Art grants are divided into three categories:
- Large (£1000 – £2000)
- Medium (£100 – £1000)
- Small (under £100)
The Application process has two stages…
The First Stage is a super-low-effort way to ‘Share your dream”.
This puts your idea on the art team’s radar; allows us to iron out any upfront issues; connect you to other people who can help (if that’s what you want); and then give you the support to develop a fully costed proposal
The Second Stage is where you’ll develop your idea, refine your design and build a fully costed proposal that we can then fund through the grant process.
Deadlines for 2026
| Share your dream by | Full application by | |
|---|---|---|
| Large (£1000 – £2000) | Now closed | 15th February |
| Medium (£100 – £1000) | Now closed | 15th February |
| Small (under £100) | 1st April | 15th April |
- Applications are reviewed every two weeks. The selection criteria are…
- Is this Art that would enhance Nest?
- Does the Artist have the resources to deliver this?
Is this a good use of Nest’s budget?
What we fund and how to get reimbursed
We like to be as transparent as possible with our grant process. Before you apply, please have a read through our guidelines!
Receipts
Artists will need to keep receipts of all purchases related to their artwork, and will be reimbursed up to their grant amount upon sharing these receipts with the Finance Lead. Please note that Nest are unable to reimburse costs for which there is no valid receipt, or any purchases which fall outside the artwork’s approved budget.
Artists can request an advance of 70% of the total approved budget for purchasing materials up front. To receive the advance Artists will need to sign a contract committing to bringing the art to Nest and to providing receipts.
If you are offered a grant, you will get an email from the Finance Lead with instructions on how to officially accept your grant and how to get reimbursed.
Transport
We ask artists to try and be self-sufficient with transporting their art to and from Nest, including connecting with other artists and theme camps to share resources. However, we are aware that this can be a significant hurdle for some art, and are currently exploring whether we can pool transport for artists from key locations.
Tools
Artists must bring their own tools needed to build and strike their projects, and for any maintenance they may need during the week. Although Nest has some tools, these will be used by the build and strike team for general infrastructure and are prioritised for that purpose.
Build & Strike
Artists are responsible for safely building their art piece on site and for completely removing it from site after the event. Nest has no facilities for storing your art or for disposing of it on your behalf.
Things we can fund
Materials
for the construction of Physical Art, Performance Art and Art Cars. For example: wood, metal, screws, LEDs, fabrics, costumes, props etc.
3rd party professional services or workspace hire (hackspace / maker space etc)
are refunded only in some special cases, by prior agreement. As a general rule, we prefer that building be done by yourself as much as possible; but in cases when you don’t have the equipment or skill necessary for building a certain part, it may be OK to rent facilities or pay someone to do it instead. Ask us before contracting any services!
Things we don’t fund
- Artist fees or salaries. Your participation in Nest is not for profit. The time and energy you spend making the art is a gift to the other participants.
- Personal transportation costs or your ticket to Burning Nest (any artists unable to afford full-price tickets are encouraged to apply for low-income tickets if needed)
- The purchase of tools, sound systems, solar panels and other items with a long life or a high resale and reuse value. The only exception to this is when these items get modified so much that they become an inseparable part of the artwork.
- Alcohol or other intoxicants
- Anything illegal
- Food – If you simply want to feed people, then that is considered a ‘gift’ rather than ‘art’
- Large camp infrastructure, such as generators, domes, pavilions, stages, lighting & sound equipment or pre-built durable items intended to build out a camp space (we recommend this come from camp fees and your own fundraising as a camp)
- DJ equipment
commercial promotional materials - high powered lasers or anything deemed unsafe
- gifts or swag
Other restrictions
- No high powered lasers. If you plan to mount lasers in your project please include specific details and plans related to the lasers you plan to use.
- All art that includes fire must get approval of the health and safety team, and if approved, have adequate fire suppression materials on hand at all times and be attended by a competent, sober adult at all times that flames are present.
Things to think about when bringing art to Nest
- If the art is an outdoor structure, how will it be lit at night so participants don’t run into it and hurt themselves or break it?
- Can it be built for easy transportation? How will you get the art to the site?
- Are there any health hazards or danger to the environment?
Is it “moopy” i.e. will it create small pieces of material that could easily come off it? - How will it be set up to withstand any weather that could arrive – high speed winds, heavy rain, etc? Could it become a hazard in such an event? How can you secure it so it doesn’t?
- What tools will be needed to build and strike the structure, or to maintain it, and how will you get them to & from site?
For any further information or questions please email us at arts@burningnest.co.uk