19/01/2009
Any Creative Business in Northern Ireland can now apply to the Creative Industries Innovation Fund, administered through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. There are three levels of funding for different types of project: up to £10,000, up to £50,000 and up to £75,000. Applications to the Fund, Launched in October 08, can be made by sole traders, partnerships, businesses incorporated as companies or sectoral bodies.
Speaking about the new round of funding, Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland added “The Arts Council is pleased to be administering this new fund as it provides the type of support creative business people need to develop and sustain a flourishing creative industries sector. This is not only a key theme of our five-year strategic plan for developing the arts in Northern Ireland, but also supports a government priority.
“One of the challenges facing us over the coming years is to develop the kind of creative and economic environment that will encourage our creative businesses to remain in Northern Ireland, as well as attracting other innovators from around the world to live and work here. This round of new funding for the development of the local creative industries will go some way to establishing such an environment.
There are three levels of grant available:
• For projects up to £10,000, 100% grants are available.
• For business seeking to become active Invest NI clients companies, through a process of strategy and capacity development, a grant of up to 75% is available, up to a max of £75,000.
• In all other cases the maximum grant is 75% up to a max of £50,000.
The Arts Council has a dedicated team for the Creative Industries Innovation Fund and that team is available to advise potential applicants on their projects. Additional support and guidance is available to creative businesses from sectoral support organisations:
• Northern Ireland Screen (www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk. Tel: 028 9023 2444)
• Craft Northern Ireland (www.craftni.org. Tel: 028 9032 3059)
• Northern Ireland Music Industry Commission (www.nimusic.com. Tel: 028 9092 3488)
• Your local enterprise agency
Applications can be made from from 5th Jan 2009, closing 4:00pm 5th February 2009.
Application forms and guidance notes are available to download from the Arts Council’s website at www.artscouncil-ni.org or by contacting the Creative Industries Innovation Fund team at the Arts Council on Tel: (028) 9038 5200, Email innovation@artscouncil-ni.org. Completed forms should be submitted to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Mac Neice House, 77 Malone Road. Belfast. BT9 6AQ.
For more information and an application form, click here
