Acorn Fund looking for funding applications from Derry community groups

Supported by the Big Lottery Fund, the grants are part of the Acorn Fund’s City of Culture Legacy programme and are available to projects that use arts and culture in innovative ways to tackle issues such as social inclusion, rural isolation and marginalisation.

The next round of the Acorn Legacy Grant fund opened on Tuesday March 1 for applications and will close on April 5.

The fund was established in 2014 to ensure that local people have an opportunity to get involved with arts and culture following the success of the City of Culture and, to create social networks, encourage talent, increase skills and to strengthen community activity.

Previous recipients include the Waterside Theatre, which was awarded £2,260 to produce an intergenerational visual art project with the residents of Longfield Care Home in Eglinton and, the pupils of near-by Broadbridge Primary School. Amanda-Jane Prow Community Arts Officer explained more about the project.

“The Waterside Theatre is delighted to be working with Longfield Care Home and Broadbridge Primary School on this exciting 12 week intergenerational art project. The workshops will promote the transmission of cultural traditions; help build a sense of personal and societal identity and help foster long term relations between the participants involved, through the medium of visual arts. This was made possible with the support of the Acorn Fund.”

Stage Beyond, a Derry based theatre company for adults with learning difficulties also received funding for its upcoming production of Rashomon in the Millennium Forum. Dee Conaghan, Artistic Manager of Stage Beyond explained how important the funding was to the people involved:

“The Acorn Fund Legacy Grant funding has enabled us to reach out into the community, and bring together those who often find themselves on the margins of society, providing them with a platform for their voice to be heard.”

Shauna Kelpie, Acorn Fund Development Officer said: “These are just two example of how a small amount of funding can make a high difference to communities across Derry. Through the Legacy programme we are particularly looking to fund projects with a strong element of creativity or innovation that will make a tangible and measurable difference to communities.”

Frank Hewitt, the Big Lottery Fund’s NI Chair, said: “We are delighted to see the impact that the Acorn Fund’s Legacy Grants programme is having by supporting a wide range of diverse and exciting projects. This funding is helping groups to continue to build on the legacy of the UK City of Culture.”

More information on all Acorn Fund grants can be found on www.communityfoundationni.org/donors/acorn-fund