The Freelands Awards champion and celebrate UK visual art organisations’ commitment to art education.
Every year, three winning organisations will each receive £100,000 for a recent or ongoing project demonstrating commitment to progressive art education approaches with a demonstrable impact.
The winners will also collaborate with Freelands Foundation on the production of a short film that shares their art education offering, and join a celebration event in London announcing the winners later in the year.
Across the last decade of working in art education, Freelands Foundation has seen visual art organisations, such as galleries and museums, as spaces for inspiring progressive art education offerings for all. Despite the increasing pressures they face, these organisations continue as sites for teaching and learning. Many embrace art education practices that are as diverse as the communities they work with.
The Freelands Awards are an opportunity to widely recognise, support and share inspiring art education work that may not always find the spotlight. Over the next five years, Freelands Foundation will commit £1.5 million for the Awards as a central part of its mission to champion art education.
- APPLY BY 24 MARCH 2026
- Open applications
Freelands Awards 2026
Championing art education
It’s exciting to be launching these Awards at such a critical time... Whilst the last 15 years have seen significant declines in investment and a lack of recognition of the important work that galleries, museums and art organisations undertake in this field, there are still outstanding programmes and projects happening across the country and we are seeking to champion these.
Opportunity
Awards
Winners of the Freelands Awards will receive a grant of £100,000 that can be directed as the organisation wishes. This funding may be used for:
- Programming costs
- Staff wages or freelance costs
- Capital development
- Equipment or materials purchase
- Organisational overheads such as rent, utility bills, and insurance costs
Whilst a Freelands Award grant aims to be as flexible as possible for organisations to use, there are some limitations on the use of funds. This funding may not be used for:
- Funding organisational reserves.
- On-granting to other organisations or individuals.
- Lobbying activities, such as attempting to influence legislation or to influence elections.
- Supporting or benefiting any person or entity on a Financial Sanctions List in the UK, United States, or European Union.
Case Study
To showcase and share Freelands Award winning organisations’ commitment to art education, Freelands Foundation would look to collaborate with winners on the production of video case studies. These case studies would be commissioned by Freelands Foundation and would be funded in addition to prize funds.
Announcement Celebration
Freelands Foundation will host an announcement event in London to celebrate the winners of the Freelands Awards.
Key dates
Expressions of Interest Open
Monday 26 January 2026Application support webinar
10.30am, Tuesday 10 FebruaryExpressions of Interest Close
12pm, Tuesday 24 March 2026Selected applicants invited to host a visit from the judges
Summer 2026Announcement of winners
November 2026Judging Panel
- Gemma Cairney – Writer, Broadcaster, Documentary Maker, Journalist and Cultural Producer.
- Joy Gregory – Artist, Lecturer and Educator.
- Jenni Lomax – Curator, Writer and Director Emeritus, Camden Art Centre, London.
- Dr Ben Street – Art Historian, Author and Educator.
- Chair of the Judges: Dr Henry Ward – Director, Freelands Foundation
Eligibility
The Freelands Awards are open to organisations that meet the below eligibility criteria and do not fall within any of the exclusions listed below.
You can also use our online eligibility checker to check if your organisation would be eligible for the Freelands Awards.
1. UK based
Freelands Foundation can only fund organisations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, with activity occurring within the United Kingdom.
2. Charitable Purpose
Only organisations which are run with a charitable purpose and for public benefit are eligible for the Freelands Awards. We use Charity Commission of England and Wales definitions, and you can find more information on charitable purpose here and on public benefit here.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Organisations registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Scottish Charity Regulator, or The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
- Exempt charities
- Galleries, museums, or organisations which are part of a Local Authority
- Galleries, museums, or organisations part of a larger charitable organisation, such as a university
- Community Interest Companies, Community Benefit Societies, and other organisations with charitable purposes run for public benefit. (For these types of organisations, please see below for additional eligibility requirements)
To be eligible for the Freelands Awards you must also have up to date and regularly reviewed safeguarding and equal access policies.
3. Community Interest Companies and other organisation types
In order to be eligible for the Freelands Awards, organisations such as Community Interest Companies must demonstrate:
- Their activities fall within charitable purposes determined by Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- Have asset lock provisions in the organisation’s governing document.
- Prohibit payment of dividends or other disbursement of surplus funds or profits.
- Be able to physically segregate restricted funds, usually through a separate bank account.
Exclusions:
- Organisations that do not offer consistent public presentation of visual art at their own venue.
- For-profit organisations.
- Individuals (including artists).
- Primary or Secondary Schools.
- Further Education Colleges.
- University teaching faculties, such as art schools.
- Sector or infrastructure organisations.
- Fiscal sponsor relationships, where one organisation applies on behalf of another.
- Organisations based outside of the UK and/or have no activity occurring within the UK.
Please note: Organisations who have previously received funding from Freelands Foundation may apply for the Freelands Awards. However, projects funded by Freelands Foundation, either fully or in part, are not eligible for consideration. Existing or past grantees are eligible to apply with projects that have not received funding from Freelands Foundation.
If you have any queries regarding the eligibility of your organisation please contact us at [email protected] .
How to Apply
The Freelands Awards involve a two-stage application process:
- A written Expression of Interest
- A visit from the Freelands Awards judging panel
The first stage of the Freelands Awards process is an Expression of Interest, where you will introduce your organisation, context, and the recent or ongoing project demonstrating commitment to progressive art education approaches with a demonstrable impact.
The deadline for submission of your Expression of Interest is midday, Tuesday 24 March 2026.
Please submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) via email to [email protected]
Application Documents
Application Support
Freelands Foundation is committed to making the application process for the Freelands Awards accessible to all members of your team.
If anyone in your organisation requires additional assistance or information in accessible formats, please email [email protected] with the subject line ‘Access’. If emails aren’t suitable for you please call 020 3598 7081 and we will arrange for a member of our team to speak with you or call you back.
You can also submit an Access Form with your Expression of Interest or at any time, to let us know about any barriers you or members of your team may experience when applying for the Freelands Awards. Freelands Foundation will use this form to understand your needs and make reasonable adjustments.
Webinars
To support organisations with the application process, we will be hosting webinars to provide more information and answer your questions.
- Tuesday 10 February, 10:30 – 11:30am.
- March, date to be confirmed.
The content of the webinar will be made available online afterwards.
Details on how to sign up will be updated here.