Local groups can bid for up to £500 for a Year of Culture 2027 event. Round 1, for January to March, opens 19 October and closes 22 November.
Community groups in Hertsmere can apply for up to £500 each to put on an event during the borough’s Year of Culture in 2027. The first round of applications opens on Monday 19 October.
Hertsmere Borough Council announced the grants on 25 September. Each month of 2027 has its own theme, from books and reading in January to food in December. Groups pick a month and apply in the round that covers it.
The four rounds and their themes
The council’s guidance notes set out a separate application window for each quarter of 2027:
| Round | Events in | Monthly themes | Applications open | Applications close |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January to March 2027 | Books and Reading; Charity and Gratitude; Dance | Mon 19 Oct 2026 | Sun 22 Nov 2026 |
| 2 | April to June 2027 | Health and Wellbeing; Nature and the Outdoors; Music | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Sun 7 Feb 2027 |
| 3 | July to September 2027 | Fashion; Film and TV; History and Heritage | Mon 29 Mar 2027 | Sun 2 May 2027 |
| 4 | October to December 2027 | Culture and Diversity; Theatre; Food | Mon 5 Jul 2027 | Sun 8 Aug 2027 |
The first deadline is 11.59pm on Sunday 22 November, according to the council’s Year of Culture grants page. If your event is in February, that is the round you need. The council asks groups to apply in the round that covers their event’s month.
What the money can pay for
The council says a grant can be a one-off contribution to running costs or equipment. It can fund a single event, a project or a programme of activities. Its own examples include:
- traditional dancing and folk music concerts
- pottery making and arts and crafts sessions
- storytelling sessions and theatre performances
- traditional cooking
- film and TV festivals
- history talks and guided walks
The event has to take place inside the borough, during 2027, and as close as possible to its themed month. It must be put on as part of, or to celebrate, the Year of Culture.
Who can apply
The guidance notes limit the grants to groups that are volunteer-led or run on a not-for-profit basis. They list:
- registered charities, and unregistered ones with income under £5,000
- constituted groups and clubs, including those for children, young people and older residents
- community interest companies and social enterprises
- sports clubs and residents’ groups
- schools and academies, for activity beyond their statutory duties
- faith groups, where the event includes the wider community
- parish and town councils, for something extra
Individuals cannot apply. The council suggests teaming up with a community group or charity and applying through it. The web page also mentions businesses, but the same page rules out profit-making organisations, so a business should ask the grants team before applying.
Every applicant needs a bank account in the group’s name with at least two unrelated signatories. Groups that have not had council funding in the last 12 months must send a constitution and an equalities policy. Anything involving children, young people or vulnerable adults also needs a safeguarding policy and DBS checks where appropriate.
What it means for you
- If you run a group with an idea for January, February or March, you have from 19 October to 22 November. Download the application form and a BACS form now. Send both to grantapplications@hertsmere.gov.uk.
- Paper forms can be handed in at the Civic Offices on Elstree Way, marked for Policy and Partnerships.
- The form asks how many residents will benefit, split by age, and whether you would like a visit from the Mayor.
- Winners report back. Successful groups fill in a short evaluation and send photos of the event, with consent from the people in them.
- Young film-makers may also be interested in the council’s free Creative Futures places.
Sources
- Hertsmere Borough Council, Grants available for Hertsmere Year of Culture 2027 community events, 25 September 2026, for the £500 maximum, the four rounds, the themes and the first round’s dates.
- Hertsmere Borough Council, Year of Culture Grants 2027, for the example projects, the bank account rule, the exclusions and how to apply.
- Hertsmere Borough Council, Year of Culture Celebration Grants 2027: guidance notes, for the dates of rounds 2 to 4, the list of eligible organisations and the evaluation requirement.
- Hertsmere Borough Council, Year of Culture Celebration Grants 2027: application form, for the questions on residents benefiting, the Mayoral visit option and the supporting documents checklist.
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