Run by the National Centre for Circus Arts, Lab:time is a programme to support early-stage work and R&D through free space and small grants (up to £1500, but usually between £500-800) in four separate strands: Space:time (use of the Creation Studio), Team:time (funds to bring new collaborators into a research process), Tech:time (funds for the purchase or development of new equipment), and High:time (funds to pay for a rigger to support R&D). Applicants can mix and match and apply for a single strand, or to combinations, or to all four.
Lab:time has been funded by The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for the period 2015-2017, during which time there will be twelve funding rounds, with applications opening once every three months.
Any UK-based artist interested in working with circus can apply, and there are no restrictions on where money from the Team/Tech/High funds can be spent. Note though that the programme has been put together to support early-stage work, so is unlikely to accept projects that have already spent a significant amount of time in development.