Glasgow 2026 Festival Fund gives £1.25m boost to community groups across the city
Glasgow community groups are celebrating a £1.25 million funding boost linked to the return of the Commonwealth Games to the city this summer.
The Glasgow 2026 Festival will be a celebration of sport, culture and community taking place between 23 May and 9 August 2026, in the lead up to and during the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, which is set to be the biggest sporting event in the UK this year.
Developed and delivered by Glasgow Life in collaboration with Glasgow 2026, and made possible thanks to funding from Commonwealth Sport, the Glasgow 2026 Festival will feature a vibrant programme of creative projects, family friendly events and community activities across the city.
A key part of the festival is the Glasgow 2026 Festival Fund which was launched last year as a £250,000 grant programme. Due to incredible demand, which saw over 400 applications submitted, the fund has been significantly expanded to £1.25m, thanks to support from Glasgow 2026, Commonwealth Sport, the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and sportscotland.
The Festival Fund is providing funding grants of up to £10,000 to 163 projects across all 23 of Glasgow's wards, ensuring a city-wide programme of community-led events, performances, sports participation and cultural activities, designed to celebrate Glasgow's creativity and communities.
The funded community groups, artists, cultural organisations, sports clubs, creatives and social enterprises will deliver projects aligning with at least one of the festival's three themes - gathering, social justice and celebration - with the aim of increasing participation in arts, culture and sport, while creating lasting community impact.
At the Festival Fund launch event at the Old Fruitmarket this week (March 24), trapeze artists from circus group Aerial Edge helped bring the launch to life.
They were joined by a wide range of community sports groups including Scottish BMX School, delivering skills sessions for young riders, Easterhouse Henosis, which is planning a basketball and family festival, and Glasgow Frontrunners, who will host a celebration event of LGBTQIA+ participation in athletics.
Together with organisations spanning dance, theatre and music - including Y Dance, Theatre Alliance and Whacking Scotland - the launch showcased the breadth and energy of projects set to take place across the city.