We are delighted to receive a grant from the National Lottery Project Grants programme through Arts Council England for our new project Breaking Barriers.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been hugely challenging for the arts and culture sector. Within our work, the South Asian artists and freelancers  that we work with have suffered the negative impacts of Covid disproportionately with serious impacts on their livelihoods and careers. Our new project Breaking Barriers is specifically created to address some of the challenges being faced.

It will create new music commissions and digital performance opportunities for artists and provide training and development support.

We will be announcing further information soon.

Phil Gibby, South West Area Director, Arts Council, said:  

“We are delighted to confirm support for Asian Arts Agency through our National Lottery Project Grants programme, towards Breaking Barriers. A project that will support freelancers and individuals, especially those who have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 crisis. It is fantastic to see an organisation put artists and musicians at the front and centre of their work, as we start to ease out of the pandemic and look towards the new normal. They have secured some brilliant local and national partnerships, and it will be great to see the talent emerge and build new career prospects over the coming year”.

Jaswinder Singh, Director of Asian Arts Agency, said:

“We are really delighted to receive this grant and thank you to the Arts Council England for their support. The pandemic has been really challenging for us and the sector with loss of income and opportunities for artists. Through this project, we are looking forward to creating new opportunities for artists and freelancers through new music commissions, digital performances and training and development opportunities. Over the next few months, we will be closely monitoring the situation, to create balance between online and live performances for our artists and audiences.”

Breaking Barriers will be delivered in partnership with leading arts venues and specialist music industry organisations, including Arnolfini, BPI, Bristol Beacon and Real World Studios in Bath.

We are taking part in #LoveBristolArts, a new collaborative campaign launched by the Bristol Arts Marketing Network (19 – 23 October).

At this time of year, we would usually be taking part in the anticipated Culture Flash Sale.  However, due to the current world circumstances this is not possible.

As you may be aware, the pandemic has seriously effected the arts sector. The #LoveBristolArts campaign is an important campaign to support arts and culture. And you play a vital role.

So, please read on to see how you can support.

How you can support

Each organisation taking part has highlighted top three ways you can show support.

Three ways to support Asian Arts Agency:

1.Please support us by following on social media – Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

2. Please consider a donation to help us through these challenging times

3.Please support us by sharing our live music content created and performed in Bristol.

Check out the entire list of all organisations taking part.

Share your love for Bristol arts using #LoveBristolArts hashtag.

What do you love most about Bristol arts and culture?

Let us know!

Funding and support for artists and individuals

We hope you are coping amidst the challenging circumstances of COVID-19. As an arts organisation we do understand the pain you are experiencing. With many events cancelled and uncertainty around the future, the arts sector is going through difficult times and is worried about its survival.  In response Government and other funding bodies have announced various grant and support schemes specifically for the arts sector and artists to enable us to get through these times.  On this page we have collated information on funding being offered by Arts Council England and from other sources.

Arts Council England

Develop Your Creative Practice

The fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network or find mentoring. The next round of DYCP opened on 11 January 2021 and closes on 12pm (midday), 18 February 2021.

Find out more here.

Bristol City Council

The Originators Fund 2021-22 is now open.

Applications can be for £500 to £5000 for events, arts and cultural activities taking place between June 2021 and May 2022. Deadline for applications: midnight on Monday 8 March 2021.

Find out more here.

Other funds / support available:

Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund

PRS Foundation Funding

PRS Sustaining Creativity Fund

Musicians Union Fund

Government Schemes

If you have never applied for arts funding before and are feeling the impact of COVID-19, you may still be eligible for some of these schemes.  Please read the funding guidelines at the above mentioned links.

Another excellent resource is through Help Musicians who provide information on a range of topics including support on health issues and mental well being.

We are here to support artists with any questions regarding funding. Please contact us at info@asianartsagency.co.uk.

We wish you all the best with your applications and in getting through this period.

Jaswinder Singh

Director

Asian Arts Agency

First of all we are sending lots of good wishes for everyone. These are tough and unchartered times and it’s important more than ever that we all stick together and support each other to get through these difficult times.

We want the best for our staff, artists, our audiences and wider society which is at the core of our work. As per the Government’s advice our team is now working remotely.

With the majority of public venues now closed, we have cancelled all our events until the end of May.  We will keep monitoring the situation and provide an update on our events and tours from June 2020 onwards both in the UK and internationally from our website, newsletter and our social media channels.

The safety and well-being of everyone involved with our work is our utmost priority.

Wishing you all the best with getting through these challenging times.

Jaswinder Singh

Director, Asian Arts Agency