Literature Bursary Award – English Language (Ireland)

The award seeks to provide writers and picture book artists with the time and resources to think, research, reflect, create and write. It enables writers and picture book artists to concentrate on their creative work for a period of time, usually by releasing them from their financial commitments.

Funding Information

• Funding will be offered at fixed amounts. You should apply for one of the following amounts:
  • €20,000
  • €15,000
  • €10,000

What you can apply for?

• Fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction (memoir and essays)
• Graphic novels
• Children’s fiction and poetry
• Illustrated picture books

What you can’t apply for?

• Screenwriting
• Journalism
• Religious writing
• Professional, instructional or academic writing

What may you not apply for?

• You may not apply for more than one bursary award in any artform or artspractice area in the same funding round – e.g. submitting two applications for a Film Bursary Award or applying for a Dance Bursary Award and a Theatre Bursary Award.
• Activities and costs that you may not apply for include the following:
  • Activities or costs that do not fit the purpose of the award
  • Activities that are better suited to another award funded by the Arts Council or operated by other state agencies, such as Culture Ireland
  • Activities that have already been completed or that will have commenced before a decision is made on your application
  • 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.
  • Activities undertaken for charity-fundraising purposes, for participation in a competition, or for primarily profit-making purposes
  • Self-publishing – the publication of books and other media by their own authors rather than by established publishers
  • Proposals to pursue activities or proposals that are not included in ‘literary writing’
  • Applications for large-scale capital costs

Who can apply?

• The award is open to professional writers or picture-book artists working in all genres and forms. 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 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
  • 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.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.