Funding to purchase buildings and feasibility studies

Currently, through all our funding programmes Creative Scotland does not support the purchase of buildings or the cost of feasibility studies.

For those seeking advice, we would recommend Art Council England and the Development Trust Association Scotland:

Building Excellence in the Cultural Sector | Arts Council England

Feasibility & Business Planning | DTAS Community Ownership Support Service

We can support small scale capital costs through the National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations and Extended Programme Fund, further information can be found below.

National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations & National Lottery Extended Programme Fund

Through these funding programmes we can support small scale building renovations and improvements for accessibility, fitness for purpose or to activate a space for arts/creative purposes. When applying for small scale capital costs, applicants must be able to demonstrate how this will enable, or further enhance your creative activities.

We understand small scale capital costs to include:

• Installing fixed assets, such as lighting or seating
• Purchase of instruments
• Purchase of new equipment (see below for situation regarding second-hand equipment)
• Purchase of vehicles
• Installation of new technologies (including digital or environmental)
• Small scale building renovations and improvements such as accessibility and fitness for purpose

Applicants can also include equipment and consumable costs within their project budget. We define equipment as items necessary to the delivery of the funded activity and that will become an asset belonging to the applicant on the conclusion of the project.

For the National Lottery Extended Programme Fund, small scale capital costs (including any/all equipment and consumables) should not exceed £50,000 of the total request to Creative Scotland. Further information can be found on page 27 of the guidance.

Open Fund for Individuals

The Open Fund for Individuals does not support building renovations, feasibility studies or building projects such as home refurbishments or projects where individuals/homeowners are seeking to build, improve or renovate their own property, for example to build an artist or recording studio, or to install broadband.

Applicants can include equipment and consumable costs within their project budget provided they are integral to the delivery of your project, or you can demonstrate they will enable, or further enhance your creative activities.

These costs can be a maximum combined total of £10,000, and no more than 50% of your total request to Creative Scotland. Further information can be found on page 19 of the guidance.