Overview
The Power of Pop (PoP) Fund is a pooled fund supporting the work of organisations working at the intersection of popular culture and social change in the UK, with a particular focus on migration and racial justice.
Collectively, the work of the funded partners amplifies the experiences and testimonies of Black, people of colour, migrant, refugee and marginalised creatives through bespoke support, network building and cultural production. The PoP Fund directly contributes to Comic Relief’s wider aims of funding approaches to social change that offer something different, think outside the box or offer new thinking to achieve profound impact.
PoP Fund - At a glance
At a glance
Timeframe:
2022-2025 (initially)
Number of funded partners:
6 (and growing)
Value:
£1.16 million (and growing)
Location:
UK
Goals
Growth of the pop culture for social change field in the UK, focusing in particular on organisations working at the intersection of racial justice and migration.
Increased capacity and sustainability of organisations at the cutting edge of this work.
Improved understanding of how to successfully measure and evaluate the impact of pop culture for social change work.
Sustained increase in opportunities to access and influence the broadcast and creative industries for people of colour and those with lived experience of the migration system in the UK.
Greater awareness and recognition of the power of narratives to drive cultural change, learning and engaging with work in this space in the US.
Long term measurable shift in cultural norms around racial justice and migration.
Increased funding into the pop culture for social change field.
Current Funded Partners
Current Funded Partners
We are partnering with the following organisations, all of whom work at the intersection of pop culture and social change, to implement the work on the PoP Fund:
Skin Deep
We Are Bridge
Counterpoints Arts
Reports Popfund
Case Studies
Pop Fund: CASE STUDY OF SKIN DEEP
This case study of Skin Deep, one of the funded partners in the PoP Fund, describes the organisation's background and approaches to change. It also presents some highlights from their work under the PoP Fund as well as their longer term vision as an organisation.
Pop Fund: CASE STUDY OF 2POCC
This case study of 2POCC, one of the funded partners in the PoP Fund, describes the organisation's background and approaches to change. It also presents some highlights from their work under the PoP Fund as well as their longer term vision as an organisation.
POP FUND: CASE STUDY OF WE ARE BRIDGE
This case study of We Are Bridge, one of the funded partners in the PoP Fund, describes the organisation's background and approaches to change. It also presents some highlights from their work under the PoP Fund as well as their longer term vision as an organisation.
Partner Voices
Learning is central to the PoP Fund. It is important to recognise successes, challenges and opportunities in order to help grow and sustain the pop culture for social change field.
A Learning Coordinator is working with the funded partners and pooled funders to help capture and share lessons. Collective learning events bring together the funded partners and co-funders at least once every six months.
Publications
Building narrative and cultural change infrastructure in the UK: Learning from inspirational work in the US
This briefing paper, developed to support the work of the PoP Fund, shares learning from US organisations and reflects on how to grow the pop culture for social change ecosystem in the UK.
Blog: Guiding Principles for the PoP Fund
This blog lists the guiding principles that shape the engagement with and contribution of those involved in the PoP Fund, to create a common understanding and culture around what is expected as the fund develops.
PoP Fund Evaluation Inception report
Comic Relief has contracted a Learning Coordinator to lead on monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) for the PoP Fund. This Inception Report discusses the MEL approach of the fund and presents the Theory of Change and evaluation framework.
Monitoring and Evaluation Toolkit for Pop Culture for Social Change Organisations
This guide, developed to support the Power of Pop (PoP) Fund and its partners, presents Monitoring and Evaluation tools and techniques that can be used to measure and learn from work taking place in the pop culture for social change field.
New Brave World by Alice Sachrajda and Marzena Zukowska, supported by Unbound Philanthropy, March 2021
The PoP Fund is informed by recommendations from the New Brave World report by Alice Sachrajda and Marzena Zukowska, published in 2021. The report explores the power of cultural currents, the opportunities to harness narrative power through content in films, television and gaming, and emphasises the vast, unexplored potential of pop culture for social change in the UK.
Pop Culture for Social Justice: A foundational framework
This framework aims to clarify the logic behind investing in pop culture for social change interventions, with a series of if/then statements to connect the theory underlying this work. Ultimately it aims to show how strategic funding interventions can advance pop culture as a tool for social justice.
CREATIVITY DOES GOOD: BREAKING BREAD AND BARRIERS
A group of our fantastic funded partners met recently to discuss the question - how can we use creativity, entertainment and art to advance racial and migrant justice?
THE POWER OF POP FUND ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ADVISORS
A Community Council of six advisors has been launched to oversee governance of the Power of Pop (PoP) Fund.
The Power of Pop Mixer
On Friday 12th April 2024, we were proud to host the Power of Pop Mixer, a reception bringing together incredible social justice practitioners, artists, academics, funders, friends and colleagues interested in the potential of pop culture as a tool for racial and migrant justice.