DHRC Creative Fund
How can I apply?
The DHRC Creative Fund offers grants of up to £400 for young people in the Tweeddale area to pursue their artistic dreams. Scroll down for more info, or click the link to apply.
The Creative Fund distributes grants once each year in the Spring.
Our 2025 funding round is open now. To apply, read through the requirements below and fill in the application forms before May 31st 2025.
Click the ‘e-mail us’ button if you’d like more info about applying for a grant.
Apply for a DHRC Creative Fund Grant
If you are aged between 8 and 24 years and you reside in the Tweeddale district you are invited to apply for a grant to support an artistic activity you would like to pursue.
You can apply for funds to pay for a course or classes, equipment, musical instruments, studio time, computer software, camera equipment, art materials, travel to a special event; if it’s an artistic activity that you love, we can assist you with it!
The maximum grant is £400, and you must detail how you will spend the amount you apply for.
Each application must be accompanied by a referee statement from someone who knows you but is not related to you and is not the recipient of the grant money.
We will give priority to applications that seek to extend your artistic activities (such as new and better materials/equipment, courses to develop your skills in new directions). We will prioritise new applicants over past recipients. Applications to fund regular classes that you attend already will not be considered.
Click the Application Form button to begin your application.
Click the Referee Form button if you providing a referee statement.
Artistic Dreams
The DHRC Creative Fund offers grants of up to £400 for young people in the Tweeddale area to pursue their artistic dreams. Managed by a team of local Trustees, the Fund distributes grants annually every Spring to young people aged between 8 and 25 years who are looking for help in achieving an artistic goal.
So if you’re a young dancer, a juggler, a musician, a sculptor, a photographer, a dressmaker or designer, a budding film maker or scriptwriter, an actor, a comedian or a singer and you feel you need some help to get to the next level the DHRC Creative Fund wants to hear from you.
For financial help up to £400 to attend a training course or classes, to buy an essential piece of equipment, books or software, hire recording studio space, or anything else you might think of to pursue your artistic dream, apply for one of our grants.
Wait, what’s the DHRC again?
The DHRC is the Downright Homespun Radio Company, a troupe of Peebles musicians and comedians who have been performing their radio shows in the Eastgate Theatre for over a hundred years. The shows are regular sell-outs with many loyal followers travelling long distances to be there.
DHRC shows consist of Americana, Blues and Country & Western music, interspersed with comedy sketches about life in Peebles and the local area. The profits from all these shows go to the DHRC Creative Fund.
To date we’ve given over £14,000 in grants to local young people. Scroll down to see what they did with their grants.
May 2023 Grants
In 2023 we distributed just over £2,000 to seven lucky people. We awarded grants for a drone for a local film-maker, music monitors for a local band, music lessons, a DSLR camera, musical instruments, and fees for online courses.
Gabriela Hamza purchased a new DSLR camera with her grant, and we’re delighted to learn that she went on to win a prestigious award.
“I just wanted to let you know about Gabriela's recent success with her photography. She was named as Junior Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2023 at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards. This has been made possible thanks to the grant that she received from DHRC last year for a DSLR camera. She has learned so much since purchasing her new camera and her photography has developed as she had hoped.”
Take a look here for more details: scottishnaturephotographyawards.com
Sam Jones used his grant to purchase in-ear monitors for 8 Days, the local Indie rock band he’s a member of.
“The in-ears have made a massive difference to the band. We feel more confident in our sound, and our hearing is definitely protected! Thanks again for the grant! We really appreciate it.”
Michael Gemmell, a previous grant recipient, played piano for us at the last DHRC Amerrycana Show
8 Days are using in-ear monitors from the DHRC Fund in their performances
Gabriela Hamza’s winning entry for Junior Scottish Nature Photographer 2023
May 2022 Grants
In May 2022 we funded 7 of the applications we received.
Recipients included
a new high-quality microphone for a local film-maker
podcasting equipment for an upcoming comedian
course fees for an online comedy course
music lessons for a talented young musician
We fund individuals from Tweeddale who are pursuing an artistic dream of some kind and who can benefit from a helping hand. We’re delighted to see applications from local young people who love what they’re doing and want to improve their artistic skills.
May 2021 Grants
In May 2021 we funded 6 of the applications we received.
Recipients included
contributions for a Korg M1 synthesiser for 20 year old Alex
sound recording equipment for 18 year old Calvin
piano lessons for 15 year old Fergus
camera equipment for 17 year old Jack
music composition lessons for 14 year old Neve
We funded 11 year old Nina for dance lessons as part of the Scottish Ballet Junior Associates Scheme. She achieved Honours in her Grade 4 ballet exam, the youngest dancer her Peebles school has presented at this level. Congratulations Nina! And congratulations to all of our 2021 grant recipients..
wildlife image by Jack using his DHRC-funded camera
DHRC funds music lessons, equipment, courses, instruments, uniforms
May 2019 Grants
In May 2019 we funded 11 of the applications we received. We were delighted to be able to do this and we decided to combine the May and November rounds into one to fund as many applicants as possible. This means that there was no November 2019 round.
Recipients included contributions to singing lessons for 12 year old Fin Price, a choreography course for Harriet Miller, an acting course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow for Daniel Askew and art classes in Peebles for Iain Turpie. Congratulations to all of our 2019 grant recipients..
Young singer and musician Finn Price
Imogen and Erin at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen
November 2018 Grants
We were delighted to award seven grants in our November round. This was the largest number of grants awarded in a single round to date. Recipients included Andrew Wilson (helped to attend the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland course in Perth), Erin Little (contribution to help with her dancing) and Issac Cassidy (support for his video making).
Imogen Smith (July 2017) and Erin Little (December 2018) were placed first and second in their section when they took part in a recent national dance competition held at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen (right). This is a fine achievement and DHRC are delighted to have been associated with them when they sought funding for additional dance lessons.
May 2018 Grants
Thank you to all of those people who applied to our May 2018 round. We awarded two grants. Arran Houston was granted funds to buy a video camera and external hard drive, which has helped him produce more videos for YouTube, including an appearance on the streets of Edinburgh during the Festival. We provided funds for Tom Aitken to go the 2nd International Young Composers Academy in Lugano, Switzerland. He also worked with the acclaimed Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgartm, who rehearsed, critiqued and internationally premiered his work and will potentially it to their future concert repertoire.
Tom Aitken, young composer
November 2017 Grants
This round closed at the end of November and we awarded four grants to young people aged between 12 and 16. We were able to provide funds for 16 year old Alasdair Gemmell to buy a set of Scottish Small Pipes and associated bellows, reeds and even a case. 12 year old Ava Church loves art and we were able to contribute towards the cost of a painting course and materials. Lila Kitching, also 12, was awarded funds towards ballet lessons and a contribution to her ballet kit.
Some of Ava’s lovely paintings are displayed here
May 2017 Grants
We awarded four grants in our first round of funding in May 2017. We helped Eleanor Walker to gain the qualifications needed to take an HNC at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance at Dundee and Angus College. 13 year old Imogen Smith received funds towards Highland Dance classes and a new National Costume. Katie Russell received a grant towards helping her to develop a career in fashion design and photography. Congratulations to all our awardees.
Imogen is the proud winner of multiple awards for dance
Katie Russell’s amazing fashion photography