Arts Council announces Film Bursary Award 2025 (Ireland)

Objective

• The objectives of the Film Bursary Award are to support the professional development of practising film artists by enabling them to spend focused time developing their creative practice as film artists, and to support professional film artists whose practice is concerned with making artistically-authored, experimental and non-narrative cinematic work.

Priority Areas

• The Arts Council has identified the following as a strategic priority for support through this award:
  • Film artists who wish to develop their practice in making artistically authored, experimental and non-narrative cinematic work, and who would not ordinarily be supported to do so by other funding bodies or agencies in Ireland.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount that may be awarded to each successful applicant is: €20,000.
• The minimum amount that can be applied for is: €5,000.
• The bursary is available for up to one year; multi-annual awards will not be made.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
  • Be professional practising film 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.
  • 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.

Ineligibility Criteria

• People not eligible to apply include the following:
  • Individuals currently in undergraduate education (including those participating in 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
  • If you are in full-time employment, you must be seeking time away from employment to work on your practice, and how you plan to approach this should be outlined in your application
  • Aosdána members in receipt of a Cnuas.

Assessment Criteria

• All applications are assessed against criteria of:
  • Artistic quality
  • How they meet the objectives and priorities of the award
  • Feasibility

For more information, visit Art Council.