National Lottery Minority Ethnic Artists Mentoring & Residency Programme (SIAP)
Sorry, this programme is closed. If you need help please contact us
This programme is one of a number of Support for Individual Artists Programme schemes currently open for application.
You may apply to more than one scheme but you will only be awarded one grant in any funding round. If you choose to apply to more than one scheme:
- You must complete a separate application form for each scheme
- The projects within each application must be significantly different.
- If, in the view of the Arts Council, the projects are not significantly distinct, you will be contacted and asked to select which scheme and application you would like to proceed with.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland recognises and welcomes the diversity within our society.
In working to create the conditions for the widest variety of art and creativity for both artists and audiences through our Support for the Individual Artist Programme, we are seeking to address the barriers to access, progression and representation in the arts encountered by minority ethnic artists with this mentoring and residency scheme.
Our aim is to support individual artists and creative practitioners from minority ethnic backgrounds and migrant backgrounds at every stage of their career, however, applications from emerging artists will be prioritized where possible.
Through this Minority Ethnic Artists Mentoring and Residency Programme we wish to create opportunities for specialized training, research, cultural exchanges, networking and learning for individual artists, creative practitioners and arts administrators from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds.
Programme Aims
- Increase opportunities for young and emerging minority ethnic artists.
- The Arts Council particularly welcomes applications from emerging artists - an emerging artist is someone who is in the early stage of their career as a professional artist. They are developing their artist ‘voice’ and are in the process of establishing a reputation and recognition among critics, galleries, producers etc, and will have practised as a professional artist for less than 5 years.
- Support arts workforce skill development and career pathways for young and emerging artists from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds.
- Inspire excellence through the support of high-quality, ambitious, innovative and imaginative opportunities for artists to collaborate with others.
- Increase the capacity and opportunities for artists to take professional and creative risks.
- Contribute to a vibrant and diverse workforce across the breadth of the creative and cultural industries.
Specifically, the scheme will fund residencies and mentoring opportunities through which applicants can develop their creative and professional practice.
Applicants are invited to shape a programme of support, tailored to their own needs and through wider collaboration.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants to the Minority Ethnic Artists Mentoring and Residency Scheme are as follows:
- Artists of all disciplines and in all types of working practice (including DJs) from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds, including people in need of international protection.
- Creative practitioners and arts administrators from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds.
- Emerging artists from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds: The Arts Council particularly welcomes applications from emerging artists - an emerging artist is someone who is in the early stage of their career as a professional artist. They are developing their artist ‘voice’ and are in the process of establishing a reputation and recognition among critics, galleries, producers etc, and will have practised as a professional artist for less than 5 years.
- Practicing artists who are also undergraduates, postgraduates and academics employed at 3rd level educational institutions are eligible to apply but – where their project proposal lies within the same artform area as their study or work - they must prove that the funds which they are seeking are for costs which are not properly the concern of their employer and/or are not related to their work or academic study. They must submit evidence of this in the form of a letter on headed paper from their Head of Department.
- In the case of post-graduate students, the letter must clearly state the title of the student’s PhD thesis and include a declaration by the Head of Department. This declaration must state “The project for which funds are being sought does not form part of any academic work undertaken in relation to the above-titled PhD nor will it be assessed as part of any academic course”.
- Applicants undertaking a Masters or a PhD must also include a separate statement which provides information on how the project applied for differs from their Masters or PhD work.
Eligible applicants must also
- Have made a contribution to artistic activities in Northern Ireland for a minimum period of 1 year within the last 5 years.
- Live in Northern Ireland
- Be at least 18yrs old and not in secondary education.
What you can apply for
Eligible costs for both the Mentoring and Residency awards may include:
- Art materials
- Costs of your own time in undertaking the proposed activity
- Residency costs, including travel costs, accommodation and subsistence (NB: if you are applying for a residency, you must provide evidence of an invitation or support from the host organization.)
- Fees for training courses
- Artistic fees of Mentors
- Artistic or technical fees including those towards production or post-production costs associated with presentation or exhibition of work**
- Venue hire e.g. rehearsal space
- Project-related travel costs, including mileage costs (@25.7p per mile) and air travel
- Subsistence costs @£25 per day
- Technical equipment related to the project/proposal equipment requests cannot comprise more than 50% of the value of your request)
- IT Equipment : A maximum contribution of £1,200 will be made towards laptops and pcs, and £500 towards tablet computers.
- Translation costs
- Documentation costs
- Childcare costs
Further information relating to eligible project costs are available from the Guidance Notes.
How to apply?
You must apply using our online system. We will not accept applications in hard copy or by email.
If you are d/Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent, University of Atypical can provide support with completing your application. Due to the time needed to match you with the best advisor, it is likely that advice sessions will not start before Tuesday 6 August. Please contact University of Atypical as soon as possible to ensure sufficient time for the support process. Phone: 028 90239450; Email: access@universityofatypical.org.
- 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. 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 12 noon precisely on the closing date, 12 September 2024 . 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.