Arts Council of Wales Relaunches Cydrannu Fund to Strengthen Creative Networks Across Wales

On 4 November 2026, the Arts Council of Wales relaunched the Cydrannu fund, aimed at fostering and strengthening creative connections across the country. The fund offers financial support ranging from £500 to £3,500 to help establish, develop, and reinforce creative networks.

The initiative invites applications from a broad spectrum of participants, including individual artists, creative practitioners, arts organisations, community groups, and networks with formal constitutions or partnerships. The fund is designed to bring people together to share ideas, build confidence, develop new collaborations, and reduce isolation among artists and creative communities.

Cydrannu supports both new and existing networks. New networks may use the funding to unite people for the first time based on shared interests or needs, create artist collectives, community groups, or online communities. Existing networks can apply to reach new members, provide training and workshops, strengthen partnerships, or explore ways to make their networks more sustainable.

The fund places particular emphasis on encouraging applications from networks working with people over 60 or those led by older individuals, recognising the wealth of knowledge and experience they bring. It also focuses on emerging artists aged 18 to 24, aiming to help them build professional connections and support networks early in their careers.

Additionally, the Cydrannu programme includes grants of up to £1,500 through the Creative Communities strand, which supports voluntary and community groups across Wales to deliver inclusive arts projects. This strand targets communities with fewer creative opportunities and less access to funding.

The Arts Council encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including those led by disabled people, culturally and ethnically diverse individuals, LGBTQ+ communities, and those facing social or economic barriers. This inclusive approach aims to ensure a wide range of voices and experiences are supported through the fund.

Overall, the relaunch of Cydrannu represents a continued commitment by the Arts Council of Wales to nurture creative collaboration and community engagement across the nation.