all of the Year of Making aims.

MICROGRANT AIMS:

• Support artists and makers in the development of their practice and realisation of ideas.

• Increase public access to and engagement with the work of artists and makers.

YEAR OF MAKING AIMS:

• Promote Sheffield as a world city with an international reputation for excellence and innovation.

• Develop the story of Sheffield, which reflects our making heritage and projects it into the future.

• Engage residents and visitors in making activity.

• Spark collaboration, debate and celebration across all Sheffield’s making tradition.

• Support Sheffield artists and makers through commissions, professional development and partnership activity.

We are very keen that all Microgrant awards present an opportunity to artists and makers to extend and develop their professional practice. Proposals should indicate how the Microgrant will do this, for example, enabling you to make a new artwork, object or product or to research an idea or and develop a technical skill, new material or process. Equally we are looking for ideas that enable people to actively engage, interact or participate with this process in some way. For example this might be through an interactive artwork, public demonstration or workshop activity.

Yorkshire Artspace also likes to feature the work done though the Microgrants at our annual Open Studio event. In 2016 this falls on the weekend of 18-20 November. Open Studios presents a fantastic opportunity for the public to meet over 150 artists and makers in the studios where they make their work. Last year the event attracted over 2000 visitors. Visitors are always keen to learn more about the making process and get actively involved. We would like to see Microgrant applications outline a relevant/appropriate way of taking advantage of this opportunity to share work and engage with an interested audience for example through a demonstration, talk, workshop activity or exhibition.

WHAT YOU GET:

• Up to £500 (inc VAT).

• Advice and support from Yorkshire Artspace in development or work/project especially related to engagement.

• Blog coverage on Yorkshire Artspace website and features in our quarterly E-Newsletter to help you publicise/promote your activity.

• Exhibition/Sharing opportunity at Yorkshire Artspace Open Studios.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

• Realise/deliver your idea. You will be responsible for project management, driving and delivering the project to completion.

• Provide us with regular updates and images of your work for inclusion on our website/e-newsletter.

• Sign a letter of agreement with Yorkshire Artspace if successful in receiving a microgrant award.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send the following by email only to rachael@artspace.org.uk

• Written proposal outlining your idea (up to 2 sides of A4) including: how this microgrant will benefit you/your practice, how people will be involved/engaged and how it responds to Year of Making.

• Any information you have at this stage about what you need to make it happen.

• Budget indicating what you will spend the Microgrant money on.

• PDF of images and information to evidence your previous work.

• CV including Website address or other relevant links.

• Equal Opportunities Form - (click here for link to download)

DEADLINE: 9am Monday 7th March 2016. Decisions by end of March 2016.