Grant News

Funding to Improve Mental Wellbeing through Arts & Comedy (UK)

Comic Relief, in partnership with Walkers, has launched a new fund to help improve people’s mental wellbeing through arts and comedy.

The Smiles Fund will award funding of between £100,000 and £300,000 to between eight and twelve charities in the UK for proposals which use participation in the arts and comedy to challenge stigma and provide community-based support for people who are experiencing emerging symptoms of poor mental wellbeing.

Funding will support a mixture of project and core costs for proposals that are shaped by people with lived experience, including those facing:

  • discrimination and disadvantage 

  • prolonged uncertainty and unemployment 

  • emerging mental wellbeing challenges

  • loss and isolation 

Comic Relief will be hosting 3 Zoom Q&A sessions to answer any questions applicants may have about the fund. 

Zoom Session 1(opens in new window) – Wednesday 11th August, 11am-12pm 

Zoom Session 2(opens in new window) – Thursday 19th August, 10am-11am

Zoom Session 3(opens in new window) – Wednesday 25th August, 2.30pm-3.30pm 

The deadline for applications is 11am on the 15th September 2021.

 

Useful Links:

Eligibility criteria

Application guidance

Frequently Asked Questions

5th August 2021