The deadline for South Street Trust grants, the dedicated fund for arts activities in Farnham, is coming soon. Farnham Town Council, which administers the scheme, is urging applicants to apply ahead of the cut off date of 4 January to avoid missing out.

“With the distraction of Christmas coming up, we are encouraging applicants to make a start on their grant applications as soon as possible,” says Councillor Alan Earwaker, the Mayor of Farnham. “The South Street Trust provides funds for art-based educational activity in Farnham and typically supports around 20 projects each year. The application process is straightforward but we need to know all about your project on a completed application form by 12pm on 4 January.”   

The South Street Trust is able to distribute around £20,000 of funding each year. Funding is for visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, photography, pottery and so on, rather than performance arts. Previous successful projects include a graffiti art project at Hale Youth Centre, Super Saturdays at the Rural Life centre offering quality heritage craft activities for families such as willow weaving, wooden spoon carving and leather working and funding a new potter’s wheel and kiln for Creative Response.

Full details and the application form are on Farnham Town Council’s website. Applicants must set out the educational value of their project along with details of the costs, key dates and beneficiaries. All applications are considered in the spring and successful projects receive their funding around late April or early May. 

The South Street Trust was established from the sale of the Farnham School of Science and Art in the 1980s. The proceeds of the sale were invested and the proceeds have continued to support art education ever since.