Bury

Bury Culture Grants Programme Goes Live

Bury Council, in partnership with Bury VCFA, has opened a new £100,000 community funding pot to unlock extra opportunities for people to get involved in arts, culture and local heritage in Bury.

The funding was secured by Bury Council from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) under the Communities & Place element of the fund, after submitting proposals to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which manages the fund in the city region.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for Bury-based voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to support local people to explore and celebrate the art, culture, and heritage of Bury’s diverse communities. Ultimately showcasing Bury as having “Different Cultures, Same Horizons” in line with the borough’s cultural strategy.

Community groups, faith groups, charities, social enterprises, voluntary groups, clubs, and societies can all apply – by 5pm on 31 January 2024. For full eligibility criteria and to apply, visit: www.buryvcfa.org.uk/grants

Councillor Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture, the economy and skills, said: “Culture and creativity is at the heart of the council’s Let’s Do It strategy. This funding, thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is great news for residents and community groups in the borough. We hope that this funding will help us celebrate the very best of Bury: not just our great cultural assets but the diverse range of groups and organisations who use culture and heritage to improve the lives of residents across the borough, whether supporting creative health, bringing communities together or simply bringing joy and entertainment.”

Helen Tomlinson, chief officer of Bury VCFA, said: “Bury VCFA is thrilled to be working in partnership with Bury Council on this new grants programme. Culture and heritage are at the heart of Bury’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector: from recognisable institutions such as The Met through to small community groups celebrating the diverse heritage of our residents. This grants programme will provide a vibrant programme of activity and events across the borough enhancing the quality of life for local people.“

All applications to the fund must be for projects that are community-based and delivered within Bury. We are looking for projects that celebrate and document arts, culture and heritage in all their forms as well as celebrating the amazing people of our borough whether that’s drama and dance, traditional crafts, comedy or creative writing to name but a few. It is anticipated that the fund will be oversubscribed, and priority will be given to projects that create opportunities for underrepresented groups.

To support potential candidates, two “Meet the Funder” sessions to give an overview of the fund and the application process:

Monday 11 December: 4-5 pm (Online) –

Tuesday 9 Jan: 4-5:30 pm – In person at Bury Art Museum –

Note to editors:

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses and providing opportunities to boost people and skills.

The Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.

The Bury Culture Strategy (Different Cultures, Same Horizons) builds on the success of Bury being recognised as the first GM Town of Culture. The strategy was co-produced with community groups and the borough’s principal cultural partners. Supported by an independent partner Curated Place, part-funded by Arts Council England. This funding programme supports the strategy’s ambitions both in terms of the activities being delivered and also the strategy’s aims of supporting grassroots cultural development.

Bury Voluntary, Community and Faith Alliance (VCFA) is the local infrastructure organisation for Bury. Our work aims to enhance the quality of life for local residents by developing and empowering the borough’s thriving voluntary, community, faith & social enterprise sector. To do this we deliver a wide range of services including supporting organisations to provide high-quality volunteering experiences and opportunities. To find out more visit –

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