The Arts Council of Northern Ireland will deliver, on behalf of the Department for Communities, a £7.75m programme of support, aimed at helping arts and cultural sector recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Through the Stability and Renewal Programme for Organisations, grants of up to £500,000 will be available to organisations working in the arts and cultural sector to help them respond to the immediate impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, including help with re-opening, adapting and stabilising their organisations in the long-term
The Stability and Renewal Programme for Organisations is open to arts, culture and community organisations whose primary role is to create, present or support one (or more) of these categories:
Dance
Drama
Literature
Music and Opera
Traditional Arts
Visual Arts
Performing arts and theatre
Festivals and cultural events
Participatory Arts
Comedy
Cross Art form
Community Arts
Creative Industries in the following segments:
Independent Cinema
Product Design, Fashion Design, and Graphic Design;
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is distributing the £5.5m Heritage Recovery Fund on behalf of Department for Communities to help the sector recover from the pandemic and become more resilient.
Heritage organisations
The Heritage Recovery Fund will support organisations across the heritage ecosystem that were financially sustainable before COVID-19, have exhausted all other reasonable financing options and are now at risk of failure.
The fund will support these organisations to ensure that successful applicants can reopen by 31 March 2021. If reopening under social distancing is not permissible or does not represent a value for money approach, the fund will support organisations to operate on a sustainable and cost-efficient basis so that they are able to reopen at a later date.
Grants of £3,000 to £250,000 are available.
Individuals working in the heritage sector
The Heritage Recovery Fund also has a separate strand for individuals working in the heritage sector, such as specialist heritage builders, conservators, tour guides and craftspeople registered with an appropriate professional body.
Grants of £3,000 or £5,000 are available.
We are distributing this government funding based on criteria set by the Department for Communities.
Support webinars
This guidance should cover everything you need to know to apply. We will not be able to offer one to one advice for this fund.
However, we will run two webinars to help explain the scheme and address any queries you may have. These will take place on Monday 9 November 2020 and Thursday 12 November 2020. The webinar will include a 15 minute overview of the fund, followed by a 45 minute Q&A session. To book onto one of these webinars, register here.
To address new needs appearing as a result of the Coronavirus, and where restrictions mean finding new ways to support vulnerable people, using creative mediums.
To support grassroots communities and those most marginalised, through engagement in community arts, culture and heritage projects and creative industries.
To enable organisations to respond better to new needs identified as a result of coronavirus, and where restrictions mean finding new ways of supporting vulnerable people, through encouraging access to the arts, culture and heritage, in particular for those with disabilities.
To help organisations and communities supporting vulnerable people, to use arts, culture and heritage, to #build back better; ensuring organisations and individuals thrive and continue to provide longer-term support to communities in need
Priorities:
Initiatives that can show short term need and impact; Initiatives that empower and connect grassroots community based organisations engaging in arts, culture and heritage activities, and which are new and innovative; Initiatives that have a clear social impact, and that enable those who do not usually have access to arts activities to have this access and opportunities; We welcome applications seeking match funding for projects supported by other funders; We welcome community projects that are working in partnership with Local Government; Projects that work both within and outside traditional communities
Overview Please note: We understand your current services are likely to be affected by coronavirus. However, as our application process takes approximately 6 months, we would like your application to detail how you would wish to deliver your services once the current government restrictions have been lifted.
We also understand, due to current uncertainties, the information we ask you to send with your application e.g. your organisational budget, may be subject to change. We will take this into consideration when assessing your application and will let you know if we need any further information from you.
The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.
We support established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries. We are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.
This is our largest grants programme, through which the majority of our funds are distributed.
Key grant details
Grant size:
£20k – £60k per year
Length:
1-3 years
Decision timescale:
6 Months
Deadlines:
None
Qualifying criteria Please only apply for this grant if you meet the following criteria:
Organisation size:
£50k – £2m (in exceptional circumstances up to £5m)
Location of work:
UK only
Funding covers:
Running costs, salaries and projects
Organisation type:
Charities and not-for-profit organisations, including social enterprises
Grants now available to support arts organisations to collaborate internationally
The British Council are offering grants of up to £50k to organisations in the UK and selected countries overseas to collaborate digitally on international projects.
Why a digital collaboration fund?
We have always supported international artistic collaboration through our work. In response to increasing restrictions on global travel due to Covid-19, and rising concerns about the sustainability of face-to-face collaborations, we are now looking for new ways to foster these international connections.
The Digital Collaboration Fund aims to address this challenge. Through a series of grants, we are supporting organisations to devise new virtual ways of working internationally, in turn creating a climate-friendly approach to international collaboration and artistic exchange.
What funding is available?
Grants of up to £50k are available to organisations in the UK and selected Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries to collaborate on digital projects.
6Do you work with people who may not usually get involved with science?
If so, you may be eligible for a grant! The British Science Association is welcoming applications for British Science Week 2021 Community Grants.
BSW 2021 will be 5-14 March, and this year we’re offering grants of £500 and £2000 for community groups that work directly with audiences who are traditionally under-represented and not currently engaged in science activity.
Please read the grant guidelines for additional information, including which applicants and projects will be prioritised and how to apply. To read these guidelines and apply, visithttps://www.britishscienceweek.org/about-us/grants/bsw-community-grant-scheme/.
The deadline to apply is Monday, 9 November 2020, at 5pm.
If you know any other individuals working in your community to reach under-served audiences, please do encourage them to apply too, by forwarding this email.
*Please note, community grants cannot be used for events or activities with school groups unless they are a special needs school. For school activities, the schools themselves, if they meet the eligibility criteria, should apply for our Kick Start Grants.
Please see the flyer for all the details. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas please get in contact at communities@britishscienceassociation.org.
NI Executive Departments, Public Health Agency, Health Trusts, Councils, the Independent Advice Network and local community & voluntary groups are working together to provide the help you need.
Range of help available including:
• Income
• Money/Debt
• Employment
• Housing
• Food
• Medicine
8Extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
In light of the increased restrictions needed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, the UK government is introducing additional economic measures to support you and your employees.
Latest changes that may impact you
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which was due to end on 31 October, will now be extended, with the UK government paying 80% of wages for the hours furloughed employees do not work, up to a cap of £2,500 for periods from 1 November.
You will need to pay all employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and pension contributions. You can choose to top up your furloughed employees’ wages beyond the 80% paid by the UK government for hours not worked, but you are not required to do so.
There will be no gap in support between the previously announced end date of CJRS and this extension.
You are invited to the virtual launch of a new consultation on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
Hosted by the Chair (Emma Sheerin, MLA) of the Ad hoc Committee on a Bill of Rights, the virtual launch will provide an overview of the aims of the Inquiry, the consultation process and explain how you will be able to share your views with the Committee.
Time: 4:15pm – 4:45pm
Date: 5th November 2020
Platform: Zoom
Human rights are freedoms and protections belonging to everyone. A bill of rights contains human rights protections for everyone – it is a list of the laws a country agrees to make to protect all the people who live there. It can also contain guiding principles or ideas. To get an understanding of what people who live here think about the creation of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, the Committee needs to hear from lots of different people. By getting involved you’ll help to ensure that the Committee’s report is reflective of society across Northern Ireland.
If you would like to attend the event please email engagement@niassembly.gov.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 4th November 2020. Log-in details will be issued on Thursday morning.
10Raise Your Voice! Consent & Sexual Harassment Workshop
Raise Your Voice is a project that tackles sexual harassment & sexual violence across Northern Ireland through working in the community, increasing public awareness & education categories
Upcoming workshop taking place on Zoom at 7PM:
Wednesday 4th November - Consent
To take part in these closed-group discussions, please register with Maeve: maevefwin@gmail.com
12 Fertility Week: changing perceptions, providing support
Wednesday 4th November #MenMatter
Men are half of the fertility equation but may find it harder to express their feelings. We will share the male perspective of infertility and highlight the desperate need to raise awareness for men facing fertility issues. 6pm WEBINAR - “All you need to know about male fertility” with Professor Allan Pacey, University of Sheffield.
Watch here: https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/how-we-can-help/online-support-webinars/ (This Webinar will run from 6pm and the recording will be available afterwards on this page – no registration required)
6.30pm MEN-ONLY WEBINAR - ‘It Doesn’t Stop with Filling the Pot’
Sharing the male experience of infertility
As part of Fertility week 2020, join Fertility Network UK and the International Fertility Company for our #MenMatter fertility event with Racing car Driver Toby Trice and The Man Cave’s Kevin Button.
Join us to learn more about the common feelings and issues identified by male fertility patients. Improve your fertility knowledge. Protect your mental health. REGISTRATION REQUIRED Please email alice@fertilitynetworkuk.org Thursday 5th November #FertilityEducation #FertilityintheWorkplace
Do you know your employment rights during fertility treatment? We discuss the benefits of having a supportive staff network for both employer and employee. For those who are living life without children, we share stories on the experiences and expectations at work for people who are childless not by choice.
% of young people are not aware of lifestyle factors that could affect their fertility. We share results from our Fertility Education project. 6pm WEBINAR - “Fertility Education: from school to the workplace” with Fertility Network colleagues Sharon Martin , Anya Sizer and Kate Brian.
Watch here: https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/how-we-can-help/online-support-webinars/ (This Webinar will run from 6pm and the recording will be available afterwards on this page – no registration required)
Saturday 7th November #Life on Hold - A Fertility Education Event for Family & Friends 10am WEBINAR – ‘Life on Hold’ - When you are struggling with fertility, it can be really difficult to talk to family and friends about how you are feeling.
It is so hard to find the right words to help them understand what you are going through, physically and emotionally.
So let us start the conversation for you!!
Invite your loved ones to join us for an online fertility education event.
We will be joined by fertility health care professionals to help your family & friends understand more about what you go through during fertility investigations and an IVF cycle. We will explain how you may physically feel during a round of IVF - bloated, tired, headaches; as well as provide an understanding of the egg collection and embryo transfer process.
We will also talk about the emotional impact of fertility. We will explain the roller-coaster of emotions, how social gatherings can be so tough and how the sight of a pregnant woman can impact your mood in an instant, de-railing your emotions for the rest of the day!
We will also chat around what not to say, and how best to support you. REGISTRATION REQUIRED - To register, please email emma.rees@fertilitynetworkuk.org with your full name and location by Thursday 5th November.
13Drop in Mindfulness Sessions - Puppy Train your mind!
You mind is like a puppy. Whatever you are doing it's probably wondering off, poking in some corner, getting itself lost.
Would you agree? Harvard Psychologists reckon we spend 47% of our waking hours not thinking about what we are doing.
When training a puppy, one of the first things we do is teach it to sit and be still. We hope to accomplish something similar for our minds during mindfulness practice. In mindfulness, we choose to focus on one thing. Maybe it’s our breath or a sound or an image. Whatever the focus, the purpose is the same: to be mindful and fully in the moment instead of chasing after thoughts and emotions.
An unfocused mind is often an anxious one so try the simple task below, always remembering that practise makes perfect.
Task: For one minute, train your brain to focus on a simple action such as eating a single square of chocolate, washing your hands, brushing your teeth or counting sounds around you. Immerse yourself in your senses and let everything else pass by you....
For more practice training that puppy mind come join me for the drop in mindfulness sessions this week.
Login details for drop in sessions: Morning Mindfulness
Tuesday/ Thursday: 10am -10.30am Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 815 9589 8662
Password: 710120
Children in Crossfire is delighted to announce that our Free Vision 2030 CPD Training for youth workers will be taking place online this year. Beginning Thursday 12th November, this course will run for 6 weeks, each Thursday from 9.30am - 11.30am.
Vision 2030 is a Level 3 OCN NI accredited CPD training course for youth workers which explores Local and Global Citizenship as a means to support young people on their journey as active citizens who work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through taking part, participants will:
- Learn the skills needed to deliver an OCN NI Level 2 course
- Develop the confidence to explore controversial issues with wider audiences
- Learn about local and global justice issues
- Share knowledge and ideas with others
- Learn the skills and knowledge needed to carry out a social action project with wider audiences
- Be provided with a full Training Plan and set of facilitator guidelines
Salary: NJC Scale PO1 (points 33-36) £29,909 - £32,233Contract: Until end March 2021 (may be extended subject to funding)
Location: Home based post (office accommodation is available on request)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the management and delivery of the regional Elevate Community Development Capacity Building Programme and will receive a generous holiday entitlement and attractive pension contributions along with the opportunity to work flexibly within the organisation.
Interview date: Wednesday 18th November 2020 via Zoom
Please find attached the fifth edition of the Energy Strategy E-Bulletin, which aims to keep stakeholders informed about progress on the new Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland.
In this edition:
• Energy Modelling for the Energy Strategy
• Key Issues Arising in Transport
Research is currently underway to examine approaches taken in other jurisdictions regarding both fuel poverty and broader energy related strategies and programmes which will have an impact on vulnerable consumers, however for the purposes of this survey they are focusing on a small number of aspects of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland and would appreciate your participation.
You can answer all of the questions, or only those which you feel you have input for.
Join from 20.15hrs GMT.
No admittance after 20.30hrs GMT.
There will be a bit of nostalgia, a bit of hope, a bit of random wiggling and an invitation to the point of view on the world of a dancing man who will be sixty years old the day after the last performance.
I'll be welcoming autumn. In more ways than one.
Each dance will be to one piece of music and last between 2 and 10 minutes. The track for each dance will be selected from a playlist of around a hundred. That playlist is the collection of my favourite pieces to dance with, and the ones that I love to watch people dance with when I teach. The tracks have been collected over three decades and run from Bach to Motorhead and from Albert Ayler to Johnny Cash... with numerous side branches and digressions in between.
Everyone is invited to join me in the live online audience. The first of the twenty one dances is on Monday 2nd November. The last one on Monday 30th November.
The dances won't be left online for later viewing. Let's keep this live!
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