What We Do

We are the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting artists, makers, curators and producers to develop and thrive across the UK. We collaborate with organisations across artforms, disciplines and genres to create transformative opportunities and a more sustainable sector.

Over two decades, Jerwood Arts has been at the forefront of supporting extraordinary, distinctive and visionary artists to develop their practices and create outstanding new work. Our impact has grown from one-off grants and awards to major national partnerships such as Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries, Jerwood Open Forest, Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowships, Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open, Jerwood Photoworks Awards, Jerwood FVU Awards and Jerwood Survey.

Our small team are based in an office at Jerwood Space, London and travel extensively to support our work across the UK. Supported by a board of Trustees, we spend around £1.4 million each year (including overheads). Through our partnerships on programmes such as Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries and Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open, our turnover has fluctuated between £1.5-2.5 million in recent years.

We were established in 1999 by Jerwood Foundation to take on and develop project funding activity through an endowment fund of £25 million which was set up in 2005.

Jerwood Arts is the trading name of Jerwood Charity (previously Jerwood Charitable Foundation), and we are a registered UK company and charity.

Silvia Rosi, Self Portrait as my Father, 2020. Detail. Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 3 supported by Jerwood Arts and Photoworks. Installation view at Jerwood Space, London © Anna Arca
Silvia Rosi, Self Portrait as my Father, 2020. Detail. Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 3 supported by Jerwood Arts and Photoworks. Installation view at Jerwood Space, London © Anna Arca

Our funding

We want to support extraordinary early-career artists, makers, curators and producers working in one or more artforms, disciplines or genres to develop their practices and make new work on their own terms with integrity. We therefore focus our funding on high-profile, sector-changing and career-making opportunities that respond to their needs.

We do this in three ways:

  • by supporting organisations to run sector-leading development programmes that support extraordinary early-career artists through the Jerwood Developing Artist Fund
  • by designing and delivering specialist programmes, awards and fellowships collaboratively in partnership with organisations – see Supported for current examples
  • and by funding individuals and collaborative practices directly through the Jerwood New Work Fund.

Our funding is designed to offer a pathway of opportunities for early-career artists, makers, curators and producers. Once they have completed a Jerwood Developing Artists Fund programme or one of our Awards or Fellowships, they are eligible for the Jerwood New Work Fund to lead on the creation of their next project.