Funding

Want to inspire literacy and creative writing in your gallery or museum?

The MaxLiteracy Awards are currently closed to applications. Please check back soon.

The Max Reinhardt Charitable Trust, Engage and the National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE), are delighted to announce the MaxLiteracy Awards 2023-24.

MaxLiteracy is a unique opportunity for collaborative and interdisciplinary learning between creative writers in education, visual arts engagement specialists and teachers/educators, to develop innovative and creative practices that nurture creative literacy with young people. To support a greater understanding of, and visibility for, visual arts and writing practices with children and young people, the 2023-24 Awards will focus on practices and pedagogies that relate to art-based writing (writing about, writing with, and writing as art).

Colleagues in visual arts organisations in England, including galleries and art museums, are invited to submit proposals to host MaxLiteracy in 2023-24 supported by the Max Reinhardt Charitable Trust, which will grant three organisations an Award of up to £7,000* to support a dedicated programme of art-based writing with young people in learning settings.

For all the information on how to apply, including the application form, please click the following button:

Apply for funding now

If you have questions about the programme or making a 2023-24 application, please contact maxliteracy@engage.org.

Case studies of MAXLiteracy in action

Teacher? Parent or carer? Gallery educator? Writer looking to work in education?

Kirkleatham Museum

Key Stage 3 (ages 11 - 13)

Sparking intergenerational conversations in partnership with Laurence Jackson School and Poet Kate Fox, developing boy’s literacy through creative writing, co-producing content for a major new exhibition celebrating local industrial heritage.

  • boys
  • journalism
  • poetry
  • social history

The Whitworth

Key stage 4 (ages 13 - 14)

Raising self-esteem and building young people’s resilience, The Whitworth worked in partnership with Trinity Church of England High School and creative writer Johnny Woodhams, to increase levels of literacy across all subject areas.

  • mental health

Kettle’s Yard

Key Stage 1 and 2 (ages 5 – 11)

Maritime artworks and a unique domestic collection inspire year 3 pupils to create messages in bottles and lead family tours. Long term partnerships benefit the whole community.

  • developing vocabulary
  • EAL
  • writing for audience