COMEDY GRANTS & AWARDS

Photo by Mariana Feijo of Comedy Bloomers’ LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year Awards

VERIFIED Comedy INDUSTRY AWARDS Opportunities

🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ NEW COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR 2026

Things to know:

  • Applications close midday, Wednesday 29 July 2026.

  • £1,000 cash prize

  • Open to LGBTQ+ comedians

  • Grand Final at The Comedy Store, London

  • Professionally filmed for YouTube

  • Now entering its fifth year, LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year has become one of the UK's leading spotlights for emerging LGBTQ+ stand-up comedians.

Apply here

VERIFIED Comedy INDUSTRY Funding Opportunities

Amazon Regional Creatives Fund (RCF)

Things to know:

  • Applications close at midnight (23:59), Sun August 2 2026

  • You can apply for up to £100,000.

  • Amazon is helping charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) create pathways into creative careers and upskill the next generation of creatives. In addition to financial support, the Regional Creatives Fund uses Amazon’s network of creative industry professional.

  • CRAFT worked with Amazon to specifically get ‘comedy’ cited within their documentation. Photo CRAFT trustees Jen Smith and Lu Jackson at the RCF launch with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP.
Apply here

British Council’s Connections Through Culture (CTC) Grants 2026

Things to know:

  • Applications close at midnight BST (23:59), Wed August 12 2026

  • Grant amounts vary by participating country, with maximum awards ranging from £5,000 to £15,000. Applicants should check the official British Council guidance for the maximum amount available for their proposed country partnership.

  • CTC supports a broad range of arts, cultural and creative sector projects across a number of art forms, including Architecture, Design, Fashion and Craft; Creative Technology; Film; Literature; Music; Theatre and Dance; and Visual Arts. Comedy is not listed as a standalone artform within the programme, however, if the proposed project is centred on one or more of the eligible art forms, for example, Theatre and Dance, Literature (such as spoken word), or Creative Technology, and demonstrates meaningful international cultural collaboration, it may be eligible to apply. If the project spans multiple art forms, select the artform which best reflects the primary focus of the proposed activity.

  • Whether a project is eligible will depend on the specific proposal and whether it meets the published programme requirements, including demonstrating meaningful collaboration between a UK-based partner and a partner based in an eligible participating country.

  • Useful links (thank you British Council!):
Apply here

Creative UK’s Creative Enterprise Grants

Things to know:

  • Creative Enterprise is a bespoke set of initiatives for ambitious screen businesses to access connections, training and networks to achieve business growth.

  • Fast Forward: Growth-Focused Business Support Programme

  • Applications Open 12pm, Wed 26 Aug 2026

  • The fee for participation in the programme is £250 + VAT per company.

Apply here

CLOSED Comedy INDUSTRY AWARDS + FUNDING Opportunities

The below opportunities have now closed—however we expect future rounds you can apply for. Join our newsletter for updates

Arts Council England (ACE) Develop Your Own Creative Practice (DYCP)

Things to know:

  • CLOSED midday, Thursday 2 July 2026 (Next round Q4 2026)

  • You can apply for £2,000-£12,000.

  • Professionals in comedy have been awarded DYCP — so go for it!

  • DYCP supports you as an individual creative or cultural practitioner to focus on your career development.

  • Watch ACE’s recent comedy funding session, which CRAFT requested on behalf of the sector.
Apply here

Creative UK’s Creative Enterprise Grants

Things to know:

  • Creative Enterprise is a bespoke set of initiatives for ambitious screen businesses to access connections, training and networks to achieve business growth.

  • Screen Launchpad: Business Support Programme for Underrepresented Founders(CLOSED 5pm, Mon 6 July 2026)

  • Female Founders: Confidence-Building Business Support Programme (CLOSED 5pm, Wed 8 July at 5pm)

  • Female Founders: Introduction to Investment (2026 now closed)
Apply here

BBC New Comedy Awards 2026

Things to know:

  • Applications close at 23:59, Sunday 19th July 2026.

  • £1,000 cash prize

  • The BBC New Comedy Awards is a nationwide talent search to find the best new comedy talent. Since they first launched in 1995 the prestigious awards have helped launch the careers of many of the UK’s best-loved comedians.

  • You must not have been performing paid comedy gigs before 1st January 2023 – i.e. performances where you were paid cash (unpaid or bucket collection open mic spots before this time are fine).
Apply here

CRAFT on Instagram

Comedy is one of Britain's best-loved exports. It's also the worst-funded major artform — and until now, it had no seat at the table where policy and funding get decided. That changes today (news link in bio). We're proud to announce CRAFT ha
There's no business like the politics+comedy business! CRAFT patron Dame Caroline Dinenage and Chair Lu Jackson met at UK Parliament today to discuss a range of sector issues. And on such a sunny —and dramatic day in politics—why pose for
Comedy is a "social intervention which lifts, helps, and takes a bit of pressure off people" — Andy Burnham MP for Makerfield. Honest, funny, and hopeful on men's mental health, Dr Simon Opher MP recently hosted Andy Burnham MP and L
Team CRAFT was delighted to be invited to the BBC Comedy Festival 2026. Samantha Niblett MP (CRAFT Patron), Lu Jackson (CRAFT Founder and Chair), and Lesley Sloss (CRAFT Chair Advisor) joined Nana Hughes (ITV Head of Scripted Comedy), Jon Petrie (Di
"Comedy is an artform and it's a great entertainer" — Creative Industries Minister, The Rt. Hon Ian Murray MP, at SXSW London. Dr Simon Opher MP (CRAFT Patron) hosted Ian, Lu Jackson (CRAFT Founder and Chair; Founder Craic), and Jake
CRAFT, the UK's national comedy body, was out in force at the 'Amazon x Creative Industries Summer Reception', celebrating Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund, which offers multiple grants of up to £30,000. The fund supports charities, CICs,
We are urgently sounding the alarm: the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee (WESC) inquiry into Misogyny in Comedy closes its written evidence period at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT—Monday, June 15, at 11:59 PM. The Government can only a
The UK Government is giving the comedy industry a chance to say something. If you've been impacted by Misogyny in Comedy, this is the last week to submit written evidence for the inquiry, which you can do anonymously. This is not a drill: the Gover
It is incredibly rare for UK Parliament to launch an inquiry into the comedy sector. It is rare to have the opportunity to submit written evidence. And it is even rarer to get a deadline extension—which is exactly what CRAFT requested and secur
One of the most relevant issues in comedy right now? Hundreds of performers and businesses are currently facing severe financial strain due to delayed payouts from the Leicester Comedy Festival (LCF), managed by Big Difference Company (BDC). We know
👉 "Comedy is not a niche, it's a serious economic engine—driving billions across ticket sales, streaming revenues and tourism, and supporting thousands of small, tech-enabled creative businesses across the UK." 👈 (Samantha Niblett
🎤 Let’s get the comedy industry funded. CRAFT has launched a survey to help Arts Council England (ACE) curate a comedy-specific advice session on project funding. We want to know your questions about the current process and what ACE should fo
👉 "CRAFT is a timely initiative that offers institutions and policymakers a practical partner on standards, evidence, and sustainable investment." 👈 (Dame Caroline Dinenage • Conservative MP for Gosport • CRAFT Patron) ▶ Visit
📣 LANDMARK INQUIRY: Misogyny in Comedy. The comedy industry—performers, promoters, and professionals of all genders—are invited to provide evidence for the Women & Equalities Committee’s Inquiry into Misogyny in Comedy—a
👉"The British comedy scene is a cherished and integral part of the creative industries landscape. I am so delighted to be a founding trustee of CRAFT."👈 (Jennifer Smith • CIISA CEO • CRAFT Trustee) ➡Visit thecraft.lol or link