Visual Artists and Craft Makers Award scheme (VACMA)

Visual Artist and Craft Maker Award (VACMA) offers small grants to visual artists and craft makers for their creative development at all stages of their career. These awards are supported by Creative Scotland through funding from the National Lottery in partnership with local authorities and other partners.

In place of usual VACMA awards, this year fixed bursaries are available in recognition of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on individual artists and makers. The VACMA scheme offers two levels of bursaries:  

• Bursaries of £750  
• Bursaries of £500 for New Graduates / Emerging Artists. Applicants must have less than 5 years’ experience outside of education or training or to have graduated in 2015 or later.  

The fund is open to Visual Artists /Craft Makers who can demonstrate a commitment to developing their creative practice and are living or working or maintaining a studio space within the Local Authority area to which you are applying.

Aberdeenshire Council’s participation in the scheme this financial year is still to be confirmed. Please check this page for updates.