Edinburgh-based artists and creatives with protected characteristics, including care experience, are invited to submit their proposals for supported bursaries and collaboration grant awards.

Edinburgh, a world leading cultural capital, is home to an eclectic mix of diverse narratives, art forms, and creative practice. Our residents across the city should feel the benefit, the challenge and the inspiration this meeting of local and international talent brings and their diversity should be reflected in and connected to the programmes on offer.

This funding has been allocated to deliver wider access to Council cultural funding opportunities and continues the Council’s core role in ensuring Edinburgh is a city of creative opportunities.

The City of Edinburgh Council invites applications from diverse artists and creatives with protected characteristics (and organisations) to submit proposals which meet two or more of the following criteria:
– they recognise the need for greater representation and visibility of work and narratives in the arts, culture and heritage sector developed by artists and creatives with protected characteristics.
– they have a clear vision for the project, its outcomes and learning;
– they present a mutually beneficial partnership / collaborative working model where applicable;
– they commit to continuing and /or increasing engagement with groups and communities often underrepresented in the arts and culture sector;
– they explain how this project is relevant to Edinburgh’s cultural tapestry;
– they consider how the project creates further opportunities for development and / or engagement.

Individuals and organisations wishing to apply for a grant from the Diversity and Inclusion Fund must be able to demonstrate how their project meets two or more of the following funding priorities:

1. Meaningful artist/practitioner lead involvement and direction in project development and delivery;
AND
2. Imaginative and/or experimental creative concept;
3. Partnership/collaboration working – a City and Culture Plan funding priority;
4. Use and promotion of languages as a means of expressing one’s cultural background;
5. Use of multi art forms within projects;
6. Planned demonstrable learning and / or impact from the project activity;
7. Development of creative platforms for displaced artists and communities living in Edinburgh celebrating diverse cultures and heritages;
8. Consideration for multiple characteristics and identities often underrepresented in the arts and culture sector.

Please visit the fund page to register for Online Information Sessions planned for 27 November and 10 December 2025.

For further information, please contact beata.skobodzinska@edinburgh.gov.uk (Beata Skobodzinska) or visit https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/aa593af1/.