voluntary arts & volunteering

Are you interested in volunteering in the arts or looking for volunteers for your organisation? These sites are a good place to start if you want to get involved or find resources to help you run a group.

safeguarding children & adults

Do you work with children or with adults with care needs? Make sure you’re up-to-date with the latest information and essential guidance when working with children and vulnerable adults.

running an event

Are you planning an event and wondering where to start or just need to keep up-to-date with the latest information? Here are some suggestions for guides or websites that you can use when running your event.

intellectual property

Want to know more about sharing and protecting your original ideas and artworks? Take a look at these sites that can help you protect your creative work and answer some of your legal queries

other useful sites

There are lots of sites and resources out there, but where do you start? We’ve put together a few that we think are useful to know about. Check them out and see how they can help you.

running your own business

Whether you’re starting out in business or are an established artist or arts organisation there’s business information relevant for you. Here are some handy business tips, help & advice to help to along the way.

looking for funding

We all need funding from somewhere to make our ideas happen. Here are a few places to look to get you started and point you in the right direction to some of the funding that's out there for your project.

Arts and Health

Living Well Resources pages. We have compiled the following list of information resources that might be of interest to you

National Support Agencies

Finding the right support to help your ideas grow can make all the difference. Whatever your arts practice there’s an agency there to support you and offer resources for your area of work.

A-N (Artists Information Company)
www.a-n.co.uk
A-N is a vital resource for visual and applied artists, whatever your development stage. It offers access to a vast and specialist bank of resources including guidance for commissioners and employers on good practice, fees and payments, contracts and insurance, as well as an online jobs and opportunities service.

Arts Council
www.artscouncil.org.uk
The Arts Council is the national development agency for the arts in England and supports a range of artistic activities. The website gives information on Arts Council departments, funding, grants, news, publications and useful links. Subscribe to ArtsJobs and ArtsNews for useful up-to-date information on what’s going on in the arts.

Arts Development UK (AD:UK)
www.artsdevelopmentuk.org
Arts Development UK is a professional association with a membership drawn from local authorities and those working in the creative industries sector in the UK. As a membership organisation it offers practical advice, networking and support and its weekly newsletter highlights the latest news, jobs and funding opportunities.

Arts in Health
www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk
The website for the National Alliance for Arts Health and Wellbeing: a resource for arts and health activity. The site has resources to support your own work, and examples of the ways that creative activity can benefit the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Arts Professional
www.artsprofessional.co.uk
ArtsProfessional is an online resource for people working in the arts that aims to deliver a quality news and information service. It looks at what’s going on across the arts and analyses the latest ideas, technologies, policies and legislation affecting the sector.

British Film Institute (BFI)
www.bfi.org.uk
The British Film Institute (BFI) is the lead organisation for film in the UK and use Lottery funds to support film production, distribution, education and audience development.

CapeUK
www.capeuk.org
CapeUk’s sees creativity as a key factor in preparing young people to face the future with imagination, innovation and life skills. They work with schools, youth and community organisations, universities, the cultural and creative sector and other agencies. The site offers a resource section with useful information for working with schools or in education.

Crafts Council
www.craftscouncil.org.uk
For those working in contemporary crafts the Crafts Council website is a must for information on professional development opportunities, resources and information on exhibitions and fairs. The Craft Directory lists new and established makers, galleries, awards and jobs to help you make connections.

Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-culture-media-sport
The DCMS is a government department that aims to make ‘Britain the world’s most creative and exciting place to live, visit and do business’.

Design Council
www.designcouncil.org.uk
The Design Council promotes design and architecture and its website features useful resources for small businesses, public sector managers, designers and design students, which include free guides, case studies and lists of networks and organisations.

Disability Arts Online
www.disabilityartsonline.org.uk
Disability Arts Online provides details of arts activities for the disabled with future projects, directory of resources and employment. As a resource for continuing professional development Disability Arts Online is a networking tool and a reference point in supporting disabled artists in developing their careers.

Earlyarts
www.earlyarts.co.uk
Earlyarts is a creative teaching and training network, helping educators bring children’s creativity to life. The site includes research and evidence in creativity in early learning and produces creative teaching materials and training events.

Foundation for Community Dance
www.communitydance.org.uk
The Foundation for Community Dance is the professional organisation for anyone involved in creating opportunities for people to experience and participate in dance. The website has information on courses and conferences, plus a publications section with information relevant to dancers working in community settings.

Heritage Lottery Fund
www.hlf.org.uk
The Heritage Lottery Fund offers a range of grant programmes from £3000 to £5 million. The site gives information on how to apply and features projects that have been awarded funding.

Independent Theatre Council (ITC)
www.itc-arts.org
The Independent Theatre Council is the lead body for performing arts organisations and individuals working in the field of drama, dance, opera and music theatre, mime and physical theatre, circus, puppetry, street arts and mixed media. The site has a resources section and lists the many training courses available to help you run a successful performing arts company.

Ixia Network
www.ixia-info.com
Ixia is the public art think tank that provides guidance on the role of art in the public realm. Ixia works with artists, policy makers and implementers within the public and private sectors. It carries out research, supports events and delivers training, and commissions new writing and publications.

Museums Association
www.museumsassociation.org
The Museums Association is a membership organisation for everyone working in museums, galleries and heritage. The site includes information on collections, exhibitions, events, campaigns and career development.

Musicians Union
www.musiciansunion.org.uk
The Musicians’ Union represents musicians working in all sectors of the music business. The MU looks after the interests of more than 30,000 professional musicians, offering practical advice and downloadable resources for those working in all industry sectors.

National Dance Network
www.nationaldance.co.uk
NDN is a meeting point of organisations whose primary role is the development of dance in the context of presenting, programming and commissioning.

National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA)
www.noda.org.uk
NODA provides assistance and advice to amateur theatre groups and societies in the UK. NODA offers its members a range of products and services to help with productions, such as their health and safety service NODASafe or help with the marketing of productions and societies through the Social Media Helpdesk.

PRS for Music Foundation (PRSF)
www.prsformusicfoundation.com
The UK's leading funder of new music across all genres. PRS for Music Foundation supports a range of new music activity– from composer residencies and commissions to festivals and showcases in the UK and overseas.

Public Art Online
www.publicartonline.org.uk
A public art information site that provides guidance and examples of public art practice from around the UK and internationally.

Creative England/Screen South West
http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/

For our creative talent & businesses to be the most successful & innovative in the world; providing a platform for new voices; generating jobs & economic growth

Writers Guild
www.writersguild.org.uk
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain supports writers across media including books, film, online, radio, theatre, TV and videogames.