Applications invited for Acorn Fund Bursaries which aim to ‘Inspire’ local young people

A bursary scheme for young people from Derry has this week opened for applications. The Acorn Fund Inspire Bursary, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, seeks to award grants of up to £3,000 to young people with disabilities, to help them pursue training in their chosen arts. Successful applicants will receive mentored support during and following their award period from the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland’s Acorn Fund, and will in turn act as mentors for future bursary recipients. Since 2014, 14 young people have received bursaries of between £2k and £3k, and have been mentored in acting, singing, filmmaking, drumming dancing and horticulture. Earlier this year 25-year-old Jonathan Woods from the city was awarded a bursary to work alongside Mhairi Sutherland, a professional visual artist.

Over the course of eight-weeks Jonathan reignited his passion for art, was introduced to new mediums such as charcoal and Indian ink and developed a range of skills that will help him in other areas of his life. Speaking about the bursary Jonathan (pictured) said: “I was encouraged to apply for one of the bursaries as I’d always had an interest in art and was told by my teachers at school that I was quite good at it. I didn’t think I would be capable of this though, it’s been possible because of the mentoring with Mhairi.” Jonathan’s first-ever solo exhibition was hosted in the Void Gallery in Derry~Londonderry and he is now considering applying to third level education to further his talents.