1. Organise your event
This is the fun bit! Once you have a clear idea of the event you’re looking to put on, you’ll need to approach a suitable writer. If you need some inspiration, please take a look at our Writers of Wales Directory.
Before applying, you’ll need to confirm the writer in principle, confirming the date, time and venue for your event, subject/theme of the event and negotiate the writer’s fee and travel expenses. Please ensure that the fees offered to all writers are fair and considerate, and that their travel costs are taken into account. Please refer to our guide on organising good community events for further information on suggested fees.
We are looking to fund events where the programme is inclusive and representative – ensuring a balance of gender, writers from a wide range of ages, Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers, writers who identify as disabled or have a long-term health condition, writers from low-income backgrounds and writers from the LGBTQ+ community.
2. Eligibility
Ensure that your event and organisation is eligible to apply for funding from the Inspiring Communities Fund by reading the Eligibility Guidelines, If you’re still not sure if your event is eligible, please get in touch.
The Inspiring Communities Fund is highly competitive and not all eligible events will receive a funding offer. Our Advice for Event Organisers gives more detail on the kinds of events that are a priority for Literature Wales, and we encourage you to highlight how you meet these priorities in your application.
3. Apply for funding
Applications must be made using the online application forms. There are two application forms:
- Form for events for the general public
- Form for events specifically aimed at children and young people
If you are applying for funding for a festival, which includes events for both adults and children/young people, please use the general public application form.
Please ensure that you have all the relevant details to hand before you begin your application as it will not be possible to save your application and return to it later.
We’re here to help, so please contact us if you need help completing the form or accessing it online. For example, we can arrange for a downloadable easy read version to be sent to you.
Timetable of closing dates for applications:
Events taking place in Closing date for applications:
May 2024 31 March 2024
June 2024 30 April 2024
July 2024 31 May 2024
August 2024 30 June 2024
September 2024 31 July 2024
October 2024 31 August 2024
November 2024 30 September 2024
December 2024 31 October 2024
January 2025 30 November 2024
February 2025 31 December 2024
March 2025 31 January 2025
4. Response
We review all applications at an internal panel meeting and will respond to you to let you know if you have been successful within nine working days of the closing date.
If you do not hear from us within this time, please contact Literature Wales to ensure that we have received your application.
There is high demand for this fund, so we’re not able to discuss individual rejections. However, we will aim to give clear written feedback, and will support you to apply again, if eligible.
5. Claiming funding
If you’re successful, we’ll send you a detailed offer letter with details of how to credit our support and an Event Report Form which must be completed before funds are released. Literature Wales reserves the right to withdraw the offer if it has not been claimed within one month of the event(s) taking place. It is the organiser’s responsibility to ensure that their Event Report Form reaches us within this time.
7. Acknowledge Literature Wales support
If your application is successful, you should acknowledge Literature Wales’ support in all publicity prior to your event (print and digital promotional materials), as well as in person at your event. See the Terms & Conditions for details of how to correctly acknowledge Inspiring Communities funding. The Inspiring Communities logo can be downloaded here. Failing to include proper acknowledgement might affect future applications by your organisation.
8. Paying writers
Paying writers in full promptly is a core condition of our funding offers. Please ensure that the writer is paid in full as soon as possible after the event. Failure to do so may jeopardise the success of future applications.
Please ensure that the fees offered to all writers are fair and considerate, and that their travel costs are taken into account. Please refer to our guide Advice for Event Organisers on organising good community events for further information on suggested fees.
9. Claiming funding
You must claim your Inspiring Communities funding within 1 month of your event taking place, by completing and returning the Event Report Form which was sent to you along with your offer letter. Funding will be paid directly to the event organiser after we have received this form including your feedback. Literature Wales reserves the right to withdraw the offer if it has not been claimed within one month of the event(s) taking place. It is the organiser’s responsibility to ensure that their Event Report Form reaches us within this time.