Quavering TonguesTeangannan air Crith, 2023. Credit Rutger Emmelkamp 2
Home News VACMAScotland: Grants for Artists & Makers Across Scotland

VACMAScotland: Grants for Artists & Makers Across Scotland

Wednesday 26th August 2026

  • Bursaries of £500 and £1000 now available
  • Autumn deadline: 5pm, 20 October 2026
  • Winter deadline: 5pm, 2 February 2027

Visual artists and craft makers across Scotland are invited to apply for grants of up to £1000 to support their creative practice, develop new skills and take the next step in their professional journey.


This funding is made possible by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, working in partnership with 16 Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards (VACMA) schemes covering 23 local authority areas. The schemes are delivered by a network of local authorities and arts organisations across the country.


VACMA can support a wide range of activities, from mentoring and skills development to exploring new ideas, experimenting with sustainable and renewable materials, purchasing essential equipment and undertaking residencies that contribute to an artist’s creative development.


The programme offers fixed bursaries of £500 and £1000. Artists and makers are encouraged to apply for the level that best suits their proposed activity.

  • Previous VACMA-funded projects demonstrate the breadth of what the bursary can make possible, including:
  • Orkney-based artist, Sheena Graham George who used VACMA funding to undertake specialist research and travel, broadening her practice and leading to new exhibition and publication opportunities.
  • Bobbi Cameron was a recipient of VACMA in February 2025 to support attendance at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture’s intensive nine-week summer residency programme in Maine, USA
  • Jeweller and designer Marion Miller whose funding helped her to access specialist one-to-one jewellery training, enabling her to develop a new collection and exhibit her work using the technique.

Funding criteria and information about how to apply is available at https://www.creativescotland.com/vacma.

Sarah MacIntyre, Visual Arts Officer at Creative Scotland said: “As we prepare to launch the Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards once again, we look forward to working with our local partners, whose expertise and dedication are central to the programme’s success. These grants provide vital support for artists and craft makers, giving them the space and opportunity to explore ideas, develop their skills and experiment with new approaches. The bursaries make a valuable contribution to Scotland’s creative landscape, offering an accessible and inclusive route to public funding while helping artists and makers take their practice in exciting new directions.”

The fund has two deadlines: Autumn deadline: 5pm, 20 October 2026; Winter deadline: 5pm, 2 February 2027. Individual schemes may operate on a single deadline, so please check the relevant partner website for further details.

For anyone looking to apply, Creative Scotland is offering free, online information sessions that will take place on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 30 September 2026 (10.30am-12pm) and Wednesday 13 January 2027 (2pm-3.30pm). Full information and sign-up details are available on Creative Scotland’s website.