From profit split to funded: how can early career companies make the leap in a crowded funding landscape (help!)?

Headlines
- There is not one answer or route. Sometimes it can be a combination, trying different things
- It's not necessarily a 'leap' - and sometimes you may go back/forth a bit!
- Just go for it! And remember to celebrate your wins.

Ways to make the next step to being funded:
- Development opportunities e.g. residencies, R&D callouts, commissions
- Just apply!!!
- Put the work on - perhaps in a fringe/festival environment and see who comes - it could be a venue, producer etc who will help you get some funding (recognise this does require the profit split/self-funding at the beginning and is not always accessible particularly to working class creatives)

There can be an internal dilemma between knowing that people, including yourself, SHOULD be paid - but if this isn't possible as you have no funding yet, should you just make the work happen any way you can and funding comes later? Making work alongside a full-time job might work for a while but at some point you are probably going to have to make the leap and go freelance, if the opportunities come. And even if you are doing it alongside another job, make sure you are confident in what you are doing - it is not just a hobby, not a side hustle - it is art and it is legitimate.

Remember - nobody feels secure, even established companies who have been going for years, they may lose funding, even if regularly funded e.g. NPO, they have to reapply every year. Uncertainty doesn't go away with what we perceive to be 'success'. Also, don't compare yourself to established companies - consider how different the landscape may have been when they started.

Making the 'leap' and applying to a funder (e.g. ACE)
- It's a lot about knowing the funder and what they want/how they work as opposed to the work itself. E.g. - ACE don't just want a new play, they want community engagement, they want workshops, they want artist development - something more
- Make use of support and advice sessions - ACE offer these, and have lots of info on their website, different videos & materials
- If you have put work on before using a profit-split model - make this work work for you. Turn it into data which you can give ACE, think about venues, audience numbers, how many shows etc
- Having put shows on before IS a track record, but you need to prove you can manage the money
- With ACE, it can be about proving you need the funding NOW as it is so oversubscribed - why would they fund you now if you can do it in 6 months time? Make that case.
- DYCP grants have a limit to how many times you can be rejected - be conscious of this and only apply if you are sure
- Make sure everything you say is ACTUALLY achievable, don't overpromise (however with dates - dates can change, and ACE don't mind this. It is better to have dates in than not)

Other types of funding
- Fundraisers e.g. crowdfunding (recognition that crowdfunding can be difficult for working class artists who can't tap into wealthy family members!)
- Local/regional support that might not be shouted about - e.g., local authorities sometimes have councillors' community chest funds which they will give to local creatives - get in touch and ask
- Small pots of legacy funds (not always theatre specific but can be used for it)
- Having supporters' tickets at a high price at your shows - a couple of these sales will give you some money

Rejection
- Plan for rejection in your timelines. With ACE - plan to reapply once or twice
- If you are continually rejected by the same funder 3/4 times - it may be that the project just isn't right, or something needs to change about it
- The work has to be good. If it is, it will be funded eventually, and it is often a timing issue e.g. too many applicants in a pool. But if you're only receiving rejections, repeated and for the same thing - maybe it is the project just isn't right.

Giving a project legitimacy
- This is important to funders
- Could be a venue offering you space, a charity partner, a level of match funding, letters of support from people who know your work
- Where are you from? Is your hometown different to where you live now? Think about getting in touch with venues from your hometown as a partnership opportunity
- When getting in touch with venues/producers - if they don't get back, consider following up 3 times

Knowing your audience
- Think about who your work is for, how to engage them
- This can be useful to an ACE application
- Also could unlock crowdfunding opportunities if you have a really clear audience

Rural touring model
- If you have an existing piece of work, just offering it to venues.
- This is always fee-based
- You apply to National Rural Touring to go on their 'menu' and potentially be selected by venues

Applying for R&D funding?
- In theory ACE will fund just R&D but it feels it is becoming rarer
- Can you wrap up R&D into a full project timeline
- An R&D with workshops/community engagement elements is more fundable

Recognition for how funding/artist landscape and the journey to establishing yourself/a company can be very different in different countries - to a session member on a British Council fellowship from Pakistan, the 'problems' we are discussing in UK landscape actually sound like a privilege!
- For those wanting to bring work from other countries to the UK - consider British Council showcase/grants/fellowships
- Get in contact with British Council/other artists and ask for mentorship and advice

Networks/opportunities to be aware of
- Artsadmin email
- HOUSE - Farnham Maltings' opportunities, where you can apply to pitch your piece
- STAMP network
- Stage One - bursaries for productions/projects
- MGC Futures - this is about professional development, they like to fund a range of things but you could pitch your project as a way to develop yourself
- Local authority arts newsletter (not always shouted about)
- Fringe Untapped Award
- Sprint Festival

Celebrate your wins!! You have to be in it to win it - don't be afraid of failing.