Arts Grant Support: funding your vision
The UK’s leading arts sector bid writers and fundraisers.
Don’t Let a Great Idea Go Unfunded
Many inspiring and innovative projects go unfunded due to poorly written applications, where small tweaks would make all the difference. Let’s make sure your application doesn’t become the next.
Fast-Track Funding
The struggles of securing arts funding are real. As the UK’s leading experts in arts, culture and heritage bid writing, we can have your application written in as little as three days. We also provide free advice and help guide you to free access support from Arts Council England.
Custom Support Driven by Your Vision
Our arts grant support options are designed for both large and small-scale bids—covering Arts Council England Project Grants and DYCP, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, PRS, and the Community Fund. Whether you’re applying for the first time or refining a resubmission, we’re here to help.
Nationally Recognised Arts Fundraisers
Through our selection for the prestigious Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy Fellowship, we’ve gained national recognition—bringing you elite-level insight, ACE connections, and access to powerful fundraising networks and policymakers.
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Securing funding for 19 years
For 19 years we’ve worked with clients to secure funding from the largest funding bodies in both the UK and across Europe.
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15 countries
Securing Erasmus+, and The British Council funding in 15 countries across the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa.
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£2.5 million
Secured for clients in 2024.
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84%
Success rate. As of June 2025.
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61
Applications written in 2024,
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764 hours
Free advice provided in 2024.
Specialists: Arts Council England & The National Lottery Heritage Fund
For 19 years we’ve been highly successful in securing grants from Arts Council England (ACE) and The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). Successful applications have included National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs), Creative People and Places (CPP), Cultural Compacts, ACE Project Grants, and NLHF Heritage Grants.
Insider Access
With two decades of bid writing experience, we’ve developed deep insight into evolving funding trends—including Arts Council England’s Let’s Create and the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage 2033 strategies.
Aligning Your Project
We break down complex funding priorities and guide you from concept to submission—crafting powerful narratives, setting clear outcomes, and ensuring you meet the criteria funding bodies care about most.
Real Advice from Real Successes
We’re not affiliated with ACE or NLHF. Our insights come from direct experience winning funding—not theory—so you get honest, practical support rooted in what actually works.
Take the first step to securing arts funding.
Book a free 30-minute Video Consultation
Book a free 30-minute consultancy call and speak with Disconnected Bodies’ Founder Pablo Colella.
We pride ourselves on offering free, no strings attached advice. Book a day and time that suits you then leave it to us to get you moving past sticking points and towards your goals.
- 100% of people agreed our calls are ‘easy to book at times that suited them’.
- 100% of people agreed the advice provided was ‘useful and relevant’.
Don’t want to wait? Give our team a call on 020 3633 7617
Pablo Colella
Lead Bid Writer and Founder of Disconnected Bodies
With close to two decades of experience working across the arts and culture industry, Pablo is perfectly placed to advise on how best to secure the essential funding you require to make your project a reality; with £2.5 million being secured in 2024.
Nationally Recognised Arts Fundraiser
Pablo’s expertise is backed by his acceptance onto the prestigious Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy Senior Fellowship Programme.
Funding That Works for People
Pablo’s approach to arts fundraising goes beyond the bid—focusing on access, equity, and people-first projects that build stronger communities and lasting cultural impact.
First-Time Applicant? Start Here
New to arts grant applications? Pablo makes the process simple and stress-free, especially for first-time applicants ready to bring their bold ideas to life.
THe Disconnected Bodies Podcast
A podcast exploring the future of arts and culture through the lens of audience engagement, funding, and strategy—featuring honest conversations with the people shaping change across the sector.
Winning Arts Council Funding: Revealed by Experts
Think funding is out of reach? Think again. In this episode, we speak with two powerhouse creatives: Anna Clarke and Libby Esler. Together, they’re leading the Arts Council England funded Let’s Create and Reuse programme—a sustainability-focused textile initiative.
Download our Arts Funding Resource Pack
If application writing feels like a barrier, Arts Council England offers free access support. Book a free call with us and we’ll guide you through your next steps.
Art Council England Access Support
I deeply appreciated the generosity of time offered by Pablo, and his willingness to support me through my grant application. I thought the service was excellent.
Stuart Plant, Artist
The call with Pablo was extremely helpful. Pablo listened to my ideas/goals and provided useful information, advice and guidance. I now feel motivated and empowered to apply for Arts Council project grant funding and know I can utilise Disconnected Bodies for further support if needed. Thank you Disconnected Bodies for the work you do. I’m grateful!
Sabrei Ackah, Big Creative Training
Pablo made our creatives feel it was possible to take up and finance a creative career, [the workshop] was tailored perfectly to their requirements and they all felt incredibly supported by Pablo and Disconnected Bodies.
I’m extremely proud to have worked with Pablo and hope to continue the relationship in the future.
Karl Davis, Digital Future
Clients and Partners
We’re proud to celebrate 19 years of delivering impactful, growth-driven projects across 15 countries. Our work reflects strong partnerships built on trust, innovation, and shared vision. As we enter our third decade, we remain committed to excellence and meaningful solutions. Thank you to our clients and partners for being part of the journey.
Arts Council England
Recognised by ACE for our robust evaluation frameworks, we guide clients from concept to submission, ensuring alignment with priorities at every stage. We’ve contributed to ACE’s audience and participation strategies and are involved in the independent review of its operations. Our expertise helps organisations understand audiences, create inclusive engagement strategies, and design evaluations aligned with ACE’s outcomes and principles. We support the full lifecycle of ACE-funded projects, from shaping ideas to measuring impact, helping clients deliver and evidence high-quality work. As experienced bid writers and access support workers, we simplify complex funding processes.
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Recognised for our in-depth understanding of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s (NLHF) priorities, we support clients in developing projects that align with the Heritage 2033 strategy. Our work includes helping organisations identify heritage value, engage diverse communities, and create inclusive participation and learning opportunities. We design robust evaluation frameworks that demonstrate impact and legacy, ensuring projects meet NLHF’s outcomes and reporting requirements.
Community Fund
We help organisations bring community-driven ideas to life, with a strong track record of securing support from the National Lottery Community Fund. From the earliest spark of a project to final reporting, we guide teams to centre lived experience, tackle inequalities, and design activities that make a real difference. Our approach blends practical planning with values-led thinking, helping groups build trust, deliver positive change, and show clear evidence of impact that resonates long after the funding ends.
British Council
We’ve supported community outreach for international projects via British Council Arts, providing tailored engagement resources and helping secure funding for international clients to deliver impactful, culturally responsive programmes.
MoMA
MoMA recognised our audience development research in 2010, using it to inform programme design, including their ongoing Arts and Activity initiative, shaping inclusive, intergenerational engagement strategies still in use today.
Somerset Libraries
Supporting audience profiling to enhance community outreach efforts, helping Somerset Libraries identify target groups, tailour engagement strategies, and increase library usage through more relevant, inclusive, and effective programming and communication.
The National Maritime Museum
We led community outreach for Our Connection With Water, the first Black-led exhibition of its kind, attracting diverse audiences through targeted engagement strategies and culturally relevant programming.
The Culture Trust
Leading comprehensive evaluation of a NLHF-funded project, supporting strategic redevelopment and enhanced programme delivery across four heritage sites for lasting community impact.
Black Country Touring
Leading the evaluation of BCT’s Community Producers programme, assessing impact, strengthening community engagement, and informing future development strategies.
This Is Croydon
Collated evidence of audience and community outreach for The Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture Croydon year, demonstrating engagement impact.
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
Commissioned to support on an Arts Council England funding bid to reach the city’s Sikh, Hong Kongnese and Sri Lanken residents.
Pedestrian Arts
Leading evaluation of NLHF-funded Tell Tell Tales, ensuring youth engagement and increased access to local folklore and heritage.
Let’s Create and Reuse
Supported securing funding for Let’s Create and Reuse, enabling 184 contact hours in Coventry and Warwickshire, fostering creativity and environmental awareness among 560 young participants.
Muslim Artist Academy
Supported securing funding by guiding navigation of the arts sector, amplifying underrepresented voices, and widening cultural access for impactful growth.
Blanket Fort Club
Secured funding for The Blanket Fort Club’s immersive theatre projects co-created with young children and those with complex needs, enabling therapeutic play and inclusive engagement across South Yorkshire.
Black Boys Choir
We helped secure funding by shaping a strong case for a nurturing, creative space where Black and South Asian boys build confidence, community, and wellbeing through music.
Bolton Contemporary
Supported securing funding for a project that facilitates community arts activities with elderly people in Yorkshire’s local community spaces.
BIMM
Supporting students in marketing their work and navigating the creative industries, providing guidance, resources, and tailored career development advice.
Norwich University of Art
Leading student workshops on understanding cultural audiences and managed research projects, empowering students to develop effective engagement strategies and informed programming decisions.
UAL
Supporting students to navigate the creative industries by sharing expertise, offering mentorship, and providing valuable internship opportunities to enhance practical experience.
InDance International, Barcelona
Secured Erasmus+ funding for a dance programme connecting Spain, Hungary, and Georgia, fostering international collaboration and cultural exchange.
Mathare Foundation, Kenya
Secured British Council funding and led community outreach for a project connecting Kenyan and British creatives, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, sharing artistic practices, and building inclusive networks between diverse creative communities.
Circus Factory, Ireland
Developed an audience development strategy targeting new demographics, increasing engagement and accessibility within the circus arts community.
Creative United
We act as advisers in audience development, providing strategic guidance to enhance engagement, diversify audiences, and strengthen programme impact.
Artist Run Alliance
UK ambassadors for the Artist Run Alliance, promoting collaboration, sharing best practices, and supporting artist-led initiatives nationally.
Artquest
Leading audience development workshops and one-to-one sessions, equipping participants with tailored strategies to grow and engage diverse audiences effectively.
The Space
Advising on audience development and profiling, enabling targeted engagement strategies that grow and diversify their audiences effectively.
Art Meets Culture
Invited to speak about securing funding and navigating arts funding landscape.
We Restart
Invited to lead a workshop for recent refugees on how to access Arts Council England Develop Your Creative Practice grant.
Hounslow Creative People and Places
Invited to talk about community outreach and how freelance artists can connect with a wider audience through project partnerships.
A Bit of A Do Festival
Leading audience development and marketing for disability-led festival A Bit of A Do in Croydon, creating inclusive strategies to reach diverse communities and increase engagement and attendance.
Aurora Orchestra
Leading community outreach and evaluation with Aurora Orchestra at Printworks, developing a tailored performance that enhanced accessibility and engagement for deaf and hearing-impaired audiences through inclusive collaboration.
Create Arts
Managed arts workshops for young carers, coordinating logistics, ensuring smooth delivery, and fostering supportive, creative environments tailored to their needs.
Creative Access
Supporting young people to navigate the creative industries by sharing expertise, offering mentorship, and providing valuable internship opportunities to enhance practical experience.
Arts Emergency
Mentoring young people to launch careers in the creative industries, providing guidance, skill development, and industry insight for successful beginnings.