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Developing your Creative Practice re-opens for applications on Tuesday 28 March! This is our fund open to independent creative and cultural practitioners. It supports you to take time to focus on your creative or cultural development and take you to the next stage of your practice. And it’s all made possible thanks to funding from National Lottery players.

Round 17 of Developing your Creative Practice (DYCP) opens for applications on Tuesday 28 March. 

We want to continue encouraging practitioners to pay themselves fairly and we understand the impact the cost of living is having. That’s why, from Round 17, we’re increasing how much you can apply for - you’ll now be able to apply for up to £12,000 from DYCP. 

Last year, we listened to over 1,300 DYCP applicants and many of you told us that increasing the amount of money applicants can apply for would make a difference to you. 

DYCP is a very competitive funding programme so, to give everyone the fairest chance of success and to help you make an informed decision about whether the time is right for you to make an application, we’ll also: 

Provide unsuccessful applicants with a reason for our decision 

This is to help you understand why we weren’t able to offer you funding on this occasion – we heard loud and clear from you that this would be helpful. If you want to, you can use that feedback to develop future applications you might make to us.

Take a look at the decision reasons >

Changes to eligibility 

We appreciate the time it takes to make an application and we want to give anyone applying to the programme a fair chance of success. To achieve this, if you’ve made two unsuccessful or one successful application since 17 April 2019, you won’t be eligible to apply to Round 17.

Publish success rates 

This is so you can understand the number of applications we receive in the geographic area you’re applying from and the artform/discipline your practice comes under. We’ll start sharing this information from July 2023. 

Do you need support to make an application?

We want Developing your Creative Practice to be accessible to everyone. If you find it difficult to get advice or apply, we can help you.

We provide pre-application support for applicants with access needs, including covering the cost of access support workers. We also cover the cost of personal access costs associated with the project you are applying for.

Find out more >

Think you’re ready to apply? 

Take our quiz to find out. If you’re not sure on any of the questions, our guidance will be able to help. 

Take the quiz > 

Got a question about the programme? 

It’s important you read our guidance in full before making your application. And before you get in touch for help, our FAQs section may already have an answer for you. 

Read the FAQs >  

If there is something you need to know, that isn’t covered by any of the above, our Customer Services team can help you by phone, email or LiveChat every Monday to Friday.