Creative Action Fund open for applications

The Creative Action Fund is open to all creatives in Berwick and surrounding wards, needing investment to boost their careers or productivity.  And, to creatives, cultural organisations and community groups wanting to produce new creative activity within the Create Berwick zone.

To be considered for the final round of funding, please submit your application before 31st January 2026.

Size of grant  – between £1,000 and £5,000

Create Berwick Zone – Create Berwick is the name we give the Creative and Cultural Zone and is defined as the area within the Elizabethan walls.

Funding is available for events and activities to take place within Berwick’s town walls by creatives, community groups and organisations living and working in Berwick or a TD15 postcode with an English address.

Fund details

We’ve established the Creative Action Fund as a grant scheme to support Berwick based creative practitioners and creative organisations to help develop new skills, grow businesses, test new ideas and deliver projects which engage people in creative activity.

This fund is to invest in Berwick’s creative economy and support ambition, and test new thinking.

Funding must be used towards delivering a creative activity by any artform and includes community events. The event must be seen, exhibited or accessible to an audience in Berwick and help support the development of its creative economy.

This fund cannot be used to support projects that are already underway.

Who can apply?

Individuals, freelancers, artists, practitioners, creatives, cultural organisations, collectives and community groups who are, or want to, deliver new work in the Create Berwick zone.

What type of funding can you apply for?

Some of the things you can apply for include, but aren’t limited to:

• Studio or workspace rent – up to £1k
• Pilot projects, such as an event or activity which tests new ideas
• Workshops or creative activity
• Training or skills development courses
• Open studio events and, or creative markets
• Community engagement projects

Please read the Eligibility Guidelines here, in full for more details on what can and can’t be covered by this fund.

Next steps

The fund guidelines and eligibility criteria are available on the Applications page.

If, after reading the guidelines, you have questions, please get in touch with Andrea Oliver – Andrea.Oliver@northumberland.gov.uk.

To support people through the Creative Action Fund application process Darren Hollywell, Project Officer at Create Berwick will be holding a series of pop up sessions at The Straw Yard.

If you are interested in applying for the Creative Action Fund, come along and talk through your ideas with Darren and get valuable advice on completing your proposal.

Drop in sessions will be running every Wednesday in January (7th, 14th, 21st and 28th) between 10am and 2pm.

If you would prefer to pre-book, there will also 30 minute bookable timeslots via The Straw Yard website on the following dates:

Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th January
Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd January
Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th January 
Thursday 29th & Friday 30th January