Applications open for Arts Centre Funding (Ireland)

Arts centres are defined as full-time, public-facing, professionally managed, building-based arts organisations. They support the creation, presentation and mediation of the arts across a range of artforms and arts practices. They support professional, collaborative, voluntary and amateur arts practice.

Recipients of Arts Centre Funding must play a critical part in delivering the policy priorities of Making Great Art Work, the Arts Council’s ten-year strategy.

The Arts Council wishes to encourage arts centres to engage with and further develop supports for artists. Examples of this might be by:

• Providing professional-development opportunities for practising artists through:
  • The management of physical spaces for artists to develop work
  • Residencies that are meaningful in length, appropriately remunerated, and relevant to the requirements of artists in different artforms and practices
  • In-house productions/co-productions
  • Other models of support as appropriate
• Working with cultural and other organisations (e.g. other arts centres and venues, local-authority arts offices, festivals, libraries, schools, care centres, etc.) to engage with people as artists, audience members, collaborators and participants
• Planning for the development of digitally intelligent buildings, supporting innovation both in creation and dissemination.

Aims and Objectives

In offering Arts Centre Funding, the Arts Council wishes to ensure:

• The year-round production and dissemination of arts activities, events and services of the highest quality throughout the country.
• That greater numbers of people enjoy high-quality arts experiences.
• That artists are supported in their professional practice.
• That audiences, artists and participants reflect the diversity of contemporary Ireland.
• Increased depth of engagement by and with the public.
• High standards in governance and management.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Arts Centre Funding Programme is open only to building-based, professionally managed, multidisciplinary arts organisations that are open to the public all year round.
• To be eligible for application, your organisation must:
  • Be formally constituted as either a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG), a Designated Activity Company (DAC), a Company Limited by Shares (LTD) or a statutory body.
• Apply in its own name, and not in the name of another company or individual.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.