Arts Council of Northern Ireland

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. The Arts Council was originally established in 1962 as a successor to the Committee for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts CEMA which had operated since 1942. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland 1994 a company limited by guarantee ceased activity in August 1995. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the development and funding agency for the Arts in Northern Ireland. As the main development agency for the arts it is responsible for the distribution of Exchequer and National Lottery Funding for the arts in Northern Ireland. The following funding schemes are provided by the Arts Council to organizations in Northern Ireland. Programmes are open at specific times during the year and the programme availability is subject to change. Music Touring ‘Small Grants Programme’ Building Peace through the Arts Re Imaging Communities’ Annual Funding Programme’ Arts and Older People programme funding’ Public Art Funding’ Capacity Building’ Intercultural Arts Programme funding’ Project Funding’ Musical Instruments for Bands ‘Equipment and Minor Refurbishments’ Travel Awards’ Support for the Individual Artist programme. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland and the main support for artists and arts organizations. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland offers a broad range of funding opportunities through their Exchequer and National Lottery funds. There are a number of programmes currently open including SIAP and the new sustainability programme sample application form and set of guidance notes for the Small Grants Programme is available below.  All applicants should read and familiarize themselves with the guidance notes before starting an online application. The Arts Council has designed this programme to encourage you to develop and deliver your ideas, linked to your artistic needs and to your future plans. The aim of this programme is to assist organizations to deliver arts projects which contribute to the growth of arts in the community for new and existing audiences and which reflect the diversity of Northern Ireland’s society and culture. The Arts Council is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. The organization believes that that art has the ability to reach across boundaries’ inspiring’ teaching and bringing people together. The Arts Council believes in placing art at the heart because art makes a difference.  It is the main support for artists and arts organizations offering a broad range of funding opportunities through our Exchequer and National Lottery funds. From theatre and literature to art in the community the Arts Council works in partnership with hundreds of artists’ arts organizations and venues to deliver great art to more people every year. Arts and Health refers mainly to arts activities that take place within the healthcare environment’ providing new access and participation opportunities for artists’ patients’ health service staff and visitors. Any involvement in the arts has a positive effect on health. The Dreams project at the Mater Hospital has shown that contact with the arts whilst in hospital can make people more relaxed relieve stress and worries and relieve pain and symptoms. One of the lead organizations is ArtsCare which currently has 30 artists in residence and seven Clown Doctors working in health venues throughout Northern Ireland. The Arts Council is one of the key funders of community arts in Northern Ireland. Community Arts promote collective creative processes which enhance access and participation and strengthen the community’s sense of authorship and ownership. They provide opportunities for communities and individuals to develop skills as artists and for artists to explore ways of transferring those skills.