There are 15 Investment Programmes in total. Some of the Investment Programmes have specific priorities within them and where they do, we will provide more detail. By clicking on the appropriate links in the left hand menu you will receive specific guidance on each particular Investment Programme, details of how to apply and links to download the guidance documentation and application form. Where appropriate you will find opening and closing dates for applications and details of the criteria for investment and the decision making process. Where an Investment Programme is not yet open for business there will be guidance on when to expect further information.

Within each Investment Programme we have included the purpose of the investment, objectives and criteria. Applicants are encouraged to give a creative response to our objectives and to build a case for investment against the key criteria. As funds are limited, and competition for investment is high, you should build your case as strongly as possible. You can include other information which makes the best case within the word limit given. We will then consider your proposals and make a professional judgement about how and where investments should be made. Most of our Investment Programmes apply to all art forms. The exceptions to this are Film & Broadcasting and the Youth Music Initiative.

Within each Investment Programme the financial award range is identified. This is the range within which we would expect most investments to fall. However we have the flexibility to make smaller or larger investments. We are committed to making more of our financial resources open for application.

When completing your budget please include all income and expenditure, including any partnership income. We are keen to see value for money from our investment. For in-kind support please include an approximate financial value. You must have a minimum of a 10% cash contribution from other sources. For larger organisations and more ambitious projects we would expect higher levels of partnership funding.

Where we state that a programme is open all year round, investment will be available until the end of the financial year.

There will always be a high demand for our investment and we will only ever be able to support a proportion of the requests to us. Normally, if you are in receipt of, or waiting for, a decision on an award from Creative Scotland, you will not be considered for a further award.

Where any of our Investment Programmes have deadlines, it is the responsibility of the applicant to return the application form electronically to us within the specified deadline. Please do not include any web links within your application forms.

If your project involves the employment of others, then we would expect this to be in line with relevant Union guidelines.

If you have questions about accessing investment then, firstly refer to the FAQs. In addition, Creative Scotland will offer a regular Investment ‘Open Line’ and ‘Investment Surgeries’.