Deadline: 4 April 2024
Apply for the Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme 2024 to provide opportunities for babies and young children to explore and enjoy the arts with the support of artists, early-years educators, school-age practitioners, families and carers.
Priority will be given to proposals that provide meaningful opportunities for babies and young children to explore and engage with the arts; while supporting artists, early-years educators, school-age practitioners, families and carers to collaborate, share learning, and develop their capacity in this area. Proposals should include a considered approach to documentation, evaluation and reflection, and should have the capacity to inform wider practice.
Strands
- Strand 1: Early Learning and Childcare
- This strand supports partnerships between artists/arts organisations and Tusla-registered early learning and care (ELC) and/or school-age childcare (SAC) services. Eligible services include community and private services, ELC services, ELC and SAC combined services, and stand-alone SAC services.
- Strand 2: International Protection (birth–6-year-olds)
- This strand supports partnerships between artists/arts organisations and those working with children from Ukraine and others who have been impacted by war, displacement and loss. Proposals should be centred in trauma-informed practice. Projects can be facilitated within local Stay and Play sessions, parent-and-toddler groups or other locations that support Ukrainian and other children seeking international protection from birth to 6 years of age.
- Strand 3: Combined Contexts
- You should apply for this strand if your proposal includes services that meet the requirements of Strand 1 and other services that meet the requirements of Strand 2.
Funding Information
- Applicants may apply for a total maximum amount of €40,000.
- Proposals should take place within a twelve-month period beginning in 2024. In order to provide sufficient time for proposals to be assessed and decisions to be communicated, proposals should have a start date no earlier than June 2024.
Who can apply?
- The scheme is open to artists and arts organisations based in the Republic of Ireland.
- Artists/arts organisations must partner with one or more eligible services, and must include a draft MOU for each service that forms part of their proposal or a draft MOU with their local City/County Childcare Committee.
- Artists/arts organisations may specialise in any artform or combination of artforms.
- To be eligible to apply, you must be:
- Based/resident in the Republic of Ireland. We may consider your application if you are based outside the Republic of Ireland. However, your application would have to convince us that your proposal would benefit the arts in the Republic of Ireland.
- A professional practising artist, or an organisation working with professional practising artists. Even though individual artists involved in a proposal might not earn income continuously or exclusively from their arts practice, they must identify themselves and be recognised by their peers as professional practising artists.
For more information, visit The Arts Council.
