OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER,
UPLIFT AND PROPEL
YOUNG CREATIVES
INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY INDUSTRY
THE FUND
The Ant Clausen Fire It Up Fund wants to help young people break into their dream career.
As well as financial support, successful applicants will also be offered advice, opportunities and access that can be hard to come by when you are starting out.
You can apply for up to £5k in funding and the money can be spent on anything that will help further your career – kit, time to create a portfolio, a trip or training – and you can also let us know what wrap around support you think will help you over a 12 month period.
The only criteria to apply for the fund are:
1) That you were born between 09/05/1999 and 09/05/2008
2) You live, work or study in the Liverpool City Region
3) You have no formal (university) education in the creative industries
If this is you, then please click 'APPLY NOW' below and submit your application before 26 MARCH 2024.
If you have any questions about the fund then please email robin@fireitupfund.com
FAQS
WHO IS ANT CLAUSEN AND WHAT IS THE FUND?
Ant was a New Zealand born photographer and film maker who made his home in Liverpool.
At the start of 2023 Ant tragically died while on holiday and the fund has been set up in his name. Throughout his career, Ant helped give young people opportunities to start out in the creative industries so the fund aims to continue that work.
WHY DO I HAVE TO LIVE IN THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION TO APPLY?
Ant built his career in Liverpool. In the first year of the Fund we want to make sure that we can support the successful candidates as much as possible. As Open Eye Gallery is the partner in the project this will be made much easier by ensuring those successful candidates are physically close to the gallery and to our other partners in the project such as ACC Liverpool Group. In time we hope to spread the Fund's wings further afield.
WHY DO I HAVE TO BE AGED BETWEEN 16 - 25 TO APPLY?
The aim of the Fund is to help young people who might otherwise struggle to access the industry, so we have decided to make the cut off for this 25.
WHO IS ON THE AWARD PANEL?
The award panel is made up of partners and supporters of the project including Open Eye Gallery, ACC Group, Bold Street Coffee and members of Ant’s family.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE EXAMPLE WORK I SUBMIT?
All we are asking for is for you to submit a number of pieces of work which you feel best capture the kind of artist or creative you are. This can be in any format – it can be a piece specifically for the submission or it might be something you have created before.
We want the work to capture your personality.
WHAT CAN I APPLY FOR MONEY FOR?
Anything which will help you progress in your career. This might be some new equipment. It might be to cover the costs of producing your first proper portfolio or of travelling to see a show or a place that will help inspire your work.
WHAT ELSE CAN I GET FROM THE FUND?
If you are successful, we will sit down with you at the start of the program and work out a bespoke plan for how we can help and support your progress. This might be mentoring, training or just the opportunity to meet people and attend events that you may otherwise struggle with.
The ACFIUF has a number of supporting partners as well as the team at Open Eye Gallery to enable this to happen.
WHEN WILL I KNOW IF I HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL?
9 February 2024 - Online applications open
26 March 2024 - Deadline for submissions
April 2024 – Award Panel to make decision on successful submission
1 May 2024 – successful applicants notified
9 May 2024 – public announcement of successful 2024 ACFIUF Awards
