Other Funders
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has a fixed source of public funding to allocate each year. We often receive more successful, eligible applications than we have the resources to fund.
A range of organisations currently offer funding to artists, arts organisations, arts consortium organisations, artist-led/partnership-led collaborative projects. Check out the list below:
Other National Lottery Funding Distributors
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
NI Screen receives public funding and also some National Lottery funding from the Arts Council for particular screen projects.
Local Government
Local Government bodies distribute funding for arts and cultural projects across NI. Access local government Arts and Culture funding in any of the 11 Council areas listed:
Derry City and Strabane District Council
Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Antrim and Newtownabby Borough Council
Newry Mourne and Down District Council
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Trusts and Foundations
The PRS Foundation helps established musicians, emerging talent, songwriters, bands, composers, organisations, promoters. They help support music creators from all backgrounds, who want to take their career in new directions.
The Arts Council works in partnership with PRS For Music, which administers The International Showcase Fund, offering grants of up to £5000 for artists, bands and managers who have been invited to play an international showcasing festival or conference.
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, one of the largest independent grant-makers in the UK has an ARTS ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION FUND which addresses inequalities of opportunity to access and participate in the arts.
Jerwood Arts, part of The Jerwood Foundation, providing independent funding for early-career artists, makers, curators and producers to develop and thrive across the UK. An NI example, Outburst Arts.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation makes unrestricted, core and project grants that support funding priorities linked to Creative, Confident Communities, where there is equality of access to arts and culture, and where communities are at the heart of change.
Ulster Garden Villages aims to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of people in Northern Ireland, for organisations that demonstrate a clear need, and evidence of the impact of their work along with a capacity to deliver, govern and sustain the initiative.
BBC Children in Need aims to help ensure every child in the UK is safe, happy, secure and has the opportunities they need to reach their potential.
DWF Foundation provides funds, resources and mentoring support to help individuals, groups and communities to achieve their full potential.
Community Foundation NI is an independent, grant making trust, inspiring generosity and achieving impact. Encouraging and supporting those who want to give and empower the local community to effect change.
Foyle Foundation aims to help sustain the arts and to support projects that help to deliver your artistic vision, focusing on for value for money, long term benefit and sustainability.
Garfield Weston Foundation aims to support organisations that have effective solutions to helping those most in need.
Halifax Foundation NI is committed to supporting underfunded, grassroots charities that enable people, especially disabled and disadvantaged people, to play a fuller role in society.
The Ireland Funds aim to promote and support peace, culture, education and community development across the island of Ireland and among Irish communities around the world.
Other public funding sources
The British Council NI works jointly with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through international work, and supports and promotes Northern Ireland's creative output. The British Council Artists’ International Development Fund.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon The Arts Council of Ireland is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in the Republic of Ireland. Its funds come from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Its role is to provide advice to the Irish government on artistic matters; to advise, assist and support individuals and arts organisations. Staff there partner with the Arts Council of NI on a number of projects, including cross-border touring projects for artists and musicians.
Culture Ireland/Cultúr Éireann Culture Ireland operates a range of funding programmes to support and promote the presentation of Irish arts internationally. The current initiatives include a Regular grants round, the See Here scheme, a Showcase programme and Special Initiatives funding.