Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA)
Posted by CHARTS
The Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) offer small grants to visual artists and craft makers for their creative development at all stages of their careers. This includes activities such as mentoring and skills development, testing new ideas, experimenting with sustainable and renewable materials, purchasing necessary equipment, and residencies tailored to the artist’s creative and professional development.
Established by Creative Scotland, these partnerships provide support at a local level and work with local panels to offer funds to practitioners at all stages of their careers who have demonstrated a commitment to their work and to developing their practice through new work, new skills, or new opportunities.
In 2026/27, VACMA will offer fixed bursaries of £500 and £1000. You should apply for the level of bursary that best suits your circumstances.
CHARTS is an Argyll and Bute wide member network designed to promote the sector and increase opportunities. Membership is free; if you haven't already registered for membership, please see: https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/register/
Downloads
VACMA Equalities Monitoring Form
VACMA Guidance 26/27 / Plain Text
Gaelic VACMA Guidance 2026/27 / Gaelic Plain Text
Plain Text Part A 2026 VACMA Easy Read Guidance
Part B VACMA Easy Read Application Questions
Part C VACMA Easy Read Common Questions
More information at Creative Scotland.
How to apply
The deadline for Argyll and Bute will be 5pm, Tuesday 2 February 2027
Please submit all applications to info@chartsargyllandisles.org with the subject line VACMA 2027
For any further information, please contact info@chartsargyllandisles.org
Information Sessions
Information sessions, delivered by partner representatives and members of Creative Scotland’s Visual Arts Team, to be announced.
&body=<p>The Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) offer small grants to visual artists and craft makers for their creative development at all stages of their careers. This includes activities such as mentoring and skills development, testing new ideas, experimenting with sustainable and renewable materials, purchasing necessary equipment, and residencies tailored to the artist’s creative and professional development.</p>
<p>Established by Creative Scotland, these partnerships provide support at a local level and work with local panels to offer funds to practitioners at all stages of their careers who have demonstrated a commitment to their work and to developing their practice through new work, new skills, or new opportunities.</p>
<p class="p1">In 2026/27, <strong>VACMA will offer fixed bursaries of £500 and £1000</strong>. You should apply for the level of bursary that best suits your circumstances.</p>
<p class="p3"> </p>
<p><strong>CHARTS is an Argyll and Bute wide member network designed to promote the sector and increase opportunities. Membership is free; if you haven't already registered for membership, please see:<a rel="noopener" href="/register/" target="_blank"><span> https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/register/</span></a> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Downloads</h3>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/wkpld3ds/vacma-app-form-2026-27-ab.docx" target="_blank" title="VACMA App Form 2026 27 A&B">VACMA App Form 2026/27 </a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/slait3c5/vacma-equalities-monitoring-form.docx" target="_blank" title="VACMA Equalities Monitoring Form">VACMA Equalities Monitoring Form </a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/3oep112u/vacma-guidance-26-27-final.pdf" target="_blank" title="VACMA Guidance 26 27 Final">VACMA Guidance 26/27</a> / <a rel="noopener" href="/media/hvllp2nl/vacma-guidance-2026-27-plain-text.docx" target="_blank" title="VACMA Guidance 2026 27 Plain Text">Plain Text</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/stubwez4/vacma-artistchecklist-26-27-final.pdf" target="_blank" title="VACMA Artistchecklist 26 27 Final">VACMA Artist Checklist 26/27 </a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/oircrsqg/vacma-guidance-26-27-gaelic-final.pdf" target="_blank" title="VACMA Guidance 26 27 Gaelic Final">Gaelic VACMA Guidance 2026/27 </a>/ <a rel="noopener" href="/media/5echmlho/vacma-guidance-2026-27-gaelic-plain-text.docx" target="_blank" title="VACMA Guidance 2026 27 Gaelic Plain Text">Gaelic Plain Text</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/pbfigkj0/2026-part-a-vacma-easy-read-guidance.pdf" target="_blank" title="2026 Part A VACMA Easy Read Guidance">Plain Text Part A 2026 VACMA Easy Read Guidance</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/5enhzskj/part-b-vacma-easy-read-application-questions.pdf" target="_blank" title="Part B VACMA Easy Read Application Questions">Part B VACMA Easy Read Application Questions</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/tvrh5plg/2026-part-c-vacma-easy-read-common-questions.pdf" target="_blank" title="2026 Part C VACMA Easy Read Common Questions">Part C VACMA Easy Read Common Questions</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/media/oevlkuc3/2026-part-d-writing-a-cv.pdf" target="_blank" title="2026 Part D Writing A CV">Part D Writing A CV</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="https://vimeo.com/1217306710/0f191c0900?share=copy" target="_blank" data-anchor="?share=copy">BSL Version of VACMA Guidance</a> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>More information at <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/funding-delivered-by-partners/visual-arts-and-crafts-awards#PartnersparticipatingintheWinterdeadline" target="_blank" data-anchor="#PartnersparticipatingintheWinterdeadline">Creative Scotland</a>. </p>
<h3>How to apply</h3>
<p>The deadline for Argyll and Bute will be <strong>5pm, Tuesday 2 February 2027</strong></p>
<p>Please submit all applications to <a href="mailto:info@chartsargyllandisles.org">info@chartsargyllandisles.org</a><span> with the subject line <strong>VACMA 2027</strong></span></p>
<p>For any further information, please contact <a href="mailto:info@chartsargyllandisles.org">info@chartsargyllandisles.org</a> </p>
<p> </p>
<h3 class="preamble">Information Sessions</h3>
<p>Information sessions, delivered by partner representatives and members of Creative Scotland’s Visual Arts Team, to be announced.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoFooter">VACMA Argyll and Bute is funded through a partnership between Argyll and Bute Council and Creative Scotland and supported by CHARTS </p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif;"><img style="font-family: sans-serif; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/ynufw0cy/screenshot-2026-08-24-at-171351.png?rmode=max&width=308&height=72" alt="" width="308" height="72"></span></p>%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.chartsargyllandisles.org%2Fopportunities%2Fvisual-artist-and-craft-makers-awards-vacma%2F){kind=link}