Only for Cumbria 5
- Cumbria Community Foundation grant rounds: next closing dates 30 Oct (countywide), 8 Nov (West Cumbria) and 18 Dec 2026 (Furness)closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Cumbria Community Foundation: grant committee deadline dates
- Walney Extension Community Fund: £500-£50k for community projects on the Cumbria and Lancashire coastaward £500–£50,000 · closes 8 Jan 2027 · with Walney Extension Community Fund (Orsted, Cumbria and Lancashire coast; via Grantscape)
- Open Space scratch night micro-commissionsmax award £500 · with Theatre by the Lake (Keswick): Open Space scratch night micro-commissions (£500, Cumbrian Creatives)
- Copeland Artist Support — Cumbria Arts and Culture Networkmax award £100 · with Cumbria Arts and Culture Network (CACN): opportunities
- Trainee Creative Play Facilitator Opportunity – Rosehillnon-cash support · closes 2 Nov 2026 · with Cumbria Arts and Culture Network (CACN): opportunities
Open across the North West 32
- Film Exhibition Fundnon-cash support · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Film Hub North: film exhibitor funding (Film Exhibition Fund, Pitch Pot, Bursary Fund)
- Film Exhibition Fund round 3: up to £10k for independent cinemas, film festivals and film societies in the Northmax award £10,000 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Film Hub North: Film Exhibition Fund round 3 (up to £10k for independent film exhibition in the North)
- Blackpool Creative Market: £350 commission to run a festive family workshop (apply by 25 Oct 2026)award £350 · closes 25 Oct 2026 · with Aunty Social / Blackpool Creative Market: artist workshop callout (£350, 5 Dec 2026)
- BFI NETWORK Early Development Fund: £3k-£5k for debut feature writers in the Northaward £3,000–£5,000 · closes 11 Nov 2026 · with BFI NETWORK
- Access Funding Scheme for High-end TV Deaf, Disabled & Neurodivergent Crew 2026 - 2027free training (ScreenSkills funded) · closes 16 Nov 2026 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Bursariesaward £100–£2,000 · closes 3 Dec 2026 · with Museum Development North: MD North grants (Open Grants, Learning and Engagement Grant, CPD Bursary)
- Great Northern Read Award: £2,500 and literary agent mentoring for unpublished northern novelists (closes 11 Jan)max award £2,500 · closes 11 Jan 2027 · with New Writing North: Great Northern Read Award 2027 (Johnson & Alcock)
- Hachette Children’s Novel Awards 2027max award £3,000 · closes 11 Jan 2027 · with New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awards (all awards and submission windows)
- Pitch Pot: rolling micro-grants of up to £3k for film screenings and events in the Northmax award £3,000 · closes 12 Feb 2027 · with Film Hub North: Pitch Pot micro-grants for film exhibitors (up to £3k, rolling)
- Open Grantsaward £5,000–£7,500 · closes 12 Mar 2027 · with Museum Development North: MD North grants (Open Grants, Learning and Engagement Grant, CPD Bursary)
- Awards for Young Writers 2027award £150–£500 · closes 15 Mar 2027 · with New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awards (all awards and submission windows)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council IAAaward £5,000–£50,000 · open all year · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
- Film Exhibition Fund: Pitch Potaward £3,000 · open all year · with Film Hub North: film exhibitor funding (Film Exhibition Fund, Pitch Pot, Bursary Fund)
- Brenda M King Prize for Critical Writing in Textilesmax award £2,000 · with The Textile Society (awards)
- Hachette Children’s Novel Award — New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awardsmax award £3,000 · with New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awards (all awards and submission windows)
- Artist support requestsnon-cash support · open all year · with Z-arts: artist support requests (theatre for children and families)
- Museum Development North museum mentors accreditationnon-cash support · with Museum Development North: MD North grants (Open Grants, Learning and Engagement Grant, CPD Bursary)
- Jazz North Northern Line: 18 months of mentoring, a festival showcase and a touring bursarycloses 2 Nov 2026 · with Jazz North: Northern Line (touring bursary, mentoring and Manchester Jazz Festival showcase)
- Factory International x ENO Artist Takeover: six days in Aviva Studios' North Warehouse plus a production budget (North of England artists)closes 9 Nov 2026 · with Factory International: Artist Takeover (Think Big! with English National Opera)
- Castlefield Gallery New Art Spacesnon-cash support · with Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces (low-cost artist studios)
- Creative Incubatornon-cash support · with English National Opera x RNCM: Creative Incubator (North West artists)
- No 7 Museum Street: Artists' Studio Spaceaward £150 · with CuratorSpace
- Advanced Leadership and Management for HETV professionalsfree training (ScreenSkills funded) · closes 25 Oct 2026 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
- Cutting content in the digital agefree training (ScreenSkills funded) · closes 13 Nov 2026 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
- Good Work Practices in Locations in Scripted High-End TV and Filmfree training (ScreenSkills funded) · closes 14 Nov 2026 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
Showing 25 of 32. See them all in the finder →
UK-wide 192
- The Elephant Trust Main Fundaward £2,000–£5,000 · closes 18 Oct 2026 · with The Elephant Trust
- Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) Round 2 - Strand 1award £100,000–£1,000,000 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Arts Council England
- Sustainable Darkroom Futures Residency: £3,400 grant and six-month mentored residency for UK artistsaward £3,400 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Sustainable Darkroom Futures Residency
- PPL Momentum Music Fund: £5,000 to £15,000 for UK artists and bands at a career tipping pointaward £5,000–£15,000 · closes 26 Oct 2026 · with PPL Momentum Music Fund (PRS Foundation)
- British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grantsaward £500–£10,000 · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with British Academy funding
- Music Creators Growth Fund: £10,000 to £20,000 for artists, bands and producersaward £10,000–£20,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with Arts Council England - Music Creators Growth Fund
- PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund: up to £3,500 for independent music promoters in Englandmax award £3,500 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund
- Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2027: £5,000 to £25,000 for projects celebrating the Windrush generationaward £5,000–£25,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with Windrush Day Grant Scheme (MHCLG, run by Near Neighbours)
- BBC Children's Northern Star Project: about £17,000 to develop a children's drama idea (closes 30 Oct)max award £17,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with BBC Children's (Salford) with DR, NPO, NRK and VRT: The Northern Star Project development opportunity
- Clore School Choirs and Singing Programmeaward £50,000–£100,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Clore Duffield Foundation
- BRAID Creative Commissions: £8,000 to £12,000 to make work about responsible AIaward £8,000–£12,000 · closes 2 Nov 2026 · with BRAID - Creative Commissions (Responsible AI)
- EPSRC-Defra Reimagining Circularity: full stagemax award £4,328,000 · closes 3 Nov 2026 · with Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- National Churches Trustaward £10,000–£100,000 · closes 3 Nov 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
- British Academy-CIFAR Global Scholarsnon-cash support · closes 4 Nov 2026 · with British Academy funding
- VAULT Creative Arts | Playwriting Awardmax award £2,500 · closes 6 Nov 2026 · with BBC Writers (Salford): writing opportunities listing
- Teacher Development Fund — Paul Hamlyn Foundationmax award £165,000 · closes 11 Nov 2026 · with Paul Hamlyn Foundation
- iX Challenge: AI Attribution and AI Authenticity for Ethical Cultural Contentaward £25,000–£50,000 · closes 13 Nov 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect (opportunities incl. ICURe)
- National Archivesaward £25,000–£30,000 · closes 16 Nov 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
- Green Future Fellowships: up to £3m over 10 years for climate-tech researchers and innovatorsmax award £3,000,000 · closes 17 Nov 2026 · with Royal Academy of Engineering: Green Future Fellowships (UK route)
- Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund: paid audio drama commissionscloses 18 Nov 2026 · with Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund
- Radical Sabbatical 2027 Residenciesaward £3,500 · closes 20 Nov 2026 · with Artquest
- Sadler's Wells 'The Future Remembers': three £6,000 dance-film commissionsmax award £6,000 · closes 22 Nov 2026 · with Sadler's Wells Digital Stage - dance-film commissions
- BFI Skills Fund pilot call: up to £150,000 for a technical and craft skills framework in screenmax award £150,000 · closes 24 Nov 2026 · with BFI National Lottery Skills Fund: Pilot Projects (Call 1)
- Call Open CoSTAR National Lab: Inclusive Multisensory Experienceaward £20,000–£40,000 · closes 24 Nov 2026 · with CoSTAR Network (creative technology R&D labs)
- Shoeburyness Commissionmax award £10,000 · closes 24 Nov 2026 · with Artquest
- UK Global Screen Fund Minority Co-Production: funding for UK companies partnering on international film and TVcloses 24 Nov 2026 · with BFI UK Global Screen Fund: Minority Co-Production
- Unlocking advanced capabilities in conservation and heritage scienceaward £500,000–£1,500,000 · total pot £6.2m · closes 25 Nov 2026 · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
- Music Growth Fund: £1,000 to £40,000 for music businessesaward £1,000–£40,000 · closes 26 Nov 2026 · with Arts Council England - Music Growth Fund (Music Growth Package)
- Neighbourhood Heritage Grants for Communities 2026max award £15,000 · closes 27 Nov 2026 · with Historic England
- Attendance and engagement at UK sporting, cultural and heritage sitesaward £1,100,000–£1,320,000 · closes 1 Dec 2026 · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
- Public Engagement Spark Awards 2026Baward £5,000–£20,000 · total pot £100,000 · closes 10 Dec 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
- ARRIVAL Grantaward £100 · closes 31 Dec 2026 · with Artquest
- Pollock-Krasner Foundation Artist Grantscloses 31 Dec 2026 · with Artquest
- Jerwood x Royal Court Commissioning Scheme: up to £6,000 towards a new play commissionmax award £6,000 · closes 11 Jan 2027 · with Jerwood x Royal Court Commissioning Scheme
- Theatres Trust Small Grants Schemecloses 25 Jan 2027 · with Theatres Trust
- Early Career Fellowships — Leverhulme Trustaward £6,000–£56,000 · closes 18 Feb 2027 · with Leverhulme Trust
- Unscripted TV bursaries for senior development rolesmax award £3,000 · closes 19 Mar 2027 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
- Content Fundaward £100,000–£250,000 · closes 31 Mar 2029 · with UK Games Fund (Content Fund)
- AHRC Catalyst Awards: applicant-led modeaward £100,000–£300,000 · open all year · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
- AHRC Collaborate with researchers in Luxembourg: applicant-led modeaward £300,000–£1,500,000 · open all year · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
Showing 40 of 192. See them all in the finder →
International, open to UK applicants 11
- Innovation Projectscloses 30 Oct 2026 · with EIT Culture & Creativity Innovation Projects (commercialisation grants)
- NLnet open-source grants (Restack and CodeSupply): €5,000 to €50,000closes 3 Nov 2026 · with NLnet / NGI open calls (Restack and CodeSupply)
- Anthropic Fellows Program: four-month paid AI safety research fellowship (£2,310 a week), London or remote in the UKopen all year · with Anthropic Fellows Program
- Emergent Ventures: fellowships and grants for high-impact ideasopen all year · with Emergent Ventures (Mercatus Center)
- International Showcase Fund — British Councilmax award £5,500 · open all year · with British Council (arts and creative economy opportunities)
- Sequoia Open Source Fellowshipopen all year · with Sequoia Open Source Fellowship
- Thiel Fellowship: $250,000 for founders aged 22 or underopen all year · with Thiel Fellowship
- WINGS Fund - Business Support Servicesnon-cash support · open all year · with Wings Fund (indie games)
- a16z speedrun SR008: up to $1M for early-stage startupsnon-cash support · open all year · with a16z speedrun
- ID@XBOX independent developer programmenon-cash support · open all year · with ID@XBOX independent developer programme
Showing 10 of 11. See them all in the finder →
Contracts in Cumbria and the North West 2
- James Rennie School at Bishop Harvey Goodwin School, Carlisle - Consultancy Servicescontract value £150,000 · closes 19 Oct 2026 · Cumberland · with Cumberland Council
- Prioritised Capital Maintenance - Corporate Properties Consultant Appointment 2026-2028contract value £200,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · Cumberland · with Cumberland Council
Questions
How many opportunities are open for Creative Industries in Cumbria?
On 18 October 2026 Bearings lists 240 live opportunities a business based in Cumbria can apply for: 124 grants, loans, investment and prizes, 42 programmes, advice and support, 74 training offers. 5 are only for Cumbria, 32 are open across the North West and 203 are UK-wide or international.
Which funding closes soonest?
- The Elephant Trust Main Fund (closes 18 Oct 2026)
- Film Exhibition Fund (closes 23 Oct 2026)
- Film Exhibition Fund round 3: up to £10k for independent cinemas, film festivals and film societies in the North (closes 23 Oct 2026)
How do I hear about new ones?
Sign up for free email alerts, follow the RSS feeds, or bookmark this page: it is rebuilt every day.
Other sectors in Cumbria
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Clean Energy
- Defence & CyberSecurity
- Digital & Technologies
- Health & Life Sciences
- Professional & Business Services
- Sport & Visitor Economy
- Transport & Maritime
- Built Environment
- Charity & Social Economy
- Any sector
Creative Industries in other areas
Bearings is free and independent, and not affiliated with any funder. It checks its sources every day; always check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the provider's own page before applying. Updated 18 October 2026.