Funding for Essex.

Culture Essex is committed to supporting the arts and creative industries in Essex. Click on the links below to find out more about our dedicated grants funding to support arts, culture and heritage across Essex. To keep up to date with any announcements please sign up to our newsletter.

Arts & Cultural Fund

The Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund supports organisations and creative practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work and activity to engage with communities in Essex and to support the development of creative and cultural talent in our region. Apply from between £2,500 to £30,000 to support projects in our communities.

Find out more and how to apply here.

Creative Industries
Development Fund

The Creative Industries Project Development Fund has been designed to support the growth of creative businesses in Essex. As the creative industries have been identified as a key growth sector in the UK government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, we're looking to fund projects that will enhance and grow the business of a creative organisation.

More information soon.

Cultural Development
Fund

The Cultural Development Fund offers support for cultural organisations across the county. This includes museums, galleries, theatres, and grassroots arts organisations of varying scales operating at the heart of our communities. In particular, we're looking to support projects that will enhance the growth and talent development of organisations.

More information soon.

Higher & Further Education

Higher education

Fine Art

Fine Art BA (Hons) Colchester Institute 

Fine Art BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Photography

Photography BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Art and Design

Graphic Design and Illustration BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Creative Media and Promotion BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Interior Design BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Curating

BA Curating University of Essex 

BA Curating with Politics University of Essex 

BA Curating, Heritage and Human Rights University of Essex

Art History

BA Art History University of Essex 

BA Art History (including Foundation Year) University of Essex 

BA Art History and Language Studies University of Essex 

BA Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies University of Essex 

BA Art History, Visual Cultures and Media Studies University of Essex 

Costume and Design

Costume Construction BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Hair and Makeup Design and Application for Production BA (Hons) University Centre South Essex 

Hair and Make-up for production

Hair and Makeup Design and Application for Production University Centre South Essex (Backstage Centre)

Games and Games Design

Computer Games Bsc University of Essex 

Computer Games Bsc (Including Foundation Year) University of Essex 

Acting and drama

BA Acting and Community Engagement East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

BA Acting and Stage Combat East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

BA Acting and Physical Theatre East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

BA World Performance East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

Producing

BA Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

Certificate of Higher Education in Acting and Theatre Arts East 15 Acting School, University of Essex 

Film and Production

BA Film Studies University of Essex 

BA Film and Creative Writing University of Essex 

BA Film and Drama, University of Essex 

BA Film Studies and Literature University of Essex 

BA Film Studies and Art History University of Essex 

BA History with Film Studies University of Essex

BA American Studies with Film University of Essex 

BA Film and Television Production University Centre South Essex

Creative Careers

Essex based training and courses

Signals Film & Media

BFI Film Academy

BFI Film Academy short courses

BFI Film Academy Specialist Courses

Open University

The Open University short courses in film related studies 

Adult community learning

ACL offers a comprehensive range of art, drawing, painting and craft based courses. Learners are discovering new and exciting skills, making, creating and sharing inspirational moments in the classroom. Friends are made and learning is for life. Find out more 

Mentoring & Support

Mentoring

The Mercury Creatives Mentoring Programme is a free business support and mentoring programme for early career creative businesses and arts freelancers working in the arts and creative industries across Colchester, Harlow, Tendring and Chelmsford and the wider Essex and Eastern Region who are experiencing barriers in skills development or looking to progress their career to the next stage. The programme also includes an online directory and resource portal, showcasing alumni and local creatives skills and opportunities.

Business Support

Ambitious Essex Growth Hub provides businesses in Essex with a single point of access to a wide range of local, regional and national support. Our team of friendly and experienced navigators offer free and impartial signposting to help new and existing businesses find the most suitable support for them.

Create South East is designed to help creative businesses in the early stages. The programme will support the development of the skills to secure investment so that creative businesses can achieve their ambitions to grow. It is tailored to the needs of different creative disciplines, respective markets, governance and distribution models.