Annual Fund
Key dates 2019:
Round 1: Open now, closes on 1st May 2019, decisions by Friday 17th May 2019
Round 2: opens 21st July, closes 2nd December 2019, decisions by Friday 20th December 2019
Download the guidelines here 
Download the application form here Since 2013 our Annual Fund has funded 59 projects for organisations and individuals across the South West of England.
The health and social benefits of engaging with reading and creative writing are proven. For some, access to literature is obvious and easy; for others the benefits remains out of reach, behind barriers of low income, language, location, or social isolation.
Activities we have funded include small and start-up literature festivals, book projects for children and young adults, theatre writing events, cultural reading activities for vulnerable older people and their carers, community engagement projects and talking newspapers.
Over three years our funded activities have engaged over 39,000 members of the public, working with over 200 partner organisations and over 150 writers to take reading and writing out into the community.
We have invested £21,070, triggering match funding of £44,672 from partners, sponsorship and donations – triple the initial funding to an overall investment of £65,742 achieved by applicants.
The Annual Fund widens access to literature and creative writing, particularly amongst people in our region who would otherwise miss out. We have provided small grants (up to £500) to organisations which can help their communities enjoy such benefits.
We have funded literature activity in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire Bristol, Bournemouth and Hampshire.
But we cannot continue to do this without your financial support.
To help us continue our good work. Please consider donating or fundraising on our behalf and enriching the lives of local people.
Our Funding in Action
Since reopening the Annual Fund early in 2018, we have awarded a total of 11 Annual Fund grants to community based literature projects across the region. Five projects were selected from the second round of applications in December 2018. All of these focus on children and young people as a target audience.
The projects span the region geographically with successful round two applicants based in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Here’s a bit more about them:
Bowlish infant School, Shepton Mallet in Somerset
has received a grant for their project ‘Creating Our Play-ground’ to hold two creative workshop sessions led by a professional writer/ storyteller to give pupils an understanding of plotting, scene creation and taking stories from page to stage.
Chagword Festival in Devon
have received a grant for a programme of workshops as part of Chagword’s Children’s BookFest ‘ Creative Writing Blitz’. Writer Claire Barker will work with children to encourage imaginative story making. This work will continue in the classroom and link to the wider curriculum.
Fowey Festival in Cornwall
have received a grant for a series of workshops led by a professional writers and artists and hosted by primary and secondary schools for children aged 5 -16 as part of the festival programme.
Kernow Education Arts Partnership (KEAP) in Cornwall
have received a grant for a series of creative writing sessions in partnership with Carefree Cornwall to work with a group of young writers in care to develop their voices. Sessions will be led by tutors writer Jane Pugh and performance poet Taran Spalding-Jenkins.
Here’s what Amanda Harris, of KEAP had to say about how the grant will benefit the organisation:
“The Annual Fund award gives us a brilliant opportunity to work with a young Cornish Writer who is making a name for himself in Bristol and for him to inspire and create with a group of young people in care. We are hoping this is the start of something we can continue.”
Try to Be Better in Cornwall
is a multi-disciplinary project foregrounding experiment and collaboration in new art and poetry. The award will support a series of accessible workshops supported by the W.S. Graham estate that continue the celebrations of his centenary year. These sessions will involve leaders in their fields as well as less well-established creatives from various backgrounds including female and BAME creatives based in the South West.
Speaking of the impact of the grant on the project, Lavinia Singer of Try to Be Better said:
“We are so grateful to receive a grant from the Literature Works Annual Fund for our Try To Be Better project: it will enable us to fulfil our aim of bringing together artist and reader, the creative and educational, in a series of stimulating workshop settings. It’s wonderful to know we can support our artists and writers, while also celebrating the work of W. S. Graham more widely. Thank you!”
Our Funding in Full
Story Writing
Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education
Literature Works supported pupils at Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education to write stories inspired by the collection at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Young Writers
Plymouth Libraries
“As a writer, it is a marvellous experience to pass on the knowledge I have gleaned over many years to young writers. The fact that there is no charge allows young people from diverse backgrounds to participate. Seeing them grow as writers and witnessing their burgeoning confidence has been a privilege and a joy. They are a credit to themselves and this wonderful city!”
Writing & Storytelling Workshops
DAISI
Literature Works helped DAISI to deliver writing and storytelling workshops for temporary excluded young people in Exeter.
Meet the Local Author
Gloucestershire Libraries
“Extremely grateful for support for this event, both events were successful and participants really enjoyed meeting the authors, some were big fans and bought several books from the bookshop for signing and many people used the opportunity to visit the library and borrow the authors books from the displays.”
Young Writer Workshop
Bath Festivals
Literature Works supported Bath Festivals with £500 towards the cost of a Young Writer Workshop for 13-18 year olds.
Late Night Literature
Ignite Festival
“As a writer, it is a marvellous experience to pass on the knowledge I have gleaned over many years to young writers. The fact that there is no charge allows young people from diverse backgrounds to participate. Seeing them grow as writers and witnessing their burgeoning confidence has been a privilege and a joy. They are a credit to themselves and this wonderful city!”
West Side HERstory
Trinity Community Arts, Bristol
“We have been able to see not only the participants’ confidence and self-esteem grow but also the tutor’s. All of them have worked together and consider the project a life changing experience.”
Literary Festival
Southampton Festivals
In 2015, Literature Works funding helped build a programme of writer events in Southampton.
Cultural Reading Activities
Dorset Library Services
Literature Works supported Dorset Libraries to deliver a series of Cultural Reading activities for vulnerable older people and their carers.
Creative Writing Events
Yeovil College
As a follow up to an event during the Reading Passport project, Literature Works supported Yeovil College with the cost of creative writing events.
Schools Visits
Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival
“An award from Literature Works’ ‘Grass Roots’ Fund enabled us to fund a poet to work in the local community around the time of the festival and helped us to secure an ACE grant. Such pots of small funding are vital in enabling local, community-based events to happen. We can’t praise the ‘Grass Roots’ concept enough.”
South Dorset Ridgeway Literature Project
Artsreach
“South Dorset Ridgeway literature project which Literature Works kindly supported…has exceeded our expectations, building well for the future…Our dealings with Literature Works were excellent and very clear, thank you”
- St Austell, Somerset and Bristol Libraries: ‘Tales of Mischief and Mayhem’ storytelling sessions
- West Howe Community Enterprises, Bournemouth: ‘Letters to Myself’ creative writing project
- Misfits Theatre, Bristol: ‘Caged Poets’ poetry sessions
- ExCite Poetry Festival, Exeter: Alex Cluness memorial reading
- Yeovil College: Creative Writing Events
- Thread, Marlborough: Creative Writing for Class 1 children
- Somervale School, Midsomer Norton: Author Visit to school
- Southampton Festivals: Literary Festival Events
- Appledore Book Festival: Reading Workshops
- Dreadnought South West: Teignmouth Writing Workshops
- Phonic FM: Science Fiction Convention for Authors, Actors & Musicians
- Dorset Library Services: Cultural Reading activities for vulnerable older people and their carers
- Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education: Student story workshop inspired by RAMM’s collection
- Dawlish & Teignmouth Area Talking Newspaper: Talking Newspaper
- Little Toller Books in Dorset: Landscape Writing Workshops
- Daisi: Writing and Storytelling Workshops in Exeter for temporary excluded young people
- Top Floor Poets in Ashburton: Launch Event Reading
- Penzance Literary Festival: Advanced Writing Workshops
- OrganicARTS in Teignbridge: Creative Writing Workshops
- Theatre Rush, Exeter: Story Exchange Workshops
- Words in Air: Meeting with Forward Arts
- Artreach: Local heritage and literature exploration
- Charles Causley Festival : Author Event
- North Prospect Community Learning Ltd: Plymouth Bookclub
- The Poetree Cornwall: Public Poetry Performance
- Late Night Literature at the Ignite Festival in Exeter: Live Literature Events
- Avalanche Books in Bristol: Poetry Workshops
- SALSA: St Austell Childrens’ Summer Reading Challenge
- Take Art Somerset: Spoken Word Project
- The Vital Spark, Liskeard: Literature Workshops and activities
- Moonlight Sonata: Postwar Research
- Excite Poetry in Exeter: WWI Writing Workshops
- Paignton Theatre: Writing Events
- Blue Gate Poets Swindon :Poetry Readings and Events for the elderly community and the young
- Chudleigh Writers Circle: Chudleigh Literature Festival 2014
- Writer a Children’s Book: Bristol Workshop for unemployed adults to write childrens’ books
- Poetry Teignmouth: Poetry Workshops
- Taunton Women’s Forum: Young Writers Group for 10-16 year olds for the inclusion of non-native speakers of English
- Looe Literature Festival: Festival Events
- Sixth Sense Swindon: Event to promote community cohesion by sharing folk tales
- Trinity Community Arts Bristol: Creative Writing Workshops for vulnerable women
- Cotswold World Centre Stroud: Launch of Centre – a Live Literary Event showcasing Gloucester-based writers
- How to write a Novel: A Totnes-based Creative Writing Workshop
- StoryWorld in Crediton: Creative Writing Class
- Cullompton Loves Books in Cullompton: supporting a Festival of author and illustrator events
- Gloucestershire Library Tewkesbury: Meet the Author: Talk/Q & A
- Aspiring Writers: A Plymouth Creative Writing Workshop
- Plymouth Writing Squad: Plymouth Young Writers Group for 12-15 year olds: Creative writing activities
- Bristol Pound: Creative Writing Workshop
- Bath Festivals: Young Writer Workshop for 13-18 year olds
- Chippenham Library: 6 week Book Project 9-11 year olds
- Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival: Poet visits to local schools
How to donate to or fundraise for Literature Works Annual Fund
We are seeking to raise £20,000 to enable us to continue to award small grants to organisations which are expert in delivering the benefits of reading and creative writing to otherwise excluded groups.
Your kind donation is vital to us.
It’s easy to donate a single gift or – if you possibly can – a small regular gift on a monthly or annual basis.
We will keep you informed of how your donation will be invested in the Fund and the kinds of grants we will be able to award across the South West.
But there’s another way you can contribute to Literature Works Annual Fund ...
Why not sign up for a sporting challenge and get yourself sponsored on our behalf? It’s a great way of getting into training and keeping fit too!
You can sign up to run, cycle, walk, swim, skydive on behalf of the Literature Works Annual Fund. The sponsorship you raise will go straight towards the grants we can make to help enable more people in our region benefit from reading and creative writing. You can sign up for any Open Challenge, simply inform the organiser that you want to raise funds for Literature Works and give them our details and it’s plain sailing from there.
Or simply plan your own event such as a Book Club coffee morning, a Book sale, Bake Sale, Raffle, Tea Party. You just need to register your event with us by getting in touch and we can send you sponsorship forms, collections tins and other material to help publicise your event.