Guidance Notes for Applicants to The Exhibitions Group Access Grants Scheme 

These Guidance Notes – which you can read or watch below – are for applicants to the Exhibitions Group Access Grant scheme.

In this guidance the terms ‘people with disabilities’ and ‘disabled people’ are used interchangeably to reflect individual preference for person-first and identity-first language.  

The Exhibitions Group are committed to helping cultural organisations improve accessibility and remove barriers to exhibitions for people who face challenges in accessing exhibitions or pursuing careers in the sector. This includes, but is not limited to, d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent people, and people who encounter physical, sensory or cognitive barriers.   

Who is eligible?  

UK-based organisations that hold Volunteer, Small or Medium Organisation level membership of The Exhibitions Group. 

You must be planning to use the grant to support a specific exhibition programmed for 2026 or 2027.  

What is not fundable?  

• The Exhibitions Group will not fund applications that, in our opinion, should be delivered as part of statutory requirements in line with the Equality Act. 
• We will not fund general running costs or salaries not linked to the exhibition.
• We will not fund capital works outside the exhibition scope.
• We will not fund wider exhibition costs not targeted at achieving greater access.
• We will not fund retrospective costs (costs that have already been incurred or activities that have already started).

How much money is available?  

You can apply for a grant from £1,500 to £4,000.  

The Exhibitions Group will look favourably on proposals that demonstrate need and value for money.  

The pot of money available for all grants in 2025-26 is £40,000.  

How do I submit a grant application? 

Refer to these Guidance Notes and fill out an application form available on the website or respond to the video of the application form questions with your own submission video or audio.

We recommend that you prepare your answers before filling out the application form or preparing your video or audio.

 You are able to save the application form and return to it.   

If you prefer to provide answers to the questions on a video or audio file, please email your video link to administrator@theexhibitionsgroup.org.uk. 

You may wish to consider the following when completing your application: 

1. Use clear, plain English. Avoid jargon.

2. Word limits are at the upper limits. You do not need to fill out the space or the time. We welcome succinct and simple applications. 

3. Barriers to access that you might have identified may include 

• Information and interpretation 
• Physical environment 
• Communication 
• Staff knowledge or training 
• Other barriers that you may wish to overcome.

4. Examples of activities you might apply for are: 

• access consultancy including by people with disabilities 
• activities by and co-creation with disabled people 
• accessible interpretation.  This could include, for example, BSL, captioning, audio description, Easy Read, large print, tactile models, sensory engagement and so on.
• physical adjustments to improve access to the exhibition experience  
• accessible programming such as events linked to the exhibition 
• relevant staff and volunteer training 

5. You may wish to frame your proposal using the social model of disability (barriers in society, not the person) or the affirmation model of disability. 

The affirmation model is explained by Disability Arts Online in their podcast: Interview – Podcast ep.69 Disability and…The Affirmation Model 

6. Evaluation:

How will you know what has changed as a result of this improvement?  

What will you want to measure?  

Consider evaluation at the application stage not at a later stage.  

We do not expect a complex or detailed evaluation project. We just want to know what your plans are for assessing success. You may consider evaluating this improvement within a wider evaluation plan.  

The Exhibitions Group will require a short case study summarising what you did and what the results of your action were after implementation.  

7. Other things to consider: 

• Does your proposal clearly answer each question directly? 
• Does your proposal respond to the assessment factors below? 
• Have you clearly identified who will benefit?  
• Have you clearly explained why your proposal is needed and what difference it will make?  
• Have you checked costs and listed all the costs you will need? 
• Have you ensured good value for money?  

How will decisions be made?  

 A panel of assessors including people with disabilities will decide on grants. The panel who assess the application forms will also look for these factors: 

• SMART plan for practical and inclusive access improvement.  

SMART means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed ie with a schedule provided that is realistic.  

• Impact of the intervention. 
• How the grant will directly improve access and inclusivity for disabled people at a specific exhibition  
• Need and opportunity.  

Demonstrable need for the funded action and / or a special opportunity to make a difference.  

This might be because of the subject or reach of the exhibition, the needs of a specific audience or participants’ engagement. 

• Creativity being used to overcome barriers and engage disabled people with the exhibition effectively
• A costed proposal that is good value for money 
• Legacy for the organisation’s exhibitions programme, venue or  exhibition making practice. 

When will I hear back?  

This is the timeline The Exhibitions Group is working to:  

Scheme launch: 15 November 2025  

Deadline for applications: 15 January 2026  

Panel review: Late January 2026  

Grant awards announced:  w/b 2 February 2026  

First tranche of funds released: By end February 2026  

Projects delivery: March 2026 – December 2027  

Final reports due: 31 December 2027  

What will happen if my organisation is successful? 

• You will be notified of success and The Exhibitions Group will prepare a press release announcing successful applications in early February 2026. 
• You will be asked to sign a grant agreement.  
• You will be asked to invoice The Exhibitions Group for 50% of your grant and you will receive payment by the end of February 2026.  
• You will have until 30 December 2027 to complete your project and claim the remaining 50% of your grant. 

The final 50% of your grant will be released after presentation of appropriate evidence of expenditure. These would be:

• Invoices for payments made over £250 and a table of other lesser expenses 
• Submission of a case study demonstrating outcomes against stated ambitions and including photographs or video documentation 
• Submission of a completed evaluation form to The Exhibitions Group detailing the number of visitors to the exhibition, the number of disabled people who have benefited (if possible), the impact of the project and its legacy / next steps for your organisation.