Open call for Traditional Arts Bursary Award – Ireland

Objectives and Priorities

• The objective of the Traditional Arts Bursary Award is to support the professional development of practising artists by enabling them to do one or more of the following:
  • Spend focused time working at their practice
  • Spend time researching/thinking about/developing a new idea for future dissemination
  • Spend time developing their technical skills in a particular area
  • Spend time developing/learning new skills related to their practice or area of interest
  • Spend time working with a mentor, or collaborator(s) to develop an idea, or to assist in developing or upskilling within a particular area of their practice, or an area related to their practice
  • Spend time developing an idea in collaboration with a potential production partner(s)
  • Undertake a short period of training by way of master classes or other professional training opportunities (whether national or international)
  • Purchase a limited amount of equipment and materials to assist with the development of their practice (Note: this can be no more than 15% of the value of the overall request for support)
  • Spend time undertaking a combination of the above activities.
• The award emphasises the value and benefit to an artist’s development derived from an extended process of engagement with their practice. The award therefore provides artists with the time and resources to think, research, reflect and engage with their art practice. Potential proposals could be those that support the applicant to:
  • Compose a piece of work in the tradition or in collaboration with musicians in other genres
  • Choreograph a piece of dance within the tradition or in collaboration with dance artists in other genres
  • Explore traditional style and repertoire in the fields of music, song, dance or storytelling, including informal mentorship programmes with established individuals or masters in these areas
  • Develop a body of work from the tradition and/or in collaboration with other artforms.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount that may be awarded to each successful applicant is: €20,000
• The minimum that can be applied for is: €5,000
• Please note that your application will be deemed ineligible if you apply for more than the maximum (unless you are applying for additional access costs) or less than the minimum amount stated.

Who can apply?

• The award is open to professional artists working in all genres and at all stages in their professional careers. 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
  • They cannot accept applications from those employed or contracted on a fulltime basis by an arts organisation funded through Arts Council programmes or through direct state subsidy or by a commercial arts entity
  • Aosdána members in receipt of a cnuas.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.