Creative Scotland Crowdmatch
Eligibility & Pledge Criteria
Version dated: April 2026
Creative Scotland Crowdmatch supports artists, creatives and organisations across Scotland to bring creative projects to life through crowdfunding.
The fund provides match funding of up to £10,000 per project, helping creative practitioners raise funds for new work, events, productions, and creative development. By matching public donations, the programme helps projects reach their funding goals and build support for creative activity across Scotland.
Projects supported through Crowdmatch include a wide range of creative activity – from albums, books and performances to exhibitions, festivals, studio development and community workshops.
You can apply if you are:
An individual artist or creative practitioner based in Scotland
A freelance or self-employed creative aged 18 or over
A constituted creative, cultural or artistic organisation based in Scotland
A collective or creative business delivering creative activity
A Multi-Year Funded Organisation (MYFO), where the proposed activity is new, distinct, and not already supported through Multi-Year Funding
Applicants must be resident in Scotland.
Multi-Year Funded Organisations (MYFOs)
MYFOs can consider applying to Crowdmatch.
You should discuss your intention to apply with Creative Scotland in advance.
Applications from MYFOs will need to clearly demonstrate:
- how the proposed activity is additional to and not already supported through your Multi-Year Funding
- how the project represents new and distinct activity, rather than continuation of your funded programme
- how the project will enhance or extend your current and future plans
Projects that duplicate or supplement activity already supported through Multi-Year Funding will not be eligible for Crowdmatch support.
One application per financial year (1 April – 31 March)
Your project must deliver activity in at least one of the following areas:
Arts
Screen
Creative industries
This includes a wide range of creative work such as visual art, theatre, music, dance, literature, craft, architecture, fashion and textiles, design, digital media and games.
The following are not eligible for match funding:
Projects that are not primarily focused on the arts, screen or creative industries
Projects that fall outside Creative Scotland’s remit, including activity primarily related
to journalism, tourism, hospitality, the events sector, sport, hair and beauty, the
wedding industry, or non-arts museums and heritage activity
Projects that have already taken place, or will begin before a funding decision is
made
Projects that have already received funding through another Creative Scotland or
Screen Scotland programme for the same activity
Individuals or organisations based outside Scotland, or where the primary
beneficiaries are based outwith Scotland
Organisations seeking to distribute funding on behalf of others
Applications from full-time students for activity related to their studies, or activity that
forms part of a course, qualification, or core curriculum
Applications from academic institutions (such as schools, colleges or universities) for
core curriculum activity. Artist-led activity that is additional to the curriculum and
demonstrates clear creative benefit may be considered
Academics applying for activity connected to their academic role
Projects that are primarily fundraising in nature, or where the main purpose is to raise funds for a charity rather than deliver creative activity
Projects that promote party political activity or religious campaigning. Creative work
exploring social or political themes may be eligible where it does not promote a
specific political party, candidate or campaign
Competitions, or funding to support participation in competitions
Crowdmatch funding cannot be used for:
Costs that are not directly related to the delivery of a specific creative project or
activity
Costs incurred before a funding decision is made
Repayment of loans, endowments, or interest payments
General business start-up or ongoing operational costs that are not clearly linked to
the delivery of a defined creative project
Large-scale building projects, feasibility studies, or pre-capital development activity (such as planning applications, technical surveys, or site investigations for future capital projects)
Activity that is primarily intended to generate profit for the applicant without clear
public or creative benefit
The following types of costs may be considered where they are clearly linked to the delivery
of a specific creative project:
Equipment: Requests for equipment should demonstrate how the equipment will
directly support the delivery of the proposed creative activity.
Capital costs: Small-scale capital costs may be supported where they are essential to the delivery of a defined creative project. This does not include pre-capital development activity (such as planning applications, technical surveys, or feasibility work for future capital projects), or capital costs that are not directly delivering creative activity.
Projects cannot receive funding from both Crowdmatch and another Creative Scotland or Screen Scotland fund for the same activity.
This means:
Projects previously funded through Creative Scotland's Open Funds, Screen Scotland or other targeted funds are not eligible for Crowdmatch.
Crowdmatch applications must be for new and distinct activity.
If your project is successful through Crowdmatch, you may still apply to other Creative Scotland funds in the future for different work.
If you are unsure whether your project is eligible, contact:
To apply for Crowdmatch you must first create a project on Crowdfunder.
Before submitting your application your campaign page should include:
A completed project page
A clear funding target
Rewards linked to your project activity
Applications are reviewed alongside your campaign page, so it should be as complete as possible when you apply.
Ideally, you should apply before launching your crowdfunding campaign.
Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be reviewed by Creative Scotland.
Projects are assessed based on:
The quality and ambition of the project
The strength and viability of the idea
The project's contribution to Scotland's creative or cultural sector
Support for early-stage artists and creative businesses
Whether the project has already received Creative Scotland funding
Whether the funding target is realistic and achievable
Whether the campaign page clearly explains the project
Applicants are normally notified of the outcome within 10 working days of submitting a complete application.
If your application is approved, Creative Scotland will match donations to your campaign while it is live.
Match funding is:
£1 for every £1 raised
Up to £10,000 per project
Up to 50% of your crowdfunding target
The amount of match funding available depends on your campaign target, so not all projects will receive the full £10,000.
To receive match funding:
Creative Scotland will match donations £1 for £1, up to £250 per individual donation.
Only one donation per supporter will be matched.
Campaigns must receive donations from at least 25 unique supporters.
Your campaign must reach 100% of its target to receive match funding.
Match funding will be available for up to 8 weeks from the project's live date or approval date (whichever is later).
Campaigns must launch within 4 weeks of approval.
Match funding is first-come, first-served and will stop if:
The fund has been fully allocated
The project has reached its maximum match amount
The campaign has been live for 8 weeks
Creative Scotland reserves the right to review supporter pledges to ensure they are genuine.
Projects found to be manipulating pledges or attempting to obtain match funding fraudulently may:
Have their funding withdrawn
Have their crowdfunding payment cancelled
Be ineligible for future funding
Creative Scotland may also take action to recover funds already paid.
All funded projects must agree to the Crowdmatch Grant Conditions.