Welcome to our arts commission site

Who we are?


We are a charity based in the South East. We offer funding and support to a wide range of local groups, organisations and individuals, and nurture projects that enrich the arts in the community. We work closely with local councils to ensure our services benefit people living, working or studying in the area.

Every year, we fund between thirty and forty creative arts projects. We support a number of different art forms including dance, theatre, visual arts, film, photography, literature, spoken word and music. We have a professional development bursary for artists as well as other funding opportunities. We also deliver our own exciting projects through our own initiatives fund.

Call for Artists working with older people


The south-east’s programme dedicated to two year arts programme for older people with mental health issues including dementia is looking to develop a core team of artists. We are offering a specialist training scheme for 4 artists of any discipline with some experience in the field, who are interested in developing their skills in a range of venues including small groups and one-to-one settings which include people’s homes.

The programme offers small-scale funding for arts projects through two funding strands. We believe even a small grant can make a big difference. If you are planning an arts project or event in the south-east area that requires funding, we would like to hear from you. Please check our guidelines to see if you are eligible to apply. Applicants must live, work or study in the South East and awards are open to both organisations and individuals.

Dance

Dancing is a great way of staying fit. Brighton and Hove have many opportunities for people to dance
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How is it good for you?

Dancing works as a great form of aerobic exercise, offering cardiovascular conditioning which the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) states can help reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, and also help in weight management attempts. Dancing is also a weight-bearing thing to do, which can intensify bone density (which in turn reduces the danger of osteoporosis) as well as making muscle strength better as well as coordination and balance – a personal trainer can also advise you on this. Dancing and fitness opportunities are one reason why Brighton is such a healthy place to live!

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Psychological benefits of dance

As well as the aforementioned physiological benefits, dancing has also been shown to offer an array of psychological advantages as well. Given the fact that dancing is an enjoyable and engaging form of physical activity, several individuals feel that it helps to lower stress and chronic fatigue, lift energy and mood and make self-esteem and confidence much better. As well as this, research has revealed that dancing can play a key role as you get older, as well as improving memory. A study done by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that dancing is related to a lower risk of dementia.

Art projects


We offer workshops and competitions to people in all disciplines of art, including abstract, surreal, impressionist and other styles. We have helped to nurture the skills of many people in this discipline and are always looking for more people of all ages to work with.

Writing


We are great believers in promoting the art of writing, whether it’s life writing or fiction. We have worked with a community of writers who write poems, as well as short stories and even novels. Every year we celebrate this by offering a prize to the written piece which most stands out.

We offer small-scale funding for arts projects through two funding strands. We believe even a small grant can make a big difference. If you are planning an arts project or event in the Sussex area that requires funding, we would like to hear from you. Please check our guidelines to see if you are eligible to apply. Applicants must live, work or study in Sussex and awards are open to both organisations and individuals.

Sponsors


We are sponsored by a number of bodies, including Ascope Shipping who deliver people’s cars and belongings around the world to countries such as New Zealand, Ghana and South Africa.

Arts Forum

This arts forum is a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to promoting and developing us as a major centre for the arts.
Here on our website you'll find up-to-date news about the local arts scene, information on funding, your community and other arts-related subjects. Plus you can find out what's going on in your area by clicking on our What's On Calendar.
If you have an event you'd like to promote or news you'd like to share then please email us and we will place it on these pages. You can also view any current or past news articles and notices by visiting our News section. Just click on the area you're interested in and away you go!

Arts membership

Joining the arts forum brings a host of benefits, too. Membership is only £10 per annum and provides discounts on goods and services, a free magazine, regular email bulletins on news relevant to you and your work, as well as the right to exhibit in our new gallery headquarters. To join, simply download a form by clicking on the button top right and send it back to us with your subscription fee. We look forward to seeing you soon!
This is also an opportunity to discuss the arts, whether you’re an artist or just someone who enjoys seeing good art in the South East.