EDIA Meeting - 22nd November 2023
Wednesday 22nd November, 13:00-14:00 over Zoom.
We invite you to this meeting run under the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility group which explores different topics and issues within the creative sector, where speakers bring knowledge from their specialty and there is space for questions and discussions relating to the topic of the meeting.
This month Arts & Culture Bid Writer and Access Support Worker, Lara Monro, will share her top tips and advice on how to apply for the Arts Council England Develop Your Creative Practice Grant with a focus on Accessibility.
The workshop will cover:
Who is eligible to apply for the funding (eg. what disciplines ACE support)
What types of projects ACE funds
When you can apply
How you can get FREE support to develop and write your application if you identify as Neurodivergent and or have any other invisible/visible disabilities
The main DO’s and DONT’s when writing your application
Q&A’s
Duration: Approx. 1hr (45 Minute Presentation & 15 Minutes Q&A)
About Lara
Over the last 10 years, Bid Writer and Access Support Worker, Lara Monro, has worked within the arts and culture sectors for commercial and non-commercial arts organisations and galleries including; White Cube, Open Space and Work Show Grow.She has also worked with an abundance of creative practitioners as a studio, and project manager and through her freelance journalism and role as Editor at Large (UK/Europe) for Autre. Lara is also an affiliate mentor with Ceri Hand and the Creative Mentor Network.Drawing on her diverse experience, she has created the consulting platform Working With to support creative practitioners, arts & cultural organisations, communities and collectives to overcome financial barriers and creative blocks, turn ideas into projects and much more.
Working With offers clients Access support:
This is a service paid for by public & private arts organisations and charities in England, Scotland & Wales including Arts Council England, Creative Scotland and Jerwood Arts, to break down barriers for those with access needs.
As a support worker, Lara can:
🔹 Develop and refine project ideas to turn them into fundable applications
🔹 Write, review upload and submit applications
🔹 Provide expertise and knowledge around the specific funding bodies' requirements including Arts Council England’s Let’s Create Strategy
🔹 Help process the application questions and forms
🔹 Note-take and interpret ideas to write up answers
🔹 Signpost to other resources
🔹 Reach out to the funding body on the applicant’s behalf
Lara has written applications for every genre of art: from novelists and creative well-being practitioners to those working in opera, theatre, puppetry, international dance, photography, painting, and poetry.
She regularly consults not-for-profit organisations that support underrepresented individuals on how to engage their communities with creative opportunities. As a result of her Bid Writing skills, she understands the varied and often sensitive nuances of the diverse communities she works with, especially those needing representation due to social, economic or neurodiverse challenges.
In the last 3 years, Lara has supported over 150 clients and raised over £200K from successful grant applications.
About the EDIA group
The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility group is a development of a previous internal working group at YVAN. The group aims to challenge current practices, show commitment to mental and physical wellbeing and share knowledge, bringing together voices and lived experiences to help the creative and cultural sector in the Yorkshire and Humber region make better decisions.
We have a meeting every 6 weeks, each with a different topic, so you can come to those sessions of particular relevance.
YVAN do not claim to be the benchmark on EDIA in the arts and acknowledge we will fail on occasion, but we are working towards best practice, alongside our national network through the Fair and Equitable campaign.
Accessibility
Please read Social Art Network's Safer Spaces Policy. We are operating this policy throughout all meetings.
Captions/transcripts are available to access from the menu in Zoom. This meeting won’t be recorded
If you would like to make us aware of any access needs or have any questions please email info@yvan.org.uk or complete this accessibility form.
About YVAN
YVAN is an infrastructure body for the visual arts in Yorkshire and the Humber. We are founded on the creative vision of individual artists and arts organisations. We prioritise individual practitioners, artists networks, small-scale initiatives and the artist-led.
YVAN are one of nine regions that make up Contemporary Visual Arts Network (CVAN) England who are part of a national alliance of visual arts networks from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We look forward to having conversations with you about some challenging issues.