Local 'VACMA' Support for Artists and Makers enters ninth year

Bursaries of £500 and £750 available
Deadlines: Tuesday 25 October 2022 (5pm) and Tuesday 7 February 2023 (5pm)

Local visual artists and craft makers are invited to apply for a VACMA bursary of up to £750 for their creative development, in what is now the ninth round for the scheme in Orkney.

Funded by Creative Scotland in partnership with a range of local authorities and arts agencies across Scotland, VACMA bursaries support artists at all stages of their career to develop their creative practice. This can include researching a new body of work, experimenting with new materials, attending courses, artistic mentoring, masterclasses and residencies, among other activities.

In Orkney, the VACMA programme is coordinated by Orkney Islands Council’s Arts Development service and offers fixed bursaries of £500 and £750.

There will be two rounds of the scheme in 2022-23. The first closes on 25 October 2002 at 5pm. A second round will take place early in 2023, closing 7 February.

Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts at Creative Scotland said: “VACMA provides vital, local support to artists and makers at all stages in their career. The funding will enable artists and makers to test new ideas, develop their skills and generate new work.

“We are delighted that we have so many partners working with us to deliver the programme which generates such important, long-lasting benefits to the creative people working in their local area.”

The Council's Arts Officer, Emma Gee, said: “We are delighted to be entering the ninth season of the VACMA scheme in Orkney with the support of the National Lottery, HIE and Creative Scotland.

“This fund supports local artists to push boundaries and extend themselves, helping ensure Orkney continues to feature strongly in the national arts landscape.”

The awards are made possible with support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the support of participating local authorities.

Applications for Orkney-based artists can be made through the Council website www.orkney.gov.uk/vacma

For guidance and further information please visit the Creative Scotland website. 

More about VACMA:

The VACMA scheme is administered locally by partners and covers the following 25 local authority areas: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire (North, South and East), City of Edinburgh, Dundee, East Lothian, Fife (including Peth and Kinross), Forth Valley (Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire), Glasgow, Highlands (including Moray and Western Isles), North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, South of Scotland (Borders and Dumfries & Galloway) and Shetland Islands. Local Authorities interested in developing a local scheme, are invited to contact: visualarts@creativescotland.com

Full eligibility criteria and a list of participating partners through which applications can be made, is available on the Creative Scotland website.

The deadlines for applications are:

• Autumn deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 25 October 2022
• Winter deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 7 February 2023

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.