What is the Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grant Fund?
The Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grant Fund is a funding pot set aside by Morecambe Town Council, enabling it to award grants in support of local festivals and events that take place within Morecambe. In 2024-25 the total size of the fund was £60,000. There is a similar, separate Community Grants Fund specifically focused on local organisations, service providers and community groups.
Who can apply?
The Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grant Fund is open to applications from any organisation that meets the criteria, which are in place to ensure public funds are used in ways that benefit residents and protect their future interests.
Examples may include local community-based not-for-profit or charitable organisations including voluntary groups, societies, clubs, playgroups, and schools, to name but a few. Browse a list of successful past applicants.
When can I apply?
There is a single application window for the 2025-26 Financial Year which is now open and closes on 24 January 2025. All applications must be submitted in this window. We encourage applications up to 18 months in advance of your project.
How do I apply?
Complete the form referring to the criteria and when ready, return by email to events@morecambe.gov.uk.
Alternatively you may return a copy by post to Morecambe Town Council, Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Road East, Morecambe, LA4 5AF
If you have access needs and require information or forms in a different format please contact us at hello@morecambe.gov.uk or by phone on 01524 956026 and we’ll be happy to discuss.
What if I have questions?
If you have any questions, please phone on 01524 956026 or email hello@morecambe.gov.uk.
If a more in-depth discussion would be useful, our Officers can make themselves available to discuss your potential application at any point before submission to help provide a firmer understanding of the grant application criteria, application form, and process. Please email hello@morecambe.gov.uk at the earliest opportunity if you wish to arrange such a meeting.
What happens after I submit an application?
An officer will confirm receipt of your application, usually within ten working days.
Officers will review your application. If it is incomplete or doesn’t meet the basic criteria you will be advised and will need to submit your revised application before the application window closes.
Qualifying applications will be circulated to Committee members for consideration at the first meeting of the Grants Committee after the annual budget is set by the Full Council. This is anticipated to be on 11 February 2025.
Please note, applicants will not be invited to make in-person representations as part of the process. All applications will be assessed solely against the information provided in the application forms, as is the case with most other funding bodies.
Outcomes from the meeting will be communicated within 10 working days.
Rejection of an application is in no way a reflection on the worthiness of your organisation’s cause. Unfortunately with stiff competition for a limited funding pot, sometimes strong applications simply come up against even stronger ones. However where there is specific feedback this will be provided by Officers.
Past Grants Awarded
Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grants awarded 2024-2025
| Organisation | Organisation’s Registration Number | Approval Reference and Date | Purpose / Time Period | Grant | Status |
| Morecambe Poetry Festival | N/A | Minute FSE2223-48 – Festivals and Events Committee – 10.1.23 | Morecambe Poetry Festival (Year 2 of 2) | £5,000.00 | Paid. |
| Lancaster and Morecambe Armed Forces | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 107 – Full Council – 21.03.24 | Lancaster and Morecambe Armed Forces Day 2024 | £11,000.00 (Headline Sponsor. Portion ringfenced for RAF Falcons / Lancaster bomber displays) | Paid. |
| Vintage by the Sea | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 107 – Full Council – 21.03.24 | Vintage by the Sea 2024 | £16,000.00 (Headline Sponsor. £3,500.00 contingency sum to be returned if not required) | Awarded. Not Yet Paid. |
| Morecambe Artists’ Colony | NA | Minute FSE2023/24 – 017 – Festivals and Events Committee – 28.03.24 | Morecambe People’s Biennial Festival | £2,995.00 | Paid. |
| West End Players | N/A | Minute FSE2023/24 – 018 – Festivals and Events Committee – 28.03.24 | Morecambe Fringe Festival | £3,000.00 | Paid. |
| Bare Community Association | N/A | Minute FSE24/25 – 008 – Festivals and Events Committee – 31.05.24 | Barefest, Bare Remembers and Christmas on the Crescent 2024 | £2,500.00 | Paid. |
| No Dots Limited | Non-profit Company | Minute FSE24/25 – 009 – Festivals and Events Committee – 31.05.24 | Silents’ By The Sea | £2,500.00 | Paid. |
| LGBT Out in the Bay | Registered Charity No: 1153064 | 20th June 2024 – Minute 2024/5 FSE – 034 – Festival Grant Application 2024/5 – 003 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £8,000.00 to Morecambe Pride 2024. | £8,000.00 | Paid. |
| Morecambe Punk Festival | N/A | 18th July 2024 – Minute 2024/5 FSE – 016 – Festival Grant Application 2024/5 – 004 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £4,500.00 to Morecambe Punk Festival 2024. | £4,500.00 | Paid. |
| Morecambe Maritime Festival | N/A | 18th July 2024 – Minute 2024/5 FSE – 017 – Festival Grant Application 2024/5 – 005 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £1,750.00 to Morecambe Maritime Festival 2024. | £1,750.00 | Paid. |
| More Music | Registered Charity No: 1097929 | 18th July 2024 – Minute 2024/5 FSE – 018 – Festival Grant Application 2024/5 – 006 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £3,500.00 to West End Winter Lantern Festival 2024. | £3,500.00 | Paid. |
| Friends of Langridge Community Group | N/A | 25th July 2024 – Minute 2024/5 FSE – 024 – Festival Grant Application 2024/5 – 007 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £565.00 to Langridge Community Fun Day (August 2024). | £565.00 | Paid. |
Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grants awarded 2023-2024
| Organisation | Organisation’s Registration Number | Approval Reference and Date | Purpose / Time Period | Grant | Status |
| More Music | Registered Charity No: 1097929 | Minute 2023/24 – 063 Full Council – 19.10.23 | Festival Grant Application: More Music (West End Winter Lantern): Council awarded grant of £3,000.00 | £3,000.00 | Paid. |
| Promenade Concert Orchestra | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 041 – 20.07.23 | Minute 2023/24-041 – Festival Grant Application – Morecambe Promenade Orchestra The Council resolved to award a grant of £2,000.00 to the Promenade Concert Orchestra for its programme of upcoming events. | £2,000.00 | Paid. |
| Promenade Concert Orchestra | N/A | Minute FSE2223-11 Festivals and Events Committee Meeting – 10.5.22 | Minute FSE2223-11 Festival Grant Application 9 The Committee resolved to award a grant of £2,590 to Promenade Concert Orchestra and suggested the organisation should consider increasing it ticket price to become more self sufficient in the future should the Council be unable to fund it in the future. | £2,590.00 | Paid. |
| A Splendid Day Out | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 081 Full Council Meeting – 18.01.24 | Grant Application: Festival Grant Application 2023/24 – 014: Council approved grant of £6500.00 to A Splendid Day out Festival. | £6,500.00 | Paid. |
| 1940s Revival | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 081 Full Council Meeting – 18.01.24 | Grant Application: Festival Grant Application 2023/24 – 013: Council approved grant to 1940’s Revival Festival, £3500.00 | £3,500.00 | Paid. |
| Bay Film Festival | N/A | Minute 2023/24-050 Full Council Meeting – 21.09.23 | The Council resolved to earmark a sum of £3,000.00 for the Bay Film Festival which would be paid to underwrite any audited losses (if they arise). | £3,000.00 | Paid. |
| 1940s Revival Festival | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 031 Full Council Meeting – 11.07.23 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £5,372 to the 1940s Revival Festival, on the understanding this would be reduced to £3,372 if the festival does not require the road closures estimated to cost £2,000.00. | £3,372.00 | Paid. |
| LGBT Out in the Bay | Registered Charity No: 1153064 | Minute 2023/24 – 031 Full Council Meeting – 11.07.23 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £9,000.00 to Morecambe Pride. | £9,000.00 | Paid. |
| Vintage by the Sea | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 031 Full Council Meeting – 11.07.23 | Vintage by the Sea 2023 – The Council resolved to award a grant of £10,000.00 to Vintage by the Sea Festival. | £10,000.00 | Paid. |
| West End Players | N/A | Minute 2023/24 – 031 Full Council Meeting – 11.07.23 | The Council resolved to award a grant of £4,000.00 to the West End Players for upcoming performances. | £4,000.00 | Paid. |
| Lancaster Military Heritage Group | N/A | Minute 2023/24-013 – Full Council Meeting – 25.5.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Armed Forces Day 2023 | £3,500.00 | Paid. |
| Sleazy Festivals | N/A | Minute 2023/24-014 – Full Council Meeting – 25.5.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Nice n Sleazy Festival 2023 | £11,500.00 | Applicant unable to fulfil grant criteria. Council resolved to withdraw grant offer. (Minute 2023/24 – 119) |
| Bare Community Association | N/A | Minute 2023/24-015 – Full Council Meeting – 25.5.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Bare Fest, Christmas on the Crescent, Bare Village Music Festival, and Bare Remembers 2023. | £2,500.00 | Paid. |
| More Music | Registered Charity No: 1097929 | Minute 2023/24-016 – Full Council Meeting – 25.5.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Catch the Wind Kite Festival 2023 | £4,000.00 | Paid. |
| More Music | Registered Charity No: 1097929 | Minute 2023/24-017 – Full Council Meeting – 25.5.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Keep On: a VR project for the West End | £2,000.00 | Paid. |
| No Dots | Non-profit company. | Festivals and Events Committee Meeting – 18.2.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Morecambe Film Festival | £2,000.00 | Paid. |
| Escape 2 Make | Registered Charity No: 1183572 | Minute FSE2223-18 – Festivals and Events Committee – 1.6.22 Festivals and Events Budget | Cabaret Nights | £5,000.00 | Paid. |
| Morecambe Poetry Festival | N/A | Minute FSE2223-48 – Festivals and Events Committee – 10.1.23 Festivals and Events Budget | Morecambe Poetry Festival Minute FSE2223-48 Festival Grant Application 15 The committee reviewed the updated application and voted in favour of supporting the festival for 2 years, offering £5,000 for year one, and £5,000 for year 2, on the condition that Morecambe Town Council are the headline sponsor and receive 10% of the ticket sales. A second proposal was approved should the applicant not accept the first. The second proposal included support to a sum of £2,000 for year one. | £5,000.00 | Paid. |
| Total awarded | £82,462.00 | ||||
| Total paid out | £70,962.00 |
Festivals, Sponsorships and Events Grants awarded 2022-2023
| Organisation | Organisation’s Registration Number | Approval Reference and Date | Purpose / Time Period | Grant | Status |
| West End Players | N/A | Minute FSE2223-08 – Festival and Events Committee – 10.5.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Morecambe Fringe Festival | £5,000.00 | Paid. |
| Lancaster Military Group | N/A | Minute FSE2223-09 – Festival and Events Committee – 10.5.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Armed Forces Day 2022 | £700.00 | Paid. |
| More Music | Registered Charity No: 1097929 | Minute FSE2223-12 – Festival and Events Committee – 10.5.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Catch the Wind Kite Festival | £2,000.00 | Paid. |
| LGBT Out in the Bay | Registered Charity No: 1153064 | Minute 20426 – Full Council Meeting – 7.7.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Morecambe Pride | £7,000.00 with further £3,000.00 available to cover any audited losses. | £7,000.00 Paid. |
| Promenade Concert Orchestra | N/A | Minute FSE2223-11 – Festival and Events Committee – 10.5.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Concerts | £1,060.00 | Paid. |
| Bare Community Association | N/A | Minute FSE2223-31 – Festival and Events Committee – 11.10.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Christmas on the Crescent | £1,500.00 | Paid. |
| Vintage by the Sea | N/A | Minute 20426 – Full Council Meeting – 7.7.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Vintage by the Sea Festival | £12,000.00 | Paid. |
| Morecambe Park Run | N/A | Minute FSE2223-21 – Festival and Events Committee – 1.6.22 Budget: Festivals and Events | Community Run | £1,490.00 | Not Paid. Criteria not met. |
| Total awarded | £33,735.00 | ||||
| Total paid out | £29.245.00 |