Arts Council England www.artscouncil.org.uk

"Arts Council England works to get more art to more people in more places. We develop and promote the arts across England, acting as an independent body at arm's length from government. Between 2006 and 2008, we will invest £1.1 billion of public money from government and the National Lottery in supporting the arts. This is the bedrock of support for the arts in England.

"We believe that the arts have the power to change lives and communities, and to create opportunities for people throughout the country. Our ambition for 2006-8 is to put the arts at the heart of national life and people at the heart of the arts."

Performing Right Society Foundation  www.prsfoundation.co.uk

The PRS Foundation is now the UK's largest independent funder solely for new music of any genre. Launched in March 2000, PRS Foundation (PRSF) is an independent charity Its main aims are to encourage, promote and stimulate the creation and performance of all genres of music and to help people have a positive experience of new music.

Since its launch at Abbey Road studios in March 2000, PRSF has assisted over 800 organisations to the tune of nearly £4 million, supporting a diverse range of new music activities, including many unique and ground-breaking projects and collaborations. In addition, PRSF actively supports new music projects throughout the UK, which help to inspire musical creativity in young people.

It does this through a wide range of funding schemes which each have their own application forms (all available from the website) and deadlines staggered throughout the year. The PRS Foundation prides itself on being a model of good practice within the arts funding system, with simple application forms, a fast turn around on decision-making and an open door policy.