The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) has launched a £4m Lottery-funded scheme that will support collaborative proposals by individual artists and non-arts groups and organisations. ‘Connect and Flourish’ funding will provide grants of between £500 and £150,000, aiming to fill the gaps in the arts infrastructure that the pandemic has exposed. ACW wants the new fund to be a trigger for making the arts in Wales “more representative and accessible” by giving “unheard voices an opportunity”.
Announcing the scheme, ACW said: “The plan is to begin the process of re-imagining how artists in all areas of creative life, from visual artists to lighting designers can sustain themselves and discover different ways of making art now that Covid 19 has had such a devastating effect on the sector.”
They stress to potential applicants: “We’re not talking about 'business as usual' – instead, we have the opportunity to take a fresh look at how we can achieve a strong and resilient arts sector that properly reflects the fullest range of our country’s people and communities. It’s what we mean by 'resetting the dial'.”