Credits

Here you will find information relating to the actual amounts awarded from the funding bodies, organisations and trusts that have supported us over time. We feel that our complete transparency about this is essential to help inform similar organisations about possible funding streams and to dispel any myths about the level of support that we have received. It is also worth noting that there has been significant personal investment in the development of Meltdowns since the outset.

During the initial set up of the company between 2004 and 2005, the Arts Council for England, South East provided £13,000.00 towards the capital and organisational development costs of Meltdowns. This was additionally supported by the Thanet Organisational Development Grant Scheme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to the amount of £5,000.00, towards the creation of new posts, installation of equipment and marketing.

In 2007, the Worshipful Company of Founders, an ancient guild established to support the continued education of the foundry sector, provided £1,000.00 towards the purchase of equipment for our new Bronze Casting Course. Our widereducation programme also received two heaters as a result of sponsorship from TGS Industrial.

During 2007 and 2008, we took part in the Creative Graduates into Companies Initiative (CGCI) in partnership with the University College for the Creative Arts. This scheme was set up to provide access to newly skilled and motivated graduates with fresh ideas, who are willing to learn and make worthwhile contributions to companies in the area. Fundamental to this programme was the need to create an exchange of knowledge, information and expertise in a mutually beneficial relationship. We received £200.00 to train the graduate in a technique that he specifically required during his time with us and we received £200.00 to go towards our own staff training.

In 2008, we were fortunate in securing a ‘Go and See’ bursary of £500.00, supported by the Networking Artists’ Networks initiative (NAN) programme through a-n The Artists Information Company. This enabled us to undertake a period of research activity which identified similar sustainable organisations to ourselves, included a visit to the Scottish Sculpture Workshops outside Aberdeen, and discussed the appropriateness of the application of current business models to the creative industries.

The Fenton Arts Trust generously donated £2,600 towards a four-week part-time residency programme which was held in our project space and the provision of a technical helpresource for artists.

Also during 2008, Kent County Council as part of their Arts Investment Fund awarded us a grant of £5,000.00 to support our Bronze Award. The Bronze Award is a yearlong project seeking to question the relevance of the traditional bronze casting process within contemporary art practice. The money received will enable us to host a high profile exhibition in Kent with a supporting education programme and to commission a writer or artist to develop a research paper on the above theme for the purposes of gaining national and international editorial coverage and discourse. 

We would like to thank you all once again for your support and the recognition this gives us for our activities. Our aim remains to achieve financial autonomy by continuing to operate outside of the expectation that successful creative organisations are regularly state-funded, thereby establishing a fully sustainable model and platform from which artists can draw strength.