Powered by CAN, supported by Arts Council England, are launching The Black Country Fellowships, a new programme creating Artist-led projects for young people in the Black Country. Four fellowships are available to Artists aged 18-34 with strong links to the Black Country, with each fellowship commanding a fee of £15000 and a project budget of £5000. Successful proposals will be selected by an independent panel of young people, one project for each of the four boroughs; Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Fellowship Artists will develop projects that benefit a specific community of young people (aged 0-24) within the Black Country.
Jerrel Jackson, CEO of Powered by CAN said ‘The Black Country Fellowships provide young Artists and young people in the Black Country with an exciting opportunity to create great local arts experiences together. The programme does two brilliant things; it provides a rare paid opportunity for Artists to make work specifically in and for the Black Country, and because of the project focus on ages 0-24 the Fellowships are a real opportunity to connect more young people in the Black Country with working Artists.’
Kalman Dean-Richards, Service Lead for Arts Culture and Civic Change at Powered by CAN said, ’The exciting thing for us is that we really mean any project! We are open to all ideas as long as the project benefits a specific community of young people aged 0-24 within the Black Country. We can’t wait to see what Artists come up with.’
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Who is eligible to apply?
Artists/Creatives aged 18-34 who have a connection to the Black Country (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, or Wolverhampton) are eligible to apply.
- What types of projects are you looking for?
We are open to all ideas as long as the project benefits a specific community of young people aged 0-24 within the Black Country.
- What do you mean by ‘community’?
This is open to interpretation – it could be a geographically-connected group, or a group with a shared characteristic such as Deafness. You can consider the Social GRACES model: Gender, Geography, Race, Religion, Age, Ability, Appearance, Culture, Class/Caste, Education, Employment, Ethnicity, Spirituality, Sexuality, Sexual orientation. Think about what connects your intended group.
- How much funding is available?
Each selected project will receive a fee of £15,000, paid quarterly (£3750 every 3 months) – please consider this as part of your project planning. Additionally, there is a £5,000 budget for project expenses.
- Can I apply for funding from other places to give my project a bigger budget?
Yes, absolutely, but your application for the Black Country Fellowships shouldn’t rely on receiving additional funding – it should all be achievable within the £5000 budget.
- How long should the project last?
Projects should be designed to run for 12 months starting from October 2024.
- What are the key dates to remember?
The submission deadline is Thursday 12th September 2024 (11:59pm). You will be notified at least 2 weeks in advance of interview dates. The project duration is 12 months from October 2024.
- How will the proposals be evaluated?
Proposals will be evaluated by an independent panel of young people. One project will be selected for each of the four boroughs: Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.
- Can I collaborate with other artists or organisations?
Yes absolutely, collaborative projects are welcome as long as the lead artist meets the eligibility criteria and the project benefits young people in the Black Country. The fee for the project will remain at £15,000 regardless of the number of artists working on it.
- Can my project target young people outside the age range of 0-24?
Projects must specifically benefit young people aged 0-24 to be eligible for this fellowship. If some participants fall outside of the age band, that’s okay!
- What if my project takes longer than 12 months to complete?
The fellowship is designed for projects that can be completed within 12 months. If you foresee needing more time, please detail this in your proposal, but note that funding and support are currently only guaranteed for the 12-month period.
- Can I apply with multiple project ideas?
While you are welcome to develop multiple ideas, we encourage you to submit the one you feel is strongest and most viable.
- What happens after I submit my application?
After submission, your application will be reviewed by the independent panel of young people. If selected, you will be notified and provided with further instructions on the next steps.
- Do partners need to be finalised ahead of submitting my application?
We’re happy to accept applications which are not tied to community partners, and are happy to support applicants with securing partnerships following selection.
- Are there any restrictions on what I can spend the resource budget on?
Equipment and assets above £500 would need to be outlined in your proposal.
- Who can I contact if my question isn’t answered here?
For more information, you can contact hello@poweredbycan.org using the subject heading ‘BLACK COUNTRY FELLOWSHIPS 2024.’
To apply, please follow this link to our Jotform
