Boost Bursaries
Boost Your Creative Career with Eastern Angles
Are you a young person or early-career creative looking to kickstart your journey in the arts? Eastern Angles, alongside a brilliant group of partner arts organisations across Ipswich, is excited to announce the return of the Boost Creative Careers Bursary – a programme designed to open real doors into the creative industries.
With seven bursaries of up to £3000, this scheme offers paid, hands-on placements in professional arts settings. Whether you’re into producing, design, technical theatre, marketing, or community engagement, this is your chance to get stuck in, grow your skills, and build your future.
Jake Smith, Artistic Director & CEO at Eastern Angles says:
“This funding allows us to keep building a local creative ecology where everyone is welcome – from young children discovering the magic of learning through play, to older adults expressing their lived experience through theatre. It’s about growing, nourishing, and inviting wonder into the lives of a future generation of artists, audiences, and change-makers.”
Who is it for?
Boost Bursaries are open to creatives aged over 18 who are at the beginning of their careers, with little to no previous professional experience in the arts.
It could be that you’ve just finished college and want to make your first steps in the working world, or you’re looking for a career change and on the lookout for experience in the arts.
We Are Ipswich (WAI) & Participating Organisations
Placements are available with any Ipswich-based arts organisation.
WAI is a self-organising, collaborative group of nationally significant and locally cherished arts organisations, working in and beyond Ipswich town. The group works together to promote the arts and culture at the heart of the town, and to make Ipswich proud of the range, richness and excellence of its culture. All organisations are taking part in the Boost Bursaries scheme.
Partipcating organisations include: DanceEast, Eastern Angles, Gecko, King Street Cinema, New Wolsey Theatre, Red Rose Chain, Outloud Music, SPILL Festival + Think Tank, Ipswich + Colchester Museums, Ipswich Theatres.
This is not an exclusive list of the organisations it is possible to work with through a Boost Bursary.
How to apply
To apply for a Boost Creative Career Bursary, you’ll need an arts organisation who has agreed to support you with a creative opportunity. Once they’re on board, they should contact Eastern Angles Engagement Coordinator Kirsty Tallent at kirsty@easternangles.co.uk to get things rolling.
Funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund, part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda, this programme supports skills, education, wellbeing, and cultural access – helping our communities not just to grow, but to thrive.
At Eastern Angles we believe that creativity belongs to everyone. Through our inclusive, place-based approach, we’re here to champion new voices, unlock opportunities, and create space for everyone to find their place in the arts.
Let’s boost your potential and shape the future together.