A snapshot of Janet’s desk, featuring a computer, keyboard, mouse, books, notebooks, files, papers, a mug, a glass, and many other small items, with a wall of blurred post-it notes above.
How far can £100 go? In the current climate of inflation and cost-of-living pressures, it can feel like not very far at all. I saw the other day in the Guardian that a pint in Manchester now costs £6. For many, £100 might be swallowed up quickly by the everyday. And yet, over the past year, we’ve seen just how far £100 can stretch when placed directly into the hands of artists.
In late 2024, we launched the Manchester Artist Bursary on behalf of Manchester City Council. Any resident could apply for up to £100 to support their creative practice. Professional or non-professional, early-career or returning after time away, all were welcome. We wanted the process to be as straightforward as possible, removing the layers of admin that so often discourage those who most need the support. And for us, it also meant less admin and fewer lengthy applications to sift through.
The Power of a Small Sum
One application has stayed with me: a request for a desk and a memo board. That was it. A place to sit, a surface to work, and a board to keep ideas visible. For them, these objects were not luxuries but essential tools to restart a poetry practice and find their way back into the creative community.
I suppose it’s no surprise that I feel strongly about this. I, too, spend much of my time at a desk. All things big (and small) often start from there.
What We Heard
From more than 80 applications, we were able to support 33 artists across the city. The requests varied, but what united them was how a small sum could shift something that had felt out of reach.
The application process was described as “easy and accessible,” “friendly,” and “not daunting.” The payment process was simple, secure, and, perhaps most importantly, human. Instead of a faceless portal, applicants met Emily, our General Manager (who is a real person, not a deepfake!), on a Zoom call to securely share their personal payment information. More than one artist commented that it made them feel valued and reassured.
The outcomes were practical and diverse: buying brushes and canvases, paying for private dance lessons, attending training courses, covering travel to performances, joining a makers’ space, or access-directed requests such as noise cancelling headphones and childcare which are so fundamental and absolutely necessary.
“It allowed me to feel comfortable spending money on my art, instead of guilty.”
“Just receiving the bursary helped me feel supported and valued as an artist.”
“It has encouraged me to apply for more funding and training.”
These are intangible shifts in confidence, in belonging, in the sense that one’s work matters. Often, they are what sustain a practice long after the money itself is spent.
What We’ve Learned
For us at STAF, three lessons stand out:
Keep it simple. An accessible system opens the door to those who might otherwise hesitate.
Make it human. Funding isn’t just a transaction. It’s a relationship. Seeing a face, hearing reassurance, knowing someone is there: it matters.
Hold the space with care. Life is already precarious enough. A bursary isn’t just financial aid; it can also be a gesture of solidarity, a reminder that someone is walking alongside you.
Of course, not everyone could be supported. We reached 33 people, which meant saying no to around 50 others, even though their applications were just as compelling. The point isn’t whether we could have found another £5K. Resources will always be limited, and part of the value of a bursary is that it offers not just money, but also recognition. The wider issue I found here is structural but in a different way. Modest, flexible sums that can unlock the next step in someone’s practice are often the hardest to find, with most funding geared toward larger awards that come with heavier application and reporting processes.
So, how far can £100 go? Far enough to buy a desk, a set of brushes, a month’s travel, a training course, a day in the studio. But more importantly, it goes far enough to help someone keep going: to make, to connect, to believe in their place in culture.
And for us, that affirmation is what keeps us going further too.