Visual Arts Project Award – Ireland

Objectives and Priorities of the Award

There are two strands to the award – Strand 1 for Planning and Pre-production, and Strand 2 for Production. Each strand has its own objectives and priorities:

• Strand 1: Planning and Pre-Production The purpose of the Planning & Pre-Production strand is to support artists, curators, producers or eligible organisations to research, prepare and confirm plans for new, ambitious visual artwork that will be presented in the future. This strand supports the development and preparation of a project or commission rather than its public presentation or outcome.
  • Priority in this strand will be given to proposals that:
    • Demonstrate a capacity to deliver a specific project or commission outcome in the future providing project plans, timelines, proposed collaborators and/or partners
    • Demonstrate plans for the project’s production, presentation and engagement with the public
    • Build relationships, partnerships and collaborations towards a specific ambitious project or commission
    • Secure permission for art in public spaces, unconventional sites and venues
    • Support the process of art-making, producing and commissioning.
• Strand 2: Production The purpose of the Production strand is to support the producing and commissioning of ambitious projects in the visual arts, focusing on presentation and engagement with the public. These projects can take place in a public space, a gallery setting, unconventional sites and venues or on digital platforms. Strand 2 is for the final phase of a project. The Arts Council encourages applicants that have been successful under Strand 1 for planning and pre-production to apply to Strand 2 at a later date.
  • Priority in this strand will be given to proposals that:
    • Create and present work that is ambitious in its vision and execution.
    • Focus on the public’s experience of the visual arts.
    • Produce artwork that results from commissions, collaborations and partnerships.
    • Present visual artwork to the public in alternative and innovative settings.

Funding Information

• There are two different funding levels available according to which strand you are applying for:
  • Strand 1: Planning & Pre-Production
    • Maximum amount: €7,000
  • Strand 2: Production
    • Maximum amount: €80,000
• You may apply for only one strand of the award per round. If you apply for Strand 1, you may apply for Strand 2 in the future for the production and presentation of the project.

Ineligible Funding

Activities and costs that you may not apply for include the following:

• Ongoing core costs (e.g. subventions to organisational revenue, unrelated salaries, etc.)
• Major capital purchases (e.g. heavy machinery, workspace improvements, etc.)
• Activities or costs that do not fit the purpose of the award
• Activities that are more suited to another award funded by the Arts Council or operated by other state agencies, such as Culture Ireland
• Activities that have already taken place or which will have commenced before 1 March 2024
• Activities undertaken for charity-fundraising purposes, for participation in a competition, or for primarily profit-making purposes
• Projects that solely involve the touring of existing productions
• The cost of producing exhibition and retrospective catalogues
• Activities that have already been assessed by the Arts Council, unless you demonstrate that you have substantively developed the proposal since previously applying or if the Council has specifically advised you to redirect your application to this award.

Eligibility Criteria

• The award is open to professional artists and arts practitioners (e.g. curators, producers) working in all genres and at all stages of their professional careers. It is also open to organisations that are not currently funded by the Arts Council through its grant programmes.
  • 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. However, before admitting as eligible any such application, the applicant would need to explicitly outline within the application how the outcomes of any such proposal would benefit the arts in the Republic of Ireland, and the Arts Council must be satisfied with same.

Who cannot Apply?

• Applicants who cannot 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 following Arts Council programmes: Strategic Funding, Arts Centre Funding, Partnership Funding, Arts Grant Funding
  • National Cultural Institutions (CNCI) (or their Council members) directly funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
  • Individuals or organisations who 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.