Arts Council announces more than 30 funding opportunities for 2021

The Arts Council this week announced more than 30 awards and funding schemes for 2021, designed to give to a wide range of artists and arts organisations the opportunity to apply for support.

The state agency for funding and developing the arts said it was publishing the opening and closing dates for all of its schemes through to December.

The announcement includes a new ‘Agility Award’, an open and flexible grant scheme designed around the needs of professional artists and arts workers. Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate how the applicant’s practice will benefit from taking time to develop their craft, and/or working on artistic ideas. There will be three rounds of this award in 2021 - spring, summer and autumn.

“This is an immensely challenging period for the arts, and it is vital that our artists and arts organisations are able to plan for the future,” said Arts Council Director, Maureen Kennelly. “By publishing our full funding schedule for the year we hope to encourage and support artists as they imagine a vibrant, creative, post-Covid Ireland.”

In its October Budget, the Government allocated some €130 million to the Arts Council for 2021, which the Council said represented a strong signal that the arts will be central to a national recovery.

Among the schemes and awards published are:

Bursary Awards are to support professional artists in the field of dance to develop their art practice. It provides artists at any stage of their career with the time and resources to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their art. Opened on 15 December, 2020 this award scheme closes January 28, with another round opening 25 May and closing 24 June.

Commissions Awards are available across all art forms and arts practice areas supported by the Arts Council - this opens on March 30, closing April 29.

Project Awards are offered across four art forms, and are designed to enable artists to make innovative, ambitious and high-quality work - this opens on March 30, closing April 29.

Arts Grant Funding, designed to ensure that there is a breadth of high-quality arts activity throughout the country, offers flexible support for a fixed period of time, and responds to the needs of those who are making, presenting and supporting work. This tranche of funding opens on April 13, closing on May 27.

Schemes and awards are open to arts organisations, artists or practitioners meeting the published criteria. Please note that you must register for online services before you submit an application. For more information visit www.artscouncil.ie/available-funding/