Fusion Prize

Applications have now closed.

Proposals responded to the following challenge statement:

What new ideas can demonstrate how engagement with creativity and culture can help young Londoners develop the skills they need for the 21st century workplace?

What is the FUSION PRIZE?

The FUSION PRIZE is a ‘Challenge Prize’ – a public call for ideas through a competition, with a prize of £50,000. The deadline for written submissions was 11.59PM on the 17th January 2020.

Six finalists have been chosen, to be awarded £1,000 seed funding to develop their proposal further, and one winner will be awarded £50,000 to pilot their proposal in May 2020.

Successful proposals had to use creative and/or cultural activity to develop fusion skills in young Londoners, so that they can be prepared to thrive in the ever-changing 21st Century workplace. Our definition of fusion skills consists of the following:

Oral communication/presentation skills
Collaboration and teamwork
Initiative
Problem solving
Organisational skills
Adaptability/ﬂexibility
Independent working/autonomy
Written communication
Critical thinking
Resilience
Creativity
Analysis and evaluation skills

Ideas could target one or more or these skills in any combination, although it is not necessary to aim to achieve them all. Read more about fusion skills.

Culture Mile and the Foundation for Future London believe that engaging young people with creative and cultural activities can help them develop what we call ‘Fusion Skills’. We believe, and our research demonstrates, that Fusion Skills are becoming increasingly critical skills for the 21st Century workplace.

The Prize is being run by two of London’s newest cultural and education districts, Culture Mile and the Foundation for Future London at East Bank. These two districts are major partnership and place-based initiatives that embody and seek to promote the value of culture and creativity.

Who could propose ideas?

We called a proposal of a Fusion Skills development solution an Idea. We welcomed Ideas from individuals, groups, commercial companies, not-for-profit organisations, and social enterprises.

Any Idea must have come from a Team made up of one or multiple individuals.

Any UK-based individuals or organisations who are based in, or can physically access, Greater London, were welcomed to propose ideas except the City of London Corporation, Culture Mile Learning partners, or Foundation for Future London and the East Bank partners and their employees.

Teams that are diverse – in terms of experiences, skill sets, and ways of thinking, as well as age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith and ability were particularly welcome.

Teams had to that all of its members and collaborators have the right to work in the UK and can produce evidence of this if requested.

Can I enter?

The application deadline for the first Fusion Prize has now passed. The Fusion Prize finalists have been announced, find our more about the shortlisted teams and ideas here.

To find out how you can enter the next iteration of the Fusion Prize, please sign up to our newsletter for more details.

Eligibility criteria for ideas

Full Team contact details must be supplied, including Company Registration Numbers/Charity Numbers for Ideas proposed by Teams that are Incorporated Companies/Registered Charities

The beneficiaries proposed Ideas must be young Londoners by which we mean children or young adults aged 3-25 years who live, work or attend education in Greater London.

Ideas should aim to enable the development of Fusion Skills among all young Londoners within the target age bracket, or sub-sections of this group whether by age or another subsection (e.g. gender, ethnicity, location, ability, socioeconomic category, context). Focusing your Idea on a subsection in this way will not negatively affect the Judge’s assessment of the Idea.

Team’s proposals had to explain how, in the event of winning the £50,000 Prize money, your Team plans to implement a pilot version of the Idea in collaboration or partnership with one or more artists/creative professionals and/or one or more creative, arts or heritage organisations. These specified artists/creatives/organisations must be based within Greater London for your Idea to be eligible for the Prize.

What is the process and timeline?

18th February 2020

Up to six finalists will be awarded seed funding of £1,000.

March–April 2020

Finalists will be offered support to enhance and develop their proposals. In Proposal Outlines teams should describe the support they may need to further their plans. This can include advice and practical support from the Culture Mile and the East Bank partners. This should be described in as much detail as possible i.e. if you’d like to be connected with a financial expert to assist you in budgeting or you’d like to be put in touch with a teacher to advise you we will endeavour to facilitate this.

24th April 2020, 11.59

Deadline for second version of Proposal Outline to be submitted by email to: culturemilelearning@museumoflondon.org.uk. This will include:

A detailed Budget Breakdown for your pilot project
A project plan for your pilot project
A plan for how impact of your pilot project will be measured and evidenced
An outline of any consultation and/or user testing carried out so far including any evidence of this
Descriptions of the collaborations and partnerships that will support the delivery of your pilot project and letters of commitment from any partner organisations
Proposal outlines must adhere to section word limits and may include appendices as long as these are directly relevant to the proposal.

30th April 2020

Finalists pitch their proposals to the Judging Panel. One Team is chosen for the winning Idea.

May 2020

Award Ceremony and Prize awarded in accordance with payment plan agreed with winning Team.

19th June 2020

Cities of the Future Conference. All finalists wil be provided with the opportunity to attend and present their Ideas to a conference with representation from up to 15 European cities.

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FUSION PRIZE finalists announced

View the press release here to find out about the shortlisted projects.

Register your interest

Enter your details below to register your interest in the FUSION PRIZE and to receive more information by email.

To collaborate with any of the finalists, email culturemilelearning@museumoflondon.org.uk