Funding opportunities for events

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. They enable people and organisations to work in and experience these industries by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life, through funding and other support. 

Open Funding is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding routes and will be of interest to cultural event organisers with its focus on arts, screen and the creative industries. It supports a wide range of activity initiated by organisations, artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. 

Find out more about Creative Scotland funding.

Creative Scotland also keep a helpful list of other sources of support for the creative industries which is available here.

Culture and Business Scotland (C&BS) is a charitable organisation supporting the nation’s cultural and economic wellbeing by connecting the culture and business sectors. 

The C&BS Fund is designed to support innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships between culture and business organisations across the country and across the arts and heritage sectors. The C&BS website has several case studies showing the type of support and funding they have provided for their event partners. 

Find out more about Culture and Business Scotland funding and support.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the economic and community development agency for the north and west of Scotland. 

Their purpose is to support regional development and increase the number of people who choose to live, work, study and invest in the area. HIE support businesses, communities and social enterprises through a range of services, including advice, funding, events and property.

Find out more about Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding and support.

Money raised by National Lottery players is donated to good causes via a range of distributors and a multitude of grant programmes.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m each year to communities across the UK via a wide range of funding programmes, each with its own purpose and eligibility criteria.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. It offers funding for heritage projects that can include commemorations and celebrations – telling the stories and histories of people, communities, places or events related to specific times and dates.

The full range of National Lottery distributors and further links to all funding programmes is also available.

People’s Postcode Trust awards funds raised through players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. The Trust supports smaller charities and good causes in Scotland to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet. 

The People’s Postcode Trust offers funding depending on organisation type and fit with eight themes. There is potential relevance to event organisation across all of these themes: 

• enabling participation in physical activity
• enabling participation in the arts
• preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
• supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality
• improving biodiversity and responding to the climate emergency 
• improving green spacings and increasing access to the outdoors
• providing support to improve mental health

Find out more about People's Postcode Trust funding.

South of Scotland Enterprise works with people and communities across the south of Scotland to grow its economy. By providing investment, expertise and mentoring, they inspire the region to think bigger and unlock significant opportunities for all. Their vision is to establish the south of Scotland as a centre of opportunity, innovation and growth. 

Open funding programme applications can be submitted at any time. Funding for event organisers has included capital funds or business funding rather than towards event delivery costs.  

Find out more about South of Scotland Enterprise funding and support.

UK Sport is the lead government agency for major sporting events at the UK level, it is also one of 12 National Lottery distributors. The organisation works closely with sporting and hosting partners to ensure that the UK successfully bids for and stages a range of the world’s biggest international sporting events. 

Investment is channelled through three funding programmes: 

• Pinnacle Events – global events of a world-leading standard such as world cups, world championships, etc.
• Performance Events - events that support athletes and their sports in the qualification, classification and preparation for major events such as the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games
• National Events - events that develop sports nationally and help them and their athletes grow

Find out more about UK Sport funding.

It is also worth checking with your local authority as they could have funding available for your event whether it’s through a dedicated Events and Festivals Fund or a Community Grants Fund.

Find out in which local authority your event will take place.