In my role as Consultant and Critical Friend, I’ve recently worked with not one but FOUR clients on their applications to join the Arts Council England National Portfolio from next April 2023. Omg.

Yes. My head hurt, days became hours that became minutes as I worked 14 hour days in between other pieces of work and ongoing projects like Xzibit Young Creatives. I was last minute cramming hours before I headed to the airport. But, hey this is what I do & I would not change it! I love it!

I want to say well done to everyone that submitted an application. You did it.

“You’re amazing”

— Debbie Bandara, artistic director, forest tribe

It was a slog, the process was difficult for everyone (well, I’m calling it: the applications themselves, templates and all, were a beast!) & at times, felt like I was never going to sleep! I truly hope that ACE use this moment as an opportunity to create the change that so many of us want in the sector, for greater equity of opportunity AND funding.

I learned some amazing things about my clients and about myself in this process for which I am grateful. Always, always learning.

So, what are these learnings?

> It restored my faith in the sector doing amazing, meaningful, highly impactful arts experiences that really do make a difference to peoples lives.
> Reminded me that many organisations (and artists, for that matter) ALREADY ARE meeting and delivering the ACE agenda, not forcing themselves to fit from a square peg into a round hole. Because you know, there are some organisations out there that are just ticking boxes and we see them. ANYWAY, rant over. The clients that I supported are naturally going above & beyond what ACE wants to fund, and have been since they began, for some, that’s 10 years ago. It was my role to shine a light on all of this in the process of developing each application. Their What, How & Why really shone through!
> As a Consultant, the importance of being a nice human; someone who my clients could relate to, yet speak frankly & directly with and offer that holding hand or reassuring hug (in real life in some cases!). I also think that because I’m a woman, it broke down some stigmas that are still kicking around in relation to ‘consultancy’…
> That my sector knowledge & relevance really paid dividends during the process, where I could draw from insights & wisdom gleaned over my career and many, many funding applications to date. It is also transferable across art forms & disciplines - the organisations I supported span practices that include circus, VR film, dance film, dance participation, outdoor arts, touring performances, physical theatre & drama therapy. Go me!

**Here’s to those wonderful organisations: good luck & keep doing you.**
Go check them out >
**Hubbub Theatre** - an integrated, inclusive & professional learning disabled theatre company, making exceptional indoor & outdoor work, based in Derby, UK: https://hubbubtheatre.org
**Ascendance** - a Dance for Parkinson’s specialist charity, delivering outstanding participatory programmes, performances & films, based in Leeds, UK: https://ascendance.org.uk
**Forest Tribe** - a climate-zero, immersive, digital dance theatre company specialising in work for children with additional needs that tours community settings, schools & theatres, based in Cheshire East, UK: https://www.forest-tribe.com/
**The Oak Circus Centre & LIT Circus** - a consortia featuring the only participatory circus hub in East Anglia, offering classes & courses for amateurs & professionals and LIT, an international touring circus theatre company, based in Norwich, UK: https://theoakcircuscentre.org

To learn more about my consultancy services, book an exploratory chat to see how I can help by emailing me on hello@amydaltonhardy.co.uk.

Phew! NPO applications submitted. What did I learn?

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