Renfrewshire’s cultural sector is to receive a £1million funding boost after Renfrewshire Council confirmed awards through its Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) and a new Cultural Organisation Fund (COF).
The investment will support arts, culture and heritage groups across the area, helping them plan longer-term programmes and cover some core running costs at a time when many organisations face financial pressure.
The newly formed COF is a multi-year funding programme designed to support established Renfrewshire-based cultural organisations. It aims to help groups deliver creative activities for residents and build sustained engagement with the arts.
A total of 13 organisations will receive funding through COF over a three-year period. £690,000 has been awarded from a total funding ask of £1,215,000.
The organisations receiving COF support are Community Circus Paisley, Create Paisley, Erskine Arts, Fèis Phàislig, Loud n Proud, PACE Theatre Company, Paisley Opera, Refractive Scotland, Renfrewshire Disability Arts Forum, Sewing2gether All Nations, Sculpture House Collective, The Art Department and The STAR Project.
Shirley Alexandra, Director of Community Circus Paisley, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the Council’s commitment to cultural funding through the new COF programme. Their support allows Community Circus Paisley to continue our 3-year Additional Support Needs programme, providing a safe, inclusive and joyful space for people with additional support needs to explore circus arts.
“The impact reaches far beyond our organisation — strengthening community connections, supporting families, and ensuring that accessible creative opportunities are available to everyone in Renfrewshire.”
CHEF, first introduced in 2016, continues to support the development and delivery of cultural and heritage projects and events. Since it was launched, more than £1.6million has been awarded to support cultural activity across Renfrewshire.
In the latest round, 27 organisations and artists will benefit, with £324,234 awarded from a total funding ask of £384,834.
Those receiving CHEF funding are Paisley International Tango Festival, Brick Lane Music Academy, Bungalow Enterprises, Casci Ritchie, Cycle Arts Renfrewshire, Erskine Arts, Fablevision, Fèis Phàislig, Johnstone Textile Space, Katy West, Lil Brookes, Linzi Clark, Live Music Now Scotland, Lochwinnoch Arts Festival, Loud n Proud, Paisley YMCA, Peter Gilchrist, Refractive Scotland, Renfrewshire Model Railway Club, Renfrewshire Tapestry Group, RIG Arts, Right2Dance, SAMA Events, Sewing2gether All Nations, Soundplay Projects, Stephen Clancy and The Art Department.
Ali Whitty, Managing Director of Erskine Arts, said: “The funding from CHEF has enabled Erskine Arts to deliver an exciting live events programme, bringing artists like Barbara Dickson, Sanjeev Kohli, Tom Stade and many more to Erskine.
“This investment helps us attract more established acts, supports our long-term sustainability through box office income, and ensures our community can enjoy high-quality live culture right on their doorstep. We are very excited about what this fund will allow us to do over the next two years.”
The £1million investment in cultural funding grants was approved by Renfrewshire Council in 2025.
To help decide how the funding should be allocated, the council held an in-person workshop and carried out a survey of previous cultural grant recipients to better understand the sector’s needs and priorities.
Councillor Iain Nicolson, Leader of Renfrewshire Council, said: “We have been supporting organisations in Renfrewshire with cultural grants since 2016 and, through engagement with the sector, know the benefit this has brought to grant recipients and the communities where they work.
“The continuation of the Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) is assisting in further nurturing and embedding these benefits, helping organisations and practitioners to move towards more robust and sustainable positions. This includes more partnership working and using networks to further ambition and collaboration.
“The new Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) answers the sector’s call for a multi-year funding programme and helps provide more stability for local organisations, supporting them to deliver creative programming and long-term engagement with communities at a time when funds are being cut elsewhere.
“Under the Future Paisley programme which came to a close in 2024, more than £2.6m had been awarded to local artists, creative organisations and community groups through cultural funding grants, helping to support the growth of local talent and allow more cultural activity to be programmed in the area. This additional £1million being invested across Renfrewshire recognises our continued commitment to the area’s ongoing cultural regeneration.”