Arts Council awards over £2m of National Lottery funding to support creative projects

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has announced £2,114,195 of Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery to support creative projects in urban and rural locations across Northern Ireland.

75 organisations have been awarded grants from the Arts Council’s National Lottery Project Funding, to support the development and creation of year-round arts activities and events through festivals, literature, drama, visual arts, music and community programming.

This year the Arts Council encouraged applications in a number of key areas and these have been reflected in the awards made. This included projects that would deliver high quality programming in rural areas and those which encouraged the involvement of under-represented artists and groups, such as  minority ethnic communities, programmes which involved children and young people, older people, or people with disabilities. Eleven of the seventy-five organisations to be offered funding are new to the National Lottery Project Funding portfolio this year (full list below).

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented, “Today’s National Lottery arts funding investment will have tremendous impact on rural and urban communities across Northern Ireland, with 75 awards made to a diverse range of arts organisations who will deliver exciting, innovative, high-quality, arts-based activities and events. Thanks to money raised for good causes, the last three decades of National Lottery funding has made an important contribution to the social, economic and cultural growth of Northern Ireland.
“This vital source of funding allows the Arts Council to support our core infrastructure of skilled arts organisations and also helps develop our creative individuals and artists, who in turn, deliver work across towns and cities all over NI. We are making the arts more accessible to all – that remains a key strategic objective for the Arts Council of NI - and I look forward to seeing more of the projects this investment supports.”

CASE STUDIES:

North West Cultural Partnership, awarded £14,100 (new to National Lottery Project Funding for 2025/26)

This funding will support Songs of Life, a year-long creative programme led by New Gate Arts & Culture Centre, engaging older adults (60+) in Derry~Londonderry through songwriting, music-making, and performance. The project supports participants in transforming their life stories into original songs, guided by acclaimed local artists Richard Laird, Eilidh Patterson, and Tracey McRory. Over 12 months, the programme will include monthly songwriting workshops, bi-monthly singing & instrumental classes (guitar & ukulele), as well as tune-writing sessions to develop melodies for their songs. Participants will record their songs professionally and present them at a public performance celebrating their creative journeys. The project directly addresses issues prevalent in the area, social isolation, mental health challenges, and low cultural participation among older people, by providing an inclusive, empowering space for creative expression.

Off The Rails Dance, awarded £25,000 (new to National Lottery Project Funding for 2025/26)

Off the Rails Dance applied for funding to support the development of a new body of work, that would build on the momentum of two critically acclaimed productions by the company. BPM: Bangerz, Parties & Melters is a new, immersive dance-theatre piece exploring Belfast’s 1990s and 2000s rave scene.

The award will also support a Northern Ireland tour of GUTTER, the company’s hard-hitting solo work that interrogates media manipulation and disinformation. Both projects include a schools and community engagement programme, designed to deepen audience development and reach new participants. These two complementary projects reflect the evolving vision of Artistic Director Eileen McClory, as she establishes her brand of dance-theatre to engage diverse audiences and inspire social dialogue across urban and rural communities.

Yes You Can (YUC) CIC, awarded £8,000 (new to National Lottery Project Funding for 2025/26)

Funding from the Arts Council will support The Northern Ireland Music Awards & Artist Development Initiative, led by Yes U Can Academy (YUC) in collaboration with MRANI. This transformative project is designed to celebrate, elevate, and support emerging and established musicians from diverse backgrounds in Northern Ireland. By combining a high-profile awards ceremony with a year-round artist development program, this initiative will provide platforms for talent, encourage industry connections, and address systemic barriers faced by underrepresented artists. The project will include workshops, mentoring, and networking events, bridging the gaps between artists and key industry stakeholders (labels, promoters, media), while the awards show will spotlight excellence and innovation in NI’s music scene.

Royal Ulster Academy of Arts, awarded £9,000 (New to National Lottery Project Funding for 2025/26)

The Royal Ulster Academy has been awarded funding to support the expansion of its wide-ranging educational programme, engaging post-primary schools and community groups across Northern Ireland with the RUA’s annual show at the Ulster Museum. The initiative will deepen outreach to rural schools, SEN communities, and deprived areas, funding artist and tour guide fees, workshop materials, and a freelance coordinator to deliver enriching arts experiences. Transport bursaries will enable small-budget rural schools to participate, ensuring inclusive access to high-quality arts education.

Additionally, a permanent, portable historical timeline display will chronicle the RUA’s 150-year history alongside global events. Adaptable and expandable, it will be loaned to community groups and art spaces across Northern Ireland, fostering cultural engagement and education.

O-Bon on the Foyle Festival Group, awarded £34,860

This funding will support Taiko Connects: From San Jose to the Foyle, a bold and joyful cultural exchange project led by Foyle Obon, celebrating creativity, connection, and inclusion through the powerful artforms of taiko drumming and Japanese arts. The project will include a visit from San Jose Taiko, trailblazers of Japanese-American taiko with 50 years of internationally acclaimed work, who will join artists, participants, and communities in Derry~Londonderry in a vibrant programme of shared learning and creative collaboration. The project culminates in a performance at the Foyle Obon Festival—an inclusive, intercultural celebration shaped by community participation and artistic excellence.

Newry Chamber Music, awarded £50,000

Funding from the Arts Council will support Newry Chamber Music’s main concert season in 2025-26, which will include seven high quality programmes of music and a new piano festival.

The concert season will provide employment for local artists and include guest performance opportunities to several of Northern Ireland’s best classical singers. The piano festival will also feature outstanding pianists from the classical and jazz world.

Portico of Ards, awarded £40,167

Portaferry based Portico of Ards has been awarded funding to deliver a yearlong programme of 20 national and international music concerts and one choral workshop. The programme will bring performers from Ireland, across the UK, Europe and America, from a range of musical genres including folk, blues, soul and classical piano. Highlights will include BBC New Generation soprano Niamh O'Sullivan and a workshop with Lyrra, an American A Capella female group. The venue will also host up and coming NI based artists, in a special concert headlined by Joshua Burnside. The Ulster Consort will also give the world premiere of Philip Wilby's new work 'The Spring Requiem'.

Charles Wood Festival of Music and Summer School, awarded £39,410

The Armagh based Charles Wood Festival of Music and Summer School has been awarded funding to support its busy 2025–2026 programme. The August 2025 gathering will feature 28 talented young singers while The Charles Wood Girls’ Choir will also return, welcoming up to 30 choristers for a fully residential experience. Signature events such as Bach at Twilight and the Gala Concert will continue, alongside newer additions like the Composer’s Competition, Community Choir Day, and performances in local care homes, complemented by a series of vocal workshops. The Come and Sing event encourages wide participation, making the festival a hub for choral development, creativity, and community engagement.

In autumn 2025, a dedicated training day for primary and post-primary teachers will support singing in schools and in March 2026, the 8th International Song Competition will continue to provide opportunities for young singers to showcase their skills and talents. The season ends with a special Come and Sing event led by world-renowned composer and conductor John Rutter, bringing together voices from across Northern Ireland to sing for the joy of music and the benefit of mental well-being.

View the full list of this years awardees here: https://artscouncil-ni.s3-asse...