The Event Fund The Event Fund is a small grant fund to support high quality arts events and projects. Events must be open to the public and provide benefit to local residents. Events must take place in Tower Hamlets. The Event Fund is moving to quarterly to make it easier to administer and to allow for more even distribution of funding across the year.

Award amounts The maximum amount that can be applied for is £2,500. However, most awards will be in the region of £500 - £1,500 The level of funding offered will take into consideration: the cost, subsidy per head, other cash funding agreed, ticket price (if any), the amount of in-kind support, the number of participants benefiting from the project the overarching artistic value of the project Applicants applying for higher level awards will need to demonstrate a high quality offer and good value for money, with sufficient agreed cash funding from other sources

The Aims of the Event Fund To improve access to arts based events and participation in the arts. To provide arts activities where few exist. To improve the quality of festivals and events in Tower Hamlets.  To extend the potential of events to develop audiences, encourage participation and increase community involvement. To allow for more adventurous or ambitious programming.  To promote community cohesion and cross-cultural understanding. To promote opportunities for skills development and progression routes for participants. To increase sustainable partnerships and new collaborations.

Eligibility Events must include arts based content and be open to the general public. Events or projects should be led by an organisation which has a formal management structure and constitution. The organisation must be able to show that it is financially stable, has a company bank account, has suitable premises, and has expertise to carry out and manage the activities that it needs funding for. All events must take place within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets within the specified quarter i.e. Quarter 1, events must take place between 1st April and 30th June 2017. Organisations who are occupying Council facilities and applying for grants, need to have entered into an appropriate property agreement for their use and occupation of land and buildings, which cover the entire period of grant award as a specific condition of payment of any grant monies. Organisations should have other sources of funding in place this can include in- kind support, but MUST include cash.

Types of events we fund theatre Dance projects Art projects Community arts festivals theatre Drama workshops leading to performance Dance projects Film events Art projects

When to apply Timelines have moved to quarterly for the financial year 2017/18. Quarter 1 Deadline is midday Thursday February 2nd for events taking place in April – June 2017. Late applications will not be considered.   Event Date Quarter Application Deadline April – June 2017 1 2nd February 2017 July – September 2017 2 27th April 2017 October – December 2017 3 20th July 2017 January – March 2018 4 2nd November 2017

How and when to apply Guidelines and Criteria are a separate download link from www.towerhamlets.gov.uk or by link from the online application form You will be asked to complete an eligibility quiz before you can start to complete the form. If you are not eligible, you will not be able to proceed. The Third Sector Team can talk you through the application form with tips and advice and any problems you may encounter

Please note that the we aim to further simplify the application form and guidelines and criteria for the 2nd quarter and moving forward. For further information on the guidelines and criteria or content of your event or project visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/arts or email festivalsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.uk / alison.denning@towerhamlets.gov.uk or phone 020 7364 7907 For further information on the application form and any problems with the process, please contact the Third Sector team before the deadline who will guide you through. In the first instance email Natasha.Singer-Johnson@towerhamlets.gov.uk or phone 020 7364 3080