Small and medium sized enterprises throughout the European Union can access funding under the Capacities programme area of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to undertake collaborative R&D projects.

The ‘Research for the Benefit of SMEs’ programme provides financial support to SMEs across the European Union to engage with RTD performers – such as universities and public research institutes – to undertake research and technological development projects to increase their research efforts, extend their networks, and acquire technological know how.

The SME partners utilise the research results and technological developments delivered by the RTD performer to further the development and improvement of new or existing products, systems, processes or services. Projects are driven by the needs of the SME partner and can address any research topic.

Projects must involve at least three independent SMEs, established in three different Member States or associated countries, and at least two independent RTD performers. The project budget is typically between €0.5 million and €1.5 million over one or two years.

The current call for proposals (opens in new window) was issued in July closes on 08 December.

Full details are available from the Cordis website (opens in new window).

Source: Cordis/Enterprise Europe Network, 17/08/10

Start-up businesses in the UK have until 03 September to enter the 2010 Startups Awards and be recognised as one of the most outstanding and innovative new businesses of 2010.

The awards are open to businesses that are privately owned and have been trading for less than three years at the deadline date.

There are fifteen categories for application, with one overall Business of the Year award:

• Startups Business of the Year – the overall Startups Award winner, chosen from the winners of the other 15 categories.
• Online Business of the Year – for businesses that derive at least 60% of turnover from online transactions.
• Green Business of the Year – for businesses that have improved their environmental profile through reducing carbon footprint, cutting energy bills or reducing waste and emissions.
• Innovative Business of the Year – for businesses that have demonstrated outstanding innovation in launching a groundbreaking product or service.
• Service Business of the Year – for the best start-up service industry businesses.
• Product of the Year – to recognise the best product launched by a start-up business.
• Business Angel/VC Backed Business of the Year – for start-up businesses using private investor finance or venture capital.
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year – open to under-30s who have started a business in the past three years.
• Home-based Business of the Year – for the most successful home-based start-up.
• The Adversity Award – to recognise entrepreneurs who have overcome serious personal, financial or physical challenges in establishing their business.
• Women in Business Award – open to business women who have founded or co-founded their own business and are providing inspiration and positive encouragement for women to enter business.
• Social Enterprise of the Year – for enterprises that redistribute profits or operate to benefit a social or environmental cause.
• Craft Business of the Year – for all types of craft business.
• Mobile Business of the Year – for companies operating a ‘mobile strategy’ as part of their business.
• Franchisee of the Year – for businesses that have established or grown a franchise brand in the past three years.
• Business Plan of the Year – for entrepreneurs who can demonstrate an outstanding business plan to establish or expand a business.

See the Startups Awards website for further information or to apply (opens in new window).

Source: Startups Awards, 20/08/10

Only Connect is a small bursary scheme managed by NCVO that allows you to learn from colleagues in the sector about they have diversified their income through trading, public service delivery or by using loan finance. You receive £150 to enable you to visit another organisation and they receive £200 consultancy fee to host you. The next round closes on 10 September – read about Only Connect.

NAN Go and See bursaries for Artists

The NAN Bursaries form part of a programme of work within the NAN initiative that aims to facilitate exchange, dialogue and collaboration amongst visual artists whatever their practice and location. They are enabled thanks to the continued financial commitment of a-n The Artists Information Company and its subscribers. The NAN Go and See bursaries are designed to support exchange between artists’ groups and networks, in the UK or elsewhere, in order to explore new projects and provide a focus for critical exchange.

Value:
Award up to £500.

2010 deadlines:
6pm, September 2010
6pm, 1 December 2010

How to apply:
Download an application form here »

The Poliovirus Endgame: Create Ways to Accelerate, Sustain and Monitor Eradication

Create the Next Generation of Sanitation Technologies

Design New Approaches to Cure HIV Infection

Create New Technologies to Improve the Health of Mothers and Newborns

Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Applications for Priority Global Health Diseases

 Initial grants will be US $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of up to US $1 million.

Grant proposals are being accepted until 2nd November 2010. For further information see

http://www.grandchallenges.org/Explorations/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Call for All Creative’s and Scientists: Factory Night@Dove Marine Laboratory

Thursday 16^th September 2010, 6pm-9pm

FACTORY NIGHTS 2009-2010 PROGRAMME

Factory Nights at Dove Marine will be an inspiring working sessions that brings together scientists and artists. The artists will be from a variety of disciplines, including visual artists, photographers, writers, poets, musicians, and filmmakers. Scientists from any field are welcome.

Factory Nights is not a discussion event, seminar or workshop.

Factory Nights are free and informal sessions that simply provide an opportunity for creative people to come together in an interesting venue and supportive environment to make work or initiate ideas. Artists and scientists attending will be invited to bring to the sessions something they have been working on as a starting point to networking/collaborating and to develop new ideas inspired by the space and other attendees.

NEW commissions/ NEW collaborations for Factory Nights 2009-2010:  

Artists and Scientists that attend the Dove Marine Lab Factory Night will have the opportunity to submit a brief proposal to rednile for help with the development of a new idea or initiation of a new collaboration which has been inspired by the session or with another guest on the night.

This commission opportunity is part of North Tyneside’s Year of the Arts 2010-11 and will be linked to the Winslow Homer centenary events taking place around Cullercoats dramatic coast that was inspiration for his much loved paintings.

rednile are commissioning a series of writers to respond to this new concept of collaboration and initiating projects which will result in a research publication.  Anyone attending the Factory Nights could be selected to feature in this publication.

Format of the Night:

12 artists from a variety of disciplines with a specialism or interest in science will be invited through rednile.

12 scientists with an interest in expanding their research or collaborating with an artist will be invited through Dove Marine Lab.

The group will spend only one night together in the Marine lab for approximately 2-3 hours in a relaxed and informal setting. All attendees will bring along a project or piece of research they have been working on.  This is not to do a presentation but rather to use as a starting point when meeting other guests and to use as inspiration for possible collaborations.

PLACES ARE LIMITED TO 12, ARTISTS WISHING TO ATTEND ARE INVITED TO EMAIL INFO@REDNILE.ORG WITH:

• 200 Words on their current practice including what they would like to present to the group and what you hope to get out of the night
• List of 3 relevant Commissions/residencies/funding received
• Attach 3 pieces/images of recent relevant artworks at low resolution /or links to video or sound works

DEADLINE FRIDAY 3^RD SEPTEMBER 5PM

SUCCESSFUL ARTISTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY TUESDAY 7^TH SEPTEMBER

Background Information:

For over one hundred years the Dove Marine Laboratory has played a pivotal role in contributing to our understanding of fisheries science, marine organismal biology, ecology, and of human impacts on our oceans. Marine science is a research area of global importance in the 21st century, with issues such as climate change, biodiversity and habitat loss, ocean acidification and marine species invasions challenging our expertise and capabilities, and the Dove continues to contribute both nationally and internationally to these endeavours.  Marine science is also furthering biotechnological and pharmaceutical competence through the development of novel techniques and new drugs. It opens up the possibility of providing protein for global human populations through sustainable aquaculture technologies. Our oceans and seas are clearly a new ‘frontier’ in which sustainable development in this age of critical population growth must be addressed. Since 2002 the Dove Marine Laboratory has been located within Newcastle Universities School of Marine Science and Technology, the broadest-based marine school in Europe. Fields embraced by the School include engineering, biology, naval architecture, coastal management, environmental sustainability and small craft technology. The strength of the School lies in bringing together the expertise from such diverse disciplines in exciting research and educational programmes.

This Factory Night follows on from the successful collaboration with Dove by artist  Cath Keay. During her research at Dove, Cath made a series of  text-based terracotta sculpturesthat were submerged to be colonised by marine organisms.  Cath will be attending the Factory Night and co-hosting the tour element.

MAP AND DIRECTIONS:  University of Newcastle Upon Tyne: Dove Marine Laboratory, Cullercoats, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE30 4PZ‎

Refreshments and sketch/Note books will be provided 

Funded and supported by:

The Dove Factory Night is funded by North Tyneside Council as part of North Tyneside’s Year of the Arts 2010-11

Other Factory Night Funders include: Arts Council England and Northern Rock Foundation

Apologies for any cross postings

You have been e-mailed as you have had previous contact with rednile- if you wish to be removed from our mailing list please reply to this email with the instruction to ‘unsubscribe.’

Aims of Factory Nights:

Factory Nights were developed in 2008 by rednile Projects Ltd, the unique and experimental nights are now happening throughout the UK and more recently internationally. Factory Nights bring together an interesting mix of people that would not normally meet in an inspiring environment or ‘hidden gem.’

The aims of the nights include opening up art, challenging the creative process, forging relationships with businesses, communities and those outside of the arts whilst utilizing interesting and often overlooked venues and buildings.

The programme will also build upon rednile’s relationships with business that have developed over the last 6 years and aim to increase the opportunity for more cultural projects and arts commissions whilst informing local authority and businesses of local talent.

www.rednile.org

For more information on North Tyneside Year of the Arts see North Tyneside  Councils website

Become a member of the NEW Factory Nights Facebook group: FACEBOOK group page

Become a FAN of rednile Projects and keep up to date with the latest opportunities and events: rednile FACEBOOK fan page

–
–
Artist/Founder

rednile Projects Ltd
www.rednile.org

Become a fan and keep up to date with the latest rednile opportunities and events…
http://www.facebook.com/pages/rednile-Projects-Ltd/156935043717

The Technology Strategy Board has announced that it is to invest up to £5 million in collaborative research and development projects that will demonstrate how businesses may increase revenues from the metadata relating to their digital content.

Through this competition, the Technology Strategy Board will invest in collaborative R&D projects that will develop prototypes, demonstrators, tools or solutions to address this challenge.  The competition, which opens on the 13th September 2010, will fund two types of projects.  Firstly, fast-track projects, which must be led by creative industry SMEs. 

The total value of each project must be less than £100,000 and they should be completed within 12 months.  The Technology Strategy Board will invest up to £600,000 in such projects.  Secondly, mainstream projects of more than £100,000 total project value, which must be business-led.  The Technology Strategy Board will invest up to £4.4 million in these projects, which will typically last between 1 and 2 years.

There is comfortable space for 3 people, and the office benefits from excellent natural lighting, power points, security is decorated to a high quality and fully carpeted. It can include, if required office equipment, e.g. desks, ICT and telephony services, filing etc. with access to ground floor meeting room, kitchen and other communal areas.

The Junction are pleased to be able to offer the opportunity to access good quality, recently refurbished office space at The Junction base 19 Station Road, Redcar TS10 1AN for reasonable and competitive rates.

 01642 756000 and/or email info@thejunctionredcar.com” The Junction has available a meeting room which can accommodate 8-10 people which is available for hire. Our rate are £12:00 per hour with a discounted rate of £8.75 per hour for charities, social enterprises and community based organisations. Access to ICT and presentation equipment is available on request. For more information contact: call01642 756000 and/or email info@thejunctionredcar.com Need access to a Desk, pc, telephone etc for a short period of time? Please contact us we would love to talk with you.Training for groups-lifeskills?Also available is a fully equipped kitchen, including food preparation, laundry facilities and even a Shower room. Excellent resource for working with small groups to support Life skills learning and personal development. For more information please contact: 01642 756000 and/or emailinfo@thejunctionredcar.com

The office benefits from the security of the building, location in central Redcar. The Junction would welcome interest from like minded organisations who are interested in developing and improving partnership working. For information please call

Meeting room, “Hot Desking” and facilities hire.

Need space for a short term, for “Hot Desking” meetings?

Hot Desk

Filmmakers are invited to capture the spirit of London’s cycling revolution by creating a three-minute short film. The best films will be showcased at a special event at the BFF in October and submitted for inclusion in the 2011 BFF programme – which will be shown in 39 countries. 

There is one cash prize of £1,000 and the closing date for applications is the 6th September 2010.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/16473.aspx

The Arthur Guinness Fund will award grants to social entrepreneurs that will total about £6m by 2012.

The fund has also announced a three-year partnership with Ashoka, a global association of more than 2,500 social entrepreneurs.

With Ashoka’s help, the fund will select 30 candidates over the next three years. Those chosen will receive financial, practical and strategic support to run projects that bring about social change.

A spokesman for the Arthur Guinness Fund said he was unable to confirm the average size of the grants it will award because they varied so much.

According to its website, the fund picks candidates who are “fiercely committed to their idea and dedicated to refining, testing and spreading their vision”.

The fund was set up in 2009 in memory of Arthur Guinness, founder of the Guinness brewery business. It is funded by Guinness & Co and has awarded funding to projects in the UK, Ireland, Africa, Indonesia and the United States.

Bill Carter, senior vice-president of Ashoka, said: “The social entrepreneurs create deep and lasting impact in their communities and inspire future generations along the way.

“With the support of the Arthur Guinness Fund, Ashoka will be able to welcome even more of these leading social entrepreneurs into our community and demonstrate the world over that everyone, not just an elite few, can create positive and lasting change.”

The application process for the grants starts on 28 September. To apply, go to http://www.guinness.com/?gfg

To enter, UK-based bands have to simply create a profile on the Playground website, add their music and invite friends to join& vote for them. The most popular track voted from the most unique IP addresses wins the 1st place prize and the next most popular wins the 2nd place prize. The 1st place winner will receive a recording deal worth £10,000 with an internationally respected producer. The Playground will then provide and arrange digital distribution via global leader, The Orchard, hold an EP launch at one of its events with the winner taking the main support slot, and will feature an editorial on the Playground website.  The 2nd place winner will receive a single recording deal and PR and marketing package courtesy of The Playground PR worth £5000 which will include visual product development , UK national & regional radio plugging, UK national &regional online and print press promotion and digital distribution from The Playground via The Orchard. 

The deadline for entry is 11:59 pm on Monday 4th October 2010 with the winners being announced on the 6th October 2010….

http://www.theplayground.co.uk/competition/