Apply Now: The Arts Council Reel Art Award 2024 (Ireland)

At least two films will be supported in 2024. The films must be completed to premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival, their exhibition partner, in February 2026. Applicants will be notified in July 2024 if they have been shortlisted and a selection panel will be convened. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to discuss the details of their proposals with the selection panel, expected to be convened in July 2024.

The Arts Council’s purpose in offering the Reel Art Award is to support film artists to make documentary art films that would not otherwise get made. The award offers film artists a unique opportunity to make artistic film works on arts subjects. Film artists should have a passion for their subject and be able to transpose this to the screen.

Projects should be conceived for theatrical exhibition at film festivals and in arthouse/cultural-cinema settings. Only proposals for original, imaginative and aesthetically driven treatments of arts subjects will be considered, while proposals that offer visually engaging, creative and experimental approaches to their subject will be prioritised.

A Reel Art Award film is not a television documentary. Subjects and treatments that are televisual rather than filmic will not be considered. Proposals for biographic treatments of artists will only be considered in exceptional cases where the proposed approach is particularly unique.

A key aim of the Reel Art Award is to complement, rather than duplicate, the documentary and other funding programmes offered by the Arts Council, broadcasters and funding agencies in Ireland.

Funding Information

• A total fund of up to €135,000 will be made available to each of the successful applicants (to include a production budget of up to €120,000 and further exhibition support of up to €15,000).
• Only films that can be made within this budget will be considered.

Ineligible Activities

• Activities and costs that you may not apply for include the following:
• Script or project development
• Activities and costs that do not fit the purpose of the award, including:
  • Conventional film (e.g. mainstream short film, animation) and television drama
  • Documentaries that are not based on an arts subject
  • Moving-image projects for exhibition in galleries – such projects are more suited to the Visual Arts Project Award
  • Activities delivered in a formal education setting (including work for PhD programmes)
  • Activities that are focused on the business of film-making
  • Completion funding
• Major capital purchases
• Ongoing core costs
• Activities that are more suited to another award funded by the Arts Council or operated by other state agencies, including broadcasters, Screen Ireland or Culture Ireland
• Activities that have already taken place
• Activities undertaken for charity fundraising purposes, for participation in a competition, or for primarily profit-making purposes
• Activities that have already been assessed by the Arts Council, unless you demonstrate that you have developed the proposal since previously applying or if the Council has specifically advised you to redirect your application to this award. Please bear in mind that such advice is not an indication of a successful outcome.

Who can apply?

• The award is open to individual film artists or the film artist’s production company.
• 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.

Who cannot apply?

• Applicants who are not eligible to apply include the following:
• Individuals currently in undergraduate or postgraduate education or who will be during the period for which this award is offered.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.