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The Professional Development Fund

At Arts SU, we want to give you the tools for a sustainable creative career. The Arts Programme team are here to provide you with the chance to showcase you and your work, access new experiences, collaborate with organisations across London, and help you to develop professionally during your time studying at UAL.

The Professional Development Fund

In a Cost of Living Crisis, we understand that there may be some financial barriers for the UAL student body to take part in some extra-curricular activities. Therefore, we are doing what we can to remove these barriers for students to ensure you can take part in all our opportunities and activities, as well as feeling empowered to drive forward your own personal projects.

Therefore, we invite you to apply for funds. If you have been selected to take part in an Arts SU project, then we will invite you to apply for the funds needed for you to take part. These funds are to be utilised to help support you in developing your work and practice professionally. 

In real terms, you could be looking to buy some exhibition equipment or print some artwork to help sell your work at a market. Or you might want to travel to a specific event that allows you to network with likeminded creatives. The list of possibilities is endless, so we want to hear from you where you need the support.

What to keep in mind when applying for funds:

  • This must be for extra-curricular activity, ie. these funds are not to be used towards anything you are being graded on within your UAL course.
  • You must be a current student to apply, but this fund is open to all years, courses, and colleges at UAL.
  • There will be a max. limit of funding assigned for each opportunity, set by the Arts Programme Team.
  • This specific fund is not means tested.
  • To support your application, be clear in your reasoning behind the request. If granted, how will these funds specifically support your professional development?

 

Self-Led Projects:

The Professional Development Fund for self-led projects has now closed for the year 2025/26. We hope to reopen this fund in 2026/27. Keep an eye on the is webpage for updates!

 

Arts SU Projects:

If you have already had confirmation of being selected for an Arts SU opportunity, and have been told specifally to use this fund, then please follow this link to fill out your application - The Professional Development Fund application

Once your request has been received, the Arts Programme team will make a decision on whether we are able to release any funds for your specific request. We will be in touch with you as to whether you have been successful in your request or not. We hope to be in touch within a week of you applying. If you need this fund in order to purchase something, please wait until you have heard back from us with a decision before purchasing.

All the information gathered in this form will only be used to help us divide out the funds to students. We will not pass the information onto the university or any other parties.