Criteria

Creative Scotland Crowdmatch is here to empower Scotland’s creative community to bring bold ideas to life. By making crowdfunding more accessible and rewarding, it offers an alternative route to funding that supports sustainability and growth. Whether you’re starting something new or building on existing work, Crowdmatch helps turn creative visions into reality.

To be eligible for match funding the funded project must deliver activity in at least one of the following themes:

• Arts
• Screen
• Creative industries

This includes a wide range of creative work - from visual art, theatre, music, dance, and literature to craft, architecture, fashion and textiles, design, digital media, and games. If your project supports Scotland’s vibrant cultural and creative landscape, we want to hear from you.

Individuals who are freelance or self-employed artists and creative practitioners residing in Scotland, aged 18 years or above. Any type of constituted artistic, creative or cultural organisation based in Scotland can apply.

If your application is approved, Creative Scotland will match the donations you receive while your campaign is live – in real time – up to 50% of your initial crowdfunding target, up to a maximum of £10,000.

Here's how it works:

1. For every donation made to your campaign, Creative Scotland will match it £1 for £1, up to a maximum of £250 per individual donation.

2. Only one donation per supporter will be matched.

3. Your campaign must receive donations from at least 25 unique Supporters to qualify for match funding.

4. Match funding counts towards your overall crowdfunding target – so the combined total of public donations and Creative Scotland match funding must reach 100% of your target for you to keep the funds.

5. If your campaign does not reach 100% of its target before closing, the match funding will be withdrawn, and no funds will be paid out.

6. Creative Scotland match funding will only be available for 8 weeks from the "live" date of the project or the approval date of the application, whichever is more recent.

Applicants may not receive funding from both Crowdmatch and other Creative Scotland or Screen Scotland funds for the same project.

By this we mean that:

Applications to Crowdmatch must be for new and distinct activities that have not previously received funding from Creative Scotland or Screen Scotland.

Before applying, assess your project’s requirements and choose the funding option that best aligns with your goals.

Projects that have already received funding from Creative Scotland’s Open Funds, Screen Scotland funds, or other targeted funds cannot apply to Crowdmatch.

If a project is successfully funded through Crowdmatch, the recipient is ineligible to apply for additional funding from other Creative Scotland or Screen Scotland funds for that same project.

Before applying, assess your project’s requirements and choose the funding option that best aligns with your goals. If you are unsure whether your project is eligible contact: [email protected]

We encourage you to review the full Eligibility and Pledge Criteria before completing your application.

Funded projects must adhere to the Crowdmatch Grant Conditions.