Freelands Awards 2026

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Freelands Awards 2026 / Championing art education – Freelands Foundation

Institution: Freelands Foundation
Location: United Kingdom
Grant: £100,000 (three awards)
Deadline: March 24, 2026 (12:00 PM – Expression of Interest)

The Freelands Awards 2026 recognise and support UK visual arts organisations demonstrating a strong commitment to progressive art education. Each year, three organisations are awarded £100,000 to support a recent or ongoing project that shows meaningful impact through innovative approaches to teaching and learning in the visual arts.

The awards are part of Freelands Foundation’s broader mission to champion art education. Over the next five years, the foundation will invest £1.5 million in the programme to highlight inspiring educational initiatives taking place in galleries, museums, and arts organisations across the UK.

Award Details

Winning organisations receive:

£100,000 grant to support organisational activity
Collaboration with the foundation to produce a short film highlighting their art education work
Invitation to a celebration event in London announcing the winners

The grant is flexible and may be used for:

Programming and project costs
Staff wages or freelance fees
Equipment and materials
Capital development
Organisational overheads (rent, utilities, insurance)

Funding cannot be used for:

Building organisational reserves
Re-granting funds to other organisations or individuals
Lobbying or political activity
Supporting entities on UK, EU, or US financial sanctions lists

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

UK-based organisations operating in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland
Organisations operating with a charitable purpose and public benefit
Organisations presenting visual art to the public at their own venue

Eligible organisations may include:

Registered charities
Museums and galleries
Local authority cultural organisations
Organisations within universities or larger charitable bodies
Community Interest Companies or similar organisations with charitable aims
Applicants must also maintain safeguarding and equal access policies.

The awards are not open to:

Individuals or artists
For-profit organisations
Schools, further education colleges, or university teaching faculties
Sector infrastructure organisations
Organisations outside the UK

Application Process

The Freelands Awards involve a two-stage process:

Expression of Interest (EOI) – introducing the organisation and a relevant art education project
Judging panel visit – shortlisted organisations will host a visit from the judges
Expressions of Interest must be submitted by March 24, 2026 (midday).

Key Dates

Expressions of Interest Open: January 26, 2026
Application Support Webinar: March 12, 2026
EOI Deadline: March 24, 2026
Judges’ visits to shortlisted organisations: Summer 2026
Announcement of winners: November 2026

Judging Panel

The 2026 awards will be judged by:

Gemma Cairney – writer, broadcaster, and cultural producer
Joy Gregory – artist, lecturer, and educator
Jenni Lomax – curator and Director Emeritus of Camden Art Centre
Ben Street – art historian, author, and educator
Chair: Henry Ward – Director of the Freelands Foundation