- the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend (June 2 to 5).

- the Olympic Torch being run through Norfolk as part of the London 2012 Torch Relay (July 4 and 5).

- the Paralympic Torch Festival (August 28 and 29).

- the final weekend of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad (September 8 and 9).

- the planned return of the Tour of Britain cycle race (date to be confirmed in September).

The fund will help support costs associated directly with staging and promoting the event or activity, with Norfolk County Council looking for events and activities that are community focussed, accessible and open to everyone, which engage volunteers and leave a positive legacy.

The council are especially looking for activities that are new and add value to existing activity.

To help those interested in submitting an application for funding, Norfolk County Council has also produced an Event Planner. The event planner covers the first steps to take when beginning to plan an event, followed by a timeline of things to do as the event date draws closer.  Further useful guidance found within the handbook ranges from accessing funding, to organising road closures and licences, through to undertaking risk assessments and marketing an event.  Finally, the handbook stresses the importance of effectively evaluating an event in order to help with future planning.

Both the application form for funding from ‘Norfolk’s Year of Celebrations 2012 Fund’ and the Event Planner can be downloaded by visiting www.norfolk.gov.uk/events2012

The deadline for the first round of funding for ‘Norfolk’s Year of Celebrations 2012 Fund’ is Friday February 24, with the closing date for the second round on Friday April 27.

Funding is available towards a range of activities including
•provision of editorial and technical support for emerging talent looking to produce work;
•delivery of networking;
•screening and industry speaker events and master classes; and
•provision of peer-to-peer support, mentoring, training and advice.

The Film Networks Fund is a fixed call with £150,000 to award in the current round. Awards will range from £2,500 to £25,000.

Applications can be made by
•legally constituted organisations operating in the English regions (outside Greater London); and
•legally constituted organisations operating outside the English regions that wish to develop and deliver activity in the English regions (outside Greater London)

The deadline for applications is midday on 30 January 2012.

For further information and to download application forms please visit: http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/news

The Big Lottery Fund will also be given a presentation at the Summit  on how charities can find and apply for funding from them.

The day will start at 9.15 am with a talk by Paul Cheeseman and Rob Gregory from the Great Yarmouth Borough Council communities and neighbourhoods team.

Application forms for the event are available from Brandon Lewis MP, 010493 334 004, Fastolff House, 30 Regent Street or call in at the Neighbourhood Centre, 143 Kings Street .

The programme seeks to fund arts organisations in the United Kingdom that are currently working with older people that can demonstrate the impact their work is making on the quality of life and artistic practice of individuals or communities, and that need help with their core costs to help them to sustain or develop this work.

The programme aims to support arts organisations which are developing the wider community’s understanding and enjoyment of the contributions that older people make to society and the cultural life of the United Kingdom, as well as striving for a wider understanding of the diverse creative and cultural needs of older people.

Grants of up to £30,000 are available to voluntary arts organisations in the UK.  The deadline for applications is 30 September 2011.

For further information click here to visit the website. 

This information provided by Norfolk Arts and Events Service, Norfolk County Council.   To find out how to subscribe to news distribution from the NCC Norfolk Arts Forum click here

The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts’ Start Programme provides primary and secondary school students in the UK with the opportunity to engage with the arts.

The Start Programme awards funding for cultural organisations in the UK to develop and deliver arts enrichment programmes for primary and secondary school students.

Grants of up to £15,000 per project for up to three years are available (maximum of £10,500 in year three), although funding can only be guaranteed for one year. However, the Foundation aims to work with all partners and partner schools for up to three years.

Applications are welcomed from cultural and arts organisations in the UK partnering with local schools that currently do not have a strong relationship with a cultural venue.

Successful Stage One applicants will be shortlisted and invited to apply to Stage Two.

The deadline for Stage One applications is 2 February 2011 (5 pm).  For more information click here .  This information has been distributed by Norfolk Arts Forum.

The fund has been set up to support a new government programme called Active at 60 and aims to encourage voluntary and community groups in Norfolk to increase their offer to people nearing retirement age, or recently retired, to help them benefit from local infrastructure that will keep them healthy, active and independent in older age.

Projects need to nominate a lead volunteer, who will act as a Community Agent to deliver and promote the project. Grants are available from £250 – £3,000, and need to be spent by December 2011. Grants can be awarded on a rolling basis, and the fund will close on 31 March. Norfolk based constituted community groups, registered charities and parochial church councils with an annual income of under £50,000 (average over 3 years) can apply.

Full details are available from the Norfolk Community Foundation website at www.norfolkfoundation.com/active-at-60.htm – applicants are asked to complete an initial proposal form (available from the website) so NCF can offer advice in shaping a full application. Jenny Bevan, Norfolk Community Foundation Grants Officer is happy to be contacted with any enquiries. Her email address is mailto://jennybevan@norfolkfoundation.com

To be eligible for Grassroots funding,groups must have:

A formal constitution

A bank account

Been active for more than a year

An average annual income of less than £30,000

Groups must be:

Largely volunteer led

Meeting local community needs

A voluntary or community group (parish councils are not eligible)

All of the remaining funds must be committed by the end of December 2010. Any grants awarded will need to be fully spent by 31 March 2011.

Detailed information and an application for can be found at  www.norfolkfoundation.com/grassroots-grants-fund.htm

Source: Voluntary Norfolk | Website: www.voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

During November, Arts Council England is holding briefing sessions in each region for organisations and individuals interested in ACE’s new funding programme. A limited number of places are available to attend these sessions so registration is essential to secure a place. (See end of post for details.)

The briefing events are open to all organisations and individuals based in England who are considering applying though the new funding programme. Briefings will cover:

· Achieving great art for everyone: the 10-year goals and the priorities for the next four years that will inform ACE funding decisions

· The Arts Council’s settlement from Government and the overall financial position for 2011-2015

· The Arts Council’s new system for funding arts organisations: the eligibility criteria, application process, assessment criteria, the guidance available and the timeline

The eastern region briefing will take place at the Arts Council offices in Bateman Street , Cambridge , on Wednesday 17 November from 10am -12pm and 2-4pm.

Please email to mailto://annalise.cunild@artscouncil.org.uk to register your interest in attending, including your name, organisation, job title, contact telephone number and the date of the session.

Information from Norfolk Arts Forum, NCC.

Groups in Great Yarmouth are being given the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 from the Working Neighbourhoods Fund Small Grants programme to help tackle worklessness and low levels of skills and enterprise in the Borough of Great Yarmouth.

WNF Small Grants is a sponsored initiative, funded by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and run in partnership with Voluntary Norfolk.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 4 August at 12.00pm.

For further information please contact Helen Johnson on 01493 845 925 or helen.johnson@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

If agreed by Parliament, this would re-balance the share of the lottery, restoring arts, heritage and sport shares to their original 20% each by 2012.

This is a very positive move for the arts and I would like to encourage you to respond to the consultation document. It’s vital that Government hears directly from front line arts organisations about how the distinct benefits of additional lottery funding would help you to deliver your work on the ground. Your views are particularly valuable in light of the reductions to public funding we know are coming in future years, and which will make the lottery contribution to the arts all the more important.

The consultation proposes re-balancing lottery shares in two stages, returning 18% each to arts, heritage and sports by April 2011, and to 20% by April 2012. This would eventually reduce the share currently held by the Big Lottery Fund to 40%.

Details of the consultation can be found on the DCMS website at www.dcms.gov.uk/consultations/7070.aspx. The consultation closes on 21 August.