Creative Lives is managing a major new grants scheme for voluntary creative groups in England, as part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) fund.

Starting in April 2023, the two-year programme will fund voluntary creative groups in a number of designated areas across England to promote and deliver targeted creative activities to support people at risk of loneliness and isolation.

There will be a particular focus not just on undertaking a creative activity, which in itself can be beneficial, but on exploring ways that the activity can build connections and a sense of belonging within the community.

The Know Your Neighbourhood Fund will work in a number of targeted high deprivation local authority areas in England:

• Barnsley
• Great Yarmouth
• Middlesbrough
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Thanet

Creative Lives will be distributing funds alongside Libraries Connected and the Association of Independent Museums.