Funding & Awards

The Arts Council is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. We are the main support for artists and arts organisations, offering a broad range of funding opportunities through our Exchequer and National Lottery funds. Our aims and objectives are outlined in our five year strategy document. Policies for individual artforms are contained in our section About the Arts.

NB: For deadlines for funding applications click here

Creative Industries innovation Fund

The fund is open to all creative businesses in Northern Ireland.  You can apply if you are a sole trader, a partnership or if your business is incorporated as a company. The fund is also open to all sectoral development bodies in Northern Ireland.

Click here for more information

 

INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS

Individual artists may apply for funding for international projects or for locally based projects under the Support for the Individual Artist Programme (click here for more information).

For Drama Training Bursaries please click here.

For information about the MacDowell Colony Residency see this guide (Word, Rich Text, PDF)

 

ORGANISATIONS

 

Scheme		Description
Annual Support for Organisations Programme ( ASOP )		Grants for programming costs for organisations running arts programmes through the year
Building		Feasibility, Development and Construction Costs
Equipment		To enable organisations to purchase equipment
Musical Instruments		To enable bands to purchase new instruments
Professional Arts Abroad		To assist organisations to tour their work abroad
Project Funding		To assist organisations to deliver arts projects which contribute to the growth of arts in the community
Public Art		Commissioning Art for Public Spaces
Re-imaging Communities		Small and large grants to improve public spaces
Small Grants Scheme		Grants of £500 to £10,000

 

If you are seeking funding for film-making, this has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission
If you have received funding you may download the Arts Council and Lottery Logo in a variety of formats by clicking here
Contact details for other funding bodies may be found on our useful links page