Closed

Organisations Emergency Programme

Sorry, this programme is closed. If you need help please contact us

All Funding for Organisations

The Arts Council has co-designed this emergency support programme which reflects the Minister’s priorities with financial support from the Department for Communities to support the wider cultural sector as described above.

The primary objective of the programme is to support the continuance of creative work AND assist operational costs where necessary.  The programme seeks to assist small to medium scale organisations to explore ways of working that will help them to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances. It will also aim to assist organisations most in need due to loss of income or operational capacity up to 31 March 2021, enabling them to continue to develop and/or deliver activities.

Given the pressures across the cultural sector we would urge you to apply ONLY if your existing income or grant from public and other sources is not sufficient to ensure your stabilisation during the crisis.

This programme prioritises applications that:

  • Can demonstrate loss of income as a direct result of COVID-19 through records or estimates of loss (evidence will be required so please keep a record).
  • Can demonstrate urgent operational costs not met by existing income, grant aid or other forms of assistance; these could include overheads and the cost of being operational until 31 March 2021.
  • Seek to explore ways of working that will help them to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances. This could include a period of research, development and/or delivery of creative activity / project by 31 March 2021.

Who can apply?

The Arts Council welcomes applications from Arts or Cultural organisations whose primary work is in the following art form or cultural areas. Arts Organisation need to have a proven track record of quality work and public engagement supported by public funding in one of the last three financial years:

  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Literature
  • Music and Opera
  • Traditional Arts
  • Visual Arts
  • Festivals
  • Participatory Arts
  • Cross Art form
  • Venues delivering cultural events

Applications are welcomed from organisations working in or on behalf of Irish or Ulster-Scots. In particular, we welcome applications from organisations which deliver work in relation to:

  • Public engagement activities
  • Audience development programmes (events, exhibitions, workshops, talks and online initiatives).

Who Cannot Apply?

  • Organisations which received funding in the First Call of the Organisations Emergency Programme
  • Individuals including sole traders
  • Broadcasters (excluding community service broadcasters)
  • Central Government Departments
  • Local authorities
  • Accredited Museums
  • Libraries within Libraries NI and independent Libraries
  • Arts Organisations who cannot evidence some form of public funding in the past three years.
  • Proposals which, before the end of Social Distancing, entail public gathering or conventional audience situations; or otherwise breach social distancing and other COVID-19 guidelines.

How to apply?

You must apply using our online system. We will not accept applications in hard copy or by email.

  • Online applications may be edited, saved and returned up to the closing date.
  • You must submit all mandatory enclosures associated with the application at the same time as your application, ie. they must be uploaded to your online application prior to its submission. If you realise after submitting your online application that you have not included all the mandatory enclosures you must resubmit a new application with all the relevant mandatory enclosures included before the application deadline of 4.00pm on Thursday 17 September 2020. We cannot accept additional material by any other method or after the deadline. These enclosures are listed on the Attachments page within the online application and are detailed below.
  • Please ensure that you leave sufficient time to upload all documents to the system as there can be long delays as the closing deadline approaches and the system will shut down at 4.00 pm precisely on the closing date, Thursday 17 SEPTEMBER 2020. If your complete application is not fully uploaded when the system closes, your application will not be accepted.
  • If you submit your application by the closing deadline, you will receive an automated email advising that your application has been successfully submitted to the system. If you do not receive this email, your application has not been submitted.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that we receive the application form and uploaded enclosures by the closing time and date.