Property fund launches to support Glasgow’s cultural community
Arts organisations in Glasgow can now apply for special funding to help them meet rising property costs during the current difficult financial climate.
To support the future of the city’s vibrant cultural community, and in response to acute challenges many tenants in the sector are facing due to rent and service charge increases, Glasgow City Council announced in April that it would establish a dedicated one-off relief fund.
As a result, the £200,000 Culture and Creative Industry Property Support Fund is opening today, Wednesday 8 July, for applications from arts organisations and groups based within the City Council’s boundaries.
Offering individual awards of up to £10,000 – to be used for any costs directly related to property operations – the fund is now inviting applications. It will remain open until all the funding is allocated, and to be considered in the first round of assessments, applications should be submitted by 30 August.
Glasgow Life, the charity that leads culture, events and active living in Glasgow, is administering the Culture and Creative Industry Property Support Fund.
Glasgow Life Chair, Bailie Annette Christie, said: “Established in recognition of the unprecedented financial pressures property costs are having on city arts organisations – threatening their viability in some cases – this dedicated relief fund is hugely important for Glasgow’s creative community.
“Glasgow's identity as a vibrant, internationally renowned cultural city has been built on the strength of its artists, venues, grassroots organisations, and accessible creative spaces. From music and the visual arts to performance and community-led initiatives, culture is fundamental to Glasgow’s social fabric, economic vitality, and global reputation.
“It is therefore vital that we protect the future of our arts ecosystem by supporting it in practical and meaningful ways.
“We are firmly committed to nurturing a thriving and inclusive cultural community as part of the city’s long-term cultural vision, and the delivery of Glasgow’s Culture Strategy and Action Plan to 2030. Our priority is to ensure that both the production and presentation of arts in the city can continue to benefit our artists, our communities, and our city by remaining creatively valuable and financially sustainable.
“I’d therefore urge eligible arts organisations within Glasgow not to delay in applying for support from the Culture and Creative Industry Property Support Fund.”
Arts organisations applying for awards are required to provide information on the urgency and impact of the financial pressures they are under due to property operations costs. They also have to demonstrate how these challenges are affecting the immediate viability and longer-term sustainability of their organisation, and its importance on Glasgow’s cultural scene.
Applications for the fund will be assessed by the city’s new Cultural Protection Strategy Group.
Further information and guidelines on how to apply for funding support can be found at: Culture and Creative Industry Property Support Fund.