Arts Council England Pauses DYCP (Again): What Artists Need to Know About the New R&D Fund
Here We Go Again
If you're an artist or creative practitioner who's been following Arts Council England's funding programmes, you'll know this feeling: that sinking sensation when ACE announces "temporary changes" that land like a bombshell with minimal sector conversation beforehand.
The latest? Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) is paused until April 2026.
In its place, ACE has launched a ringfenced £7.5 million Research and Development fund within National Lottery Project Grants (NLPG), available now for individual artists applying for £1,000-£30,000.
On paper, this sounds reasonable. The money is still there. Artists can still apply for R&D funding. Crisis averted, right?
Not quite.
Let me be clear: I'm glad the budget hasn't disappeared. But I'm frustrated, and I know I'm not alone. This feels like another decision made about the sector, not with it. And the lack of transparency about what's actually happening behind the scenes at ACE is becoming harder to ignore.
What's Actually Changed?
Here's the breakdown:
DYCP is Paused
No applications until April 2026
Reason cited: "technical issues with grant systems this summer"
This follows the Grantium platform meltdown that caused chaos across ACE's funding programmes earlier this year
New R&D Fund Within NLPG
£7.5 million ringfenced for individual artists
Apply for £1,000-£30,000 (same as DYCP upper limit)
No match funding required (like DYCP)
Applications open now through the existing NLPG £30k and under strand
Decision time: 12 weeks (increased from 10 weeks, and previously as fast as 5-8 weeks pre-meltdown)
What You Can Fund
Research and development projects (same as DYCP)
BUT you must demonstrate public benefit (either immediate or deferred)
Why This Is More Complicated Than It Sounds
1. The NLPG Application is MUCH Longer
Anyone who's applied to both DYCP and NLPG knows: NLPG is significantly more complex. DYCP was designed to be streamlined for individual artists. NLPG? Not so much.
You're now navigating:
Longer application forms
More detailed public benefit requirements
A process originally designed for organisations, not individuals
This is a barrier. Especially for emerging artists, those with access needs, or anyone who found DYCP's simplicity essential to actually applying.
2. 12-Week Turnaround Times Are Brutal
Let's talk about this timeline creep:
Pre-meltdown: 5-8 weeks for decisions
October 2024: 10 weeks
November 2024 onwards: 12 weeks
That's nearly three months from application to decision. For freelance artists managing cashflow, gig opportunities, and project timelines, this is a significant planning challenge.
My question: What is happening at ACE to cause these delays?
Is it staffing? Is it Grantium still causing problems? What's the plan to get back to reasonable turnaround times?
3. Where is Grantium?
ACE has been quiet about the status of their troubled grants management platform. We know it caused major disruptions over summer 2024. We know it's impacted capacity.
What we don't know:
Is Grantium still being used?
Has it been fixed, replaced, or abandoned?
What's the long-term plan?
The sector deserves transparency here. We're not asking for a blow-by-blow technical breakdown, but we are asking for honesty about whether the systems we rely on are fit for purpose.
What This Means for Artists (Practically Speaking)
Despite my frustrations, here's what you need to know if you're planning to apply:
The Good News
The money is still there: £7.5m for R&D is real funding, available now
Higher amounts available: You can apply for up to £30k (vs DYCP's usual £10k cap for most strands)
No match funding needed: Like DYCP, you don't need to find additional money
The Challenges
More complex application: Set aside proper time to complete the NLPG form
Public benefit requirement: You'll need to articulate how your R&D benefits the public (even if that benefit comes later, post-project)
Longer wait: Build 12 weeks into your project planning
Competition: You're now in the same pot as all NLPG under-£30k applicants
My Advice
Don't be intimidated by NLPG: Yes, it's longer, but R&D projects absolutely belong there
Get support: ACE is running webinars (sign up to their newsletter for dates). Access support is available. Use it.
Think about public benefit broadly: This doesn't mean you need workshops or open studios (though you can include them). Public benefit can be the work you go on to make, the skills you share, the communities you engage with later
Plan your cashflow carefully: 12 weeks is a long time. Make sure you can sustain yourself while waiting
The Bigger Picture: What This Really Tells Us
Here's what I'm reading between the lines:
ACE's capacity is under serious strain. Whether it's staffing, systems, or both—the organisation that distributes millions in public funding to artists is struggling to deliver basic administrative functions at the speed the sector needs.
Individual artist funding is being squeezed into organisational frameworks. DYCP was purpose-built for sole practitioners. NLPG was not. This shift, even temporary, signals that ACE may not have the infrastructure to run parallel, artist-specific programmes smoothly.
We're not being brought into the conversation. These decisions affect thousands of artists' livelihoods, yet they land as announcements, not consultations. Where's the sector dialogue? Where's the co-creation of solutions?
Grantium remains the ghost in the room. Until ACE is transparent about what went wrong and what's been fixed, trust will continue to erode.
What Artists Should Do Now
Don't panic about DYCP being paused, the funding is still accessible through NLPG
Start preparing your R&D application if you were planning to apply to DYCP, don't wait until April 2026
Attend ACE's webinars and ask questions (especially about public benefit and how R&D fits into NLPG)
Budget for 12-week decision times in your planning
Seek application support if NLPG feels overwhelming, you don't have to do this alone
Through my work with Alira Arts, I'll be supporting artists to navigate this change. Yes, the application is longer. Yes, the wait is frustrating. But R&D funding is still there, and with the right support, it's absolutely accessible.
Final Thoughts
I'm frustrated. But I'm also pragmatic.
The £7.5 million R&D fund is a genuine commitment to individual artists, and I don't want that to be lost in (justified) frustration about process. This money can still change artists' lives and practices.
But ACE: we need transparency. We need dialogue. We need to know what's happening with your systems, your capacity, and your plans to get decision times back to something reasonable.
Artists aren't asking for perfection, we're asking for honesty and partnership.
Until then, we adapt. We apply. We support each other.
The work continues.
Author: Hannah Thomas, CEO
Need help with your NLPG R&D application?
Get in touch with Alira Arts for guidance on navigating the new process.
