The Kirkstall creative hub are collaborating with food waste charity Rainbow Junktion to turn their Art SOUP grant scheme into an online grant platform for artists.
The current Coronavirus pandemic has caused many creative hubs to close down and force platforms for creatives to recalibrate. Every corner of the creative scene has been profoundly impacted, leaving people whose livelihoods depend on art spaces, commissions and events without an income.
In collaboration with food waste initiative Rainbow Junktion, Open Source Arts is hosting a live stream event that will offer an artist or arts organisation the opportunity to receive a funding grant to conduct a project during the lockdown period. Open Source Arts empowers creative, practical action towards healthier, more resilient citizens, neighbourhoods and sustainable futures.
From the foundations of their successful past Arts SOUP events and community funding efforts, Open Source are adapting their funding approach to support grassroots arts and artists during the Covid-19 crisis.
4 artists will be able to pitch their ideas to a voting audience in an online live stream. The individual or group that receives the most votes will then walk away with a grant to fund their projects, raised from past donations and ticket sales.
Jacob Justice, Events Programmer at Open Source Arts says; ‘As the current health crisis presents unique challenges to the artists and creatives in our community, we believe our funding opportunities must adapt to fit new needs and circumstances. We want to help brilliant individuals and organisations to continue delivering amazing and adaptive projects during this period.”
The SOUP event will take place online on the 8th of May at 7:00 pm. Attendants will be given recipe cards for delicious homemade soup ideas, entertainment and a chance to vote.
More information and applications for Arts SOUP can be found on the Open Source website:
opensourcearts.co.uk/arts-soup
Feature Illustration by Tamsin Eades