Jerwood Arts to support 50 companies to host paid fellowships for disadvantaged creatives

Jerwood Arts is to support 50 organisations to host year-long paid fellowships for early-career creatives from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

This is part of the philanthropic organisation’s Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme, which has been restructured for its fourth iteration in 2020 to 2022.

The scheme is looking to recruit its largest-ever cohort of 50 not-for-profit arts organisations, which includes theatres and performing arts venues, to host the fellowships.

Each fellowship will start in September 2020 and last for a year, with follow-up support for six months.

The Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme will fund between 65% and 75% of each fellow’s salary, which will be a minimum of £19,500 outside London and £22,425 in London, as well as training for both fellows and hosts.

The hosts will also be supported with an 18-month organisational change programme led by training organisation People Make It Work, which aims to help the organisations “expand their approach to diverse recruitment and talent development”.

Lilli Geissendorfer, director of Jerwood Arts, said: “WJCB has always been about levelling the playing field across the highly competitive early-career entry points for outstanding artists, curators, producers and creatives, and ensures those with talent, but without financial backing, are given the opportunity to succeed.

“For this edition, we are delighted to have secured additional funding to offer more fellowships in more places across the UK.”

Applications for host organisations are open until January 30. This is the first time there has been an open call for host organisations, which were previously approached directly by Jerwood Arts.

Recruitment for fellows will begin in May 2020.

The fourth edition of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme is supported by funding from Arts Council England’s Transforming Leadership programme, Garfield Weston Foundation, Art Fund, Arts Council of Wales, Creative Scotland and PRS Foundation.

Jerwood Arts announces £1m funding to support early-career artists