Awards for dreamers

The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts is offering nearly £500,000 to 12 top thinkers - all they have to do is dream, writes Tim Greenhalgh.

Next week Nesta will launch a new award scheme to fund a dozen "exceptional individuals". Dream Time fellows will get up to £40,000 for six to 12 months to explore new ideas.

Venu Dhupa, Nesta fellowships director, said: "Our piloting of Dream Time in 2002 allowed us to support some outstanding talent that crossed the boundaries of science, art and technology."

Nesta is looking for people who can demonstrate exceptional achievement in the three areas, such as a significant body of work collated over a minimum ten-year period or an ability to work in new ways.

Details: www.nesta.org.uk/dreamtime