Details

From 2025, The Culture Investment Programme replaced the Council’s previous grant schemes for arts and culture.

The new programme provides more flexibility and entry points to funding based on organisations level of experience, capacity and capability. This is designed to give agency to culture organisations to access the right investment to enable them to deliver high quality activities for the people of Aberdeen. In total 15 Aberdeen based organisations received £1.3m at the 2025/26 Council budget meeting to deliver high quality activity for the benefit of the public through Culture Investment Programmes.

The programmes are as follows:

• Acorn: £500 - £2,500 – seed funding for pilots and small projects.
• Catalyst:   £5,000 -£15,000 – project and festival funding.
• Cultivate:  £15,000- £100,000 – year-round programmes of cultural activity.
• Cornerstone: £100,000 plus - Large scale Aberdeen based organisations delivering culture programmes.

Acorn Funding is open to a wide range of Aberdeen based organisations and community groups, as well as individuals, to deliver high quality creative and cultural activity for the benefit of Aberdeen citizens. Grants of up to £2,500 are available to support eligible activities which include,

• One of events taking place in Aberdeen -e.g. an event, performances, exhibitions or workshops.
• New, one-off pilot cultural projects in Aberdeen.
• Test a new cultural activity (this can be as part of a recurring event – e.g. an annual festival).
• The retention of emerging talent and development of established organisations to pilot new projects.
• Activities that reflect the creative and cultural diversity of Aberdeen. This includes activities by, with or for those with protected characteristics or those living in the most disadvantaged areas of the city.

Premium information is available exclusively to SCVO members and supporters

Geographical areas funded: Aberdeen

Fund type

Type of funding:

Grant

Type of cost:

Revenue

Fund award sizes

Minimum:

Premium information

Annually awarded:

Premium information

Notes on award amounts:

Premium information

Who can apply

Aberdeen based not-for-profit culture organisations. Eligibility varies depending on programme -- see fund guidance.

When to apply

• Acorn: now open. Deadline is 12 noon on Monday 9 June.
• Catalyst:  currently closed.
• Cultivate:  currently closed.
• Cornerstone: currently closed.

Next deadline: 9 Jun 2025

How to apply

Complete and submit an Expression of Interest form. Officers will review your EOI submission and advise if your organisation can proceed to the full application stage.

Contact information

Exclusions

Premium information

Activites funded: Arts and culture

Beneficiaries funded: Black and Ethnic Minorities Children Economically/socially disadvantaged Families General public Socially isolated people LGBTQI people People in poverty Older people Ill-health Religious and Belief Groups Local communities Unemployed Victims of crime and abuse Volunteers Women and girls Young people

Report inaccuracy

Last reviewed 5 days ago