Call for Applications: Circus Project Award (Ireland)

Objectives and Priorities

• Potential circus proposals could be those that:
  • Involve a variety of circus disciplines within a theme-based performance.
  • Allow artists to work with professionals such as choreographers, producers, directors and costume designers to develop work that is new to both the artists involved and audiences.
  • Enable artists to create work that changes their own concepts of current working practices.
  • Enable artists to create work that pushes the boundaries of circus practice in Ireland.
  • The Arts Council has identified the following types of projects as strategic priorities for support through this award:
    • Projects that create opportunities to extend the life of the work by securing a broad range of performance venues within the finite parameters of the project.
    • Projects that reflect a strong relationship and/or level of investment between the artist and project partner(s), and leading to high-quality production values for the completed work.

Funding Information

• You may apply for up to €50,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• The award is open to professional artists and organisations working in circus. To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
  • Be resident in the Republic of Ireland. There are certain exceptions where the Arts Council may deem eligible applications made by those based outside the Republic of Ireland.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Applicants who are not eligible to apply include the following:
  • Organisations currently in receipt of funding under the following Arts Council programmes: Strategic Funding, Arts Centre Funding, Partnership Funding – though the involvement of such organisations as partners is welcome.
  • Organisations or individuals in receipt of 2024 Arts Grant Funding.
  • Individuals who work on an ongoing basis with organisations funded through any of the above programmes.
  • National Cultural Institutions (or their Council members) directly funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
  • Individuals or organisations that do not have a demonstrable track record as professional artists or organisations.
  • Individuals currently in undergraduate education (including those undertaking foundation courses) or who will be during the period for which this award is offered.
  • Individuals seeking support towards fees for postgraduate (including unaccredited)/higher education or study.
  • Note: You cannot apply for the award both as an individual and as part of an organisation – e.g. you cannot apply as artistic director of a company and also apply separately under your own name.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.