The Art Council Dance Bursary Award (Ireland)

Objectives

• The Dance Bursary Award is intended to enable the applicant artist to do one or more of the following:
  • Spend focused time on working at their practice
  • Spend time researching and developing a new idea for future dissemination
  • Spend time developing their technical skills in a particular area
  • Spend time working with a mentor or collaborator(s) to develop an idea or to assist in developing or upskilling within a particular area of their practice or an area related to their practice
  • Develop an idea in collaboration with a potential production partner(s)
  • Undertake a short period of training by way of master classes or other professional training opportunities (whether national or international)
  • Purchase a limited amount of equipment and materials to assist with the development of their practice (Note: this can be no more than 15% of the value of the overall request for support)
• Potential proposals could be those that:
  • Are from professional dance artists who wish to develop their arts practice through a period of self-directed research
  • Are from emerging dance artists who wish to develop their arts practice through a structured mentoring relationship
  • Are from professional dance artists who wish to develop their arts practice through formal residencies in conjunction with national and/or international dance organisations.

Strategic Priorities

• The Arts Council has identified the following as strategic priorities for support through this award:
  • Applicants who demonstrate a clear articulation of artistic aims and rationale for undertaking a period of creative reflection
  • Applications that strengthen the practice and development of dance artists involved in formal residencies in conjunction with national and/or international dance organisations
  • Applications that support the ongoing sustainability of dance activities in a variety of regional contexts.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount that may be awarded to each successful applicant is: €20,000
• The minimum that can be applied for is €5,000.
• Please note that your application will be deemed ineligible if you apply for more than the maximum (unless you are applying for additional access costs) or less than the minimum amount stated.

Who can apply?

• The award is open to professional artists working in all genres and at all stages in their professional careers. To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
  • Be resident in the Republic of Ireland. However, they may accept applications from outside the Republic of Ireland. In this case, you must detail in your application form how your proposal would benefit the arts in the Republic of Ireland. They would need to be satisfied with your explanation.
  • Be professional practising artists – although they might not earn income continuously or exclusively from their arts practice, applicants must identify themselves and be recognised by their peers as professional practising artists.

Who cannot apply?

• People who are not eligible to apply include the following:
  • Individuals currently in undergraduate education (including those undertaking foundation courses).
  • Individuals seeking support towards fees for postgraduate (including unaccredited)/higher education or study
  • Individuals seeking support towards work undertaken as part of a formal course of study
  • Individuals seeking support towards the costs of undertaking an internship
  • They cannot accept applications from those employed or contracted on a fulltime basis by an arts organisation funded through Arts Council programmes or through direct state subsidy or by a commercial arts entity
  • Aosdána members in receipt of a cnuas.

For more information, visit The Art Council.