In the latest round of bursaries, a-n Bursaries 2022: Time Space Money, awards of £500-£1,500 were offered to support the continuation of artistic practice and to help those whose plans were forced to change because of the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 late last year.
The bursaries will be used to cover the costs of studio rent and lost income from cancelled contracts, and enable recipients the time to rethink or fund the development of new skills as they pivot their practice in a different direction. Aimed at individuals who needed immediate support during a challenging time, a-n Bursaries 2022: Time Space Money received 1414 applications.
Wing-Sie Chan, Head of Programmes at a-n, led the selection panel along with a-n Artists Council member Antonio Roberts and freelance arts consultant, artist and writer Amy Botfield.
Speaking about the bursaries, Amy Botfield said: “It’s a privilege to be a selector for a-n Bursaries 2022: Time Space Money. I applaud a-n and Arts Council England for providing financial support to artists and creative practitioners at this critical time. As a recipient of emergency funding in 2020, I know first-hand that a bursary can make the difference between sustaining and suspending your practice – not just because of the financial aid, but the encouragement from a respected and trusted organisation at a key moment in your career.
The process has introduced us to so many talented people. It’s impossible not to feel excited about the future of visual arts in the UK, but the unprecedented demand suggests there are still so many artists, curators, writers and technicians adversely affected by the pandemic. As an a-n member, I will be encouraging even more investment for practitioners through a-n bursaries and other small grant schemes.”
Since March 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a-n has distributed over £2m in emergency funding to 1,237 artists and freelancers working in the visual arts whose livelihoods have been impacted.
a-n Bursaries 2022: Time Space Money is supported by a-n and Arts Council England.
