Funding & Support
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Overview
We offer a wide range of funding opportunities and programmes to support the RCS community of students, staff and alumni. These opportunities aim to seed fund your project ideas, support your early-stage career development, and kickstart new partnerships or collaborations.
Our offer includes monetary awards and prizes that can be used for a small single project or form part of a larger scale co-funded project.
We also provide residencies, workshops, 1-2-1 clinics, tailored guidance, and skills development. Furthermore, we maintain long-standing relationships with partners from the creative industries and can help connect you to external support outside of RCS.
The funding and support routes currently available are listed below. All opportunities are delivered by the Engagement Team.
Keep up to date with our opportunities by signing up for the CEDO newsletter
Opportunities
Make it Happen Fund
For: Alumni
The Make It Happen Fund gives alumni who are within 3 years of graduation access to a competitive pot of seed funding to support their early-stage career goals and ambitions. The fund accepts applications once a year, usually in autumn.
Ideas Fund
For: Current Students
The Ideas Fund provides current students with resources and support to explore new ideas and develop extra-curricular projects. Two £500 prizes are awarded every month during the academic year.
Company Creation Fund
For: Staff
The Company Creation Fund is designed to help staff take their first steps towards starting a creative enterprise. Awards of up to £2,000 are intended to support business development activity, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Creative Launch Fund
For: RCS Staff
Open to academic staff and tutors looking to extend the impact of their research or practice. The fund offers £10,000 plus bespoke training and support for innovation projects in the creative arts and humanities. Applications are accepted once a year, usually in January.
Innovation Studio
For: Students & Staff
Embedded within RCS, Innovation Studio supports creative experimentation, collaboration and interdisciplinary work. It offers funding, residencies and R&D support. After a successful pilot, Innovation Studio will relaunch in 2025.
Athenaeum Engagement Award
For: Staff
The Athenaeum Engagement Award offers up to £5,000 and is intended to support RCS staff develop partnerships and projects with external partners. Awards are made three times during the academic year.
Athenaeum Creative Health Award
For: Staff
The Athenaeum Creative Health Award is a new specialist strand of Athenaeum Award and offers up to £3,000 to projects centred around Creative Health. Awards are made three times during the academic year.
Athenaeum Conference Presentation Award
For: Staff
The Athenaeum Conference Presentation Award offers contributions of £500 towards the cost of attending and presenting research and engagement projects at conferences. Applications for this award are assessed on a rolling basis.
SHIFT
For: Students & Alumni
SHIFT is a weeklong intensive programme that helps students and recent graduates acquire the practical and professional skills needed to transition from higher education into a career in the Arts and Creative Industries. SHIFT takes place once a year, usually in September.
Take One Step
For: Students, Staff & Alumni
Take One Step is a digital tool designed to help members of the RCS community work out the next step for their projects or careers. Based on simple questions, the tool provides clear advice and examples along the way. It will be available for use in early 2025.
1:1 Clinics
For: Students, Staff & Alumni
CEDO facilitates individual sessions with industry experts that can provide guidance on career development, freelancing, starting and running a business, legal matters, finances, and other specialist topics. These clinics are open to all RCS students, staff and alumni.
CEDO x SU Workshops
Throughout the academic year, CEDO and the Students’ Union jointly deliver a series of online workshops that address the most vital topics for a career in the arts landscape. These welcoming, warm and casual sessions are open to all, no previous experience necessary.
Signposting
Have something in mind but don’t know where to start? Not sure if it’s just an idea, could be a company, should be a charity or something else altogether? If you need help to figure out which support would be most helpful for you, you can first meet with Stephanie Edwards (Knowledge Exchange Development Officer) to determine a plan of action.
Signposting is available to all RCS staff, students, and alumni.
