Are you a Hong Kong BN(O) creative based in Greater Manchester, seeking funding to support your artistic practice? Join us for a practical, hands-on workshop tailored to help you craft compelling grant applications, navigate the UK funding landscape, and explore cross-cultural funding opportunities beyond local grants.
In this two-hour session, we’ll cover:
• Types of grants — Understand the differences between artist development funding and project based/public engagement grants.
• Articulating your vision — Learn how to clearly describe your work and the impact funding will help you achieve.
• Budgeting essentials — Discover how to pay yourself fairly and account for hidden costs.
• Expanding beyond UK-based funding — Explore cross-cultural and international funding opportunities.
• Practical writing exercises — Gain hands-on experience with peer and expert feedback to refine your applications.
Whether you're applying for your first grant or looking to refine your approach, this workshop will equip you with the tools and confidence to strengthen your applications and access a wider range of funding opportunities.
The session will be led in English by Bengü Gün, our Chief Operating Officer, and Jo-Lene Ong, Curator at esea contemporary.
With a background in organisational strategy in creative industries, Bengü Gün has gained over fifteen years of experience in managerial and curatorial positions across various arts institutions in Turkey. In addition to advising on internationally acclaimed projects, Gün co-founded and directed Mixer Art Gallery in Istanbul, overseeing its curatorial strategy and public programmes. She also served as Membership Manager at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art and the Director of the Gate 27 artist residency programme.
Jo-Lene Ong is a curator with extensive experience working across Asia and Europe. Her projects engage with counter-colonial worldviews and aesthetic strategies. She served as Programme Advisor for the 12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale (2023), curator of the Hartwig Art Foundation Production | Collection Grant (2020-21), co-curator of visual arts and theory of Other Futures Amsterdam (2019-2021), co-editor of Practice Space (De Appel and NAME Publications, 2019), and curatorial team member for ‘SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now’ (National Art Center, Tokyo, and Mori Art Museum, 2017).
Participation is free, but spaces are limited—register now to secure your spot.
