Purpose of Fund

This fund has been established by HI~Arts with funding from the Scottish Arts Council. Its purpose is to support visual artists based in the Highlands and Islands by helping to meet the costs of a range of activities which can assist the development of an individual artist’s practice.
 
 

Scope of Fund

There are three levels of bursary available--£200, £500 and, in exceptional circumstances, £1,000-- to support initiatives which will assist you to develop and extend your own creative and professional practice. This may include:

• To attend a major conference or symposium or to visit galleries with a view to future exhibitions of your work
• To undertake training to extending your practice (eg into a new medium)
• Costs of preparing for an exhibition or other project (eg framing, packing, transport, etc)
• Research and development for a new project (eg exploring a possible site-specific installation)

This is not an exclusive list. If you are unsure if your project may be eligible, please consult HI~Arts before submitting your application.

Applicants are encouraged to request the appropriate level of bursary for their project and will not automatically be awarded the maximum bursary available. HI~Arts reserves the right to offer an amount different from that requested.

Who is eligible?

Visual artists who have been resident in the Highlands and Islands for at least 12 months prior to the date of application to the Fund. This scheme is not open to craftworkers who would normally apply to the Crafts Department of the Scottish Arts Council, and who can apply to the HI~Arts Makers’ Awards Scheme. It is, however, open to visual artists who use film, video or other new media in their practice.

The scheme is additionally open to those who are wishing to develop their Curatorial Practice rather than their artistic practice (eg presenting work by a range of artists in a temporary venue).

Criteria for decision making

• the extent to which your proposal meets the scope and purpose of the fund
• the relationship of your proposal to your own work as an artist or curator
• the quality of your work
• the extent to which your proposal will benefit your personal creative and professional practice
• your ability to contribute a minimum of 25% of the application budget 

And, for the bursary of £1,000:

• how the proposal will make a significant difference to your work as an artist or curator
  
  

Exclusions to eligibility

• Funding cannot be given towards the costs of undertaking major courses of study (i.e. lasting 6 months or more), whether part-time or full-time
• Funding is not available, for any purpose, if you are currently undertaking a full-time course of study
• Funding is not available for marketing costs (e.g. production of posters, brochures, promotional websites, etc). Production of a website or printed material may be eligible where they form an integral part of an art project.
• Applications will not be considered for projects already started, or planned to start before the relevant application deadline
• Applications cannot be made simultaneously to this scheme, and to SAC Artists Awards schemes, for the same project. It is however possible to apply subsequently to this scheme for a project which has been the subject of an unsuccessful application to the SAC Artists Awards scheme.
• Successful applicants cannot reapply for an additional award from this scheme for a period of not less than one year from receipt of the award.
• They are however eligible to apply to other Scottish Arts Council schemes during this period, but only for a different project. Please note, that if successful, applicants can only receive a maximum of three bursaries in any five year period
• This scheme cannot be used to gain additional funds for any project which has already received funding from the Scottish Arts Council. That is, this scheme cannot be used to ‘top up’ grants already received from the SAC.
  
  

How to submit a proposal

Applications should be made to HI~Arts using the appropriate application form. The form should be accompanied by supporting visual material, where appropriate, in the form of 35mm slides, photographs, videos, CD-Roms, DVDs or publications, all clearly labelled and accompanied by an itemised list. While our preference is for digital formats, we will accept work on another format if it is the most appropriate medium for your work

Please see the appendix for guidance on submitting visual material

All visual material will be returned. Please note that HI~Arts and the Scottish Arts Council cannot accept responsibility for damage or loss of submitted material.

Your application should include a clear plan of proposed activity that shows how funds might be used (although please note that we do not require a detailed budget).

When to apply

Applications can be submitted at any time, but not less than EIGHT weeks before the start of the project or activity for which the funding is sought.

Your applications will be acknowledged on receipt by HI~Arts. Applications will then be considered within four weeks of receipt by a Panel including the Director of HI~Arts, and an independent expert assessor. You will be informed of the decision by HI~Arts no later than one week after the Panel meeting.

Equal Opportunities

This scheme is open to any artist based within the catchment area, regardless of race, colour, gender, disability, or sexual orientation. Decisions will be based entirely on the quality of the applicant’s work, and the benefits which will accrue from the proposed project.

Appeals

You can appeal against a funding decision only if there was additional information which existed but was not made available at the time the grant was considered, which would have materially altered the decision, or if the applicant considers there has been malpractice. Information on HI~Arts’ appeals procedures is available from the officer contact given below.

Publicity

You should note that it is SAC’s policy to publicise the award of grants. All grants may be announced by either HI~Arts or SAC through the media or other means.

Officer contact:

Applications should be submitted to Laura Martin, Funding Schemes Manager, HI~Arts, at the address below, marked ‘Visual Artist Awards'. Information on the scheme, and on other SAC funding for artists, is available from the SAC Visual Arts Department at 12 Manor Place, Edinburgh EH3 7DD (0131 226 6051).

HI~Arts

Fourth Floor
Ballantyne House
84 Academy Street
Inverness
IV1 1LU
Tel: 01463 717091
Fax: 01463 720895
e-mail: laura@hi-arts.co.uk  
Website: www.hi-arts.co.uk