Bow Skills workshop: bid writing and arts fundraising with Kim Pearce – an Arts Council England special!
Wednesday 16th September 2026 , 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Join experienced arts fundraiser Kim Pearce in this Arts Council England (ACE) project grants special, as she demystifies the four investment principles, breaks down the application structure, and provides practical insights into how to build out a successful ACE bid. The workshop will end with a Q&A where you can put your burning questions to Kim about specific ideas or issues you’re coming up against!
After a broad overview of the different types of funding out there for artists, Kim will take a deep dive into the specifics of ACE project grants and DYCP
In an artist-centred approach, she will demystify the ACE investment principles and talk through how to deploy her grant writing technique as a tactile, practical blueprint to engage with these principles.
Kim will then deconstruct what goes behind an ACE bid – pulling apart the application structure, drilling down into how to build out responses to individual questions, and running through example answers to tease out useful tips and tricks that you can apply to your own bids.
The workshop will end with a Q&A, where you can put your burning questions to Kim and dive into specific questions you have about ACE project grants you’re working on or arts fundraising in general.
All participants will get to take home a resource pack at the end, featuring everything you’ll have learnt in the session and some extra insights.
In this workshop, you will:
- Gain insights to develop ideas and write grant applications to support your practice
- Learn how to bring a project idea to life and support the grant writing process
- Master the updated guidelines of ACE project grants and DYCP to build out a successful bid
This event will take place at Courtyard Room, Bow Arts Trust, 183 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ.
About Kim Pearce
Kim Pearce is a theatre director and producer with a decade of ACE funded projects to her name. Between 2016-2024, she was co-Artistic Director of Papergang Theatre, successfully running the company on a project by project basis.
About Bow Skills
Bow Arts seeks to support creative professionals at all stages of their careers. In 2015 Bow Arts launched Bow Skills in response to an artist survey which showed over 90% of practicing artists find it useful to receive further support outside formal education.
Bow Skills is a dynamic and relevant programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which is informed by an artist steering group and open to all creative practitioners across London. The programme of talks, panel discussions, new skills labs and peer crits is open to all, with concession rates available to students, over 65s, under 18s, Bow Arts artists and key workers.
Access information
The Bow Arts Trust offices have step-free access throughout from street level, including to the accessible toilet, and is service animal friendly. This venue does not have a hearing loop system. Accessible parking is not available on-site.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 8980 7774 (Ext. 3)
Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space (e.g. making sure you have a seat near the entrance) or anything else you can think of!
Transport Information
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
Address: Bow Arts Trust, 183 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ
Nearest station(s): Bow Road (District and Hammersmith and City lines) is a 6-minute walk away, and Bow Church (DLR) is a 3-minute walk away.
Bus: 205, 25, 425, A8, D8, 108, 276, 488 and 8 all service the surrounding area.
Bike: Bicycle parking is located at Bow Church Station. The nearest Santander Cycles docking station is at Bow Church Station.
