Craft Makers encouraged to apply for £15,000 bursary
25th March, 2024
Talented craft makers across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply to The Rosy James Memorial Trust Award for a special bursary worth £15,000.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is now welcoming applications for the Rosy James Memorial Trust Award, which aims to assist craft makers to develop their careers by creating a new body of work which would otherwise have been unattainable without the funding investment.
Administered by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Rosy James Memorial Trust Award, established in 2014, was set up thanks to the generosity of Rosemary James (Rosy), a local patron of the arts. Originally from Belfast, Rosy had a lifelong commitment to the arts and following her death in 2010, bequeathed over £500,000 to help artists and craft makers pursue their careers.
Previous recipients of the prestigious award include glass artists Alison Lowry, ceramicist Eleanor Wheeler and sculptor John Rainey (2020), Sheena Devit in (2018) and ceramicist, Anne Butler and furniture designer, Brian McKee (2017).
Dr Suzanne Lyle, Head of Visual Arts, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented:
“We are delighted to invite applications once again to The Rosy James Memorial Trust Award. Rosy’s incredible passion for the arts demonstrates the power of philanthropic giving to create lasting impact. Her love for the arts, and craft in particular, led her to leave a legacy that would allow new work of really high quality, and of international interest, to be produced by local artists. This generous award, presented in her name, gives artists the chance to devote time to their practice over the course of a year and to develop their ideas. We look forward to receiving the next round of applications.”
Applications are now open and will close at 4pm, Friday 3rd May 2024. Decisions will be announced in June 2024. Prior to submission of your application, you may seek advice on any aspect of the form from the Arts Council Visual Arts team. Dr Suzanne Lyle is the Head of Visual Arts and a Rosemary James Trust member and can be contacted at slyle@artscouncil-ni.org
You must apply by email. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland will not accept applications in hard copy. Please send your completed application form and all the requested mandatory enclosures to rstephenson@artscouncil-ni.org
If you feel you have a disability which affects your ability to complete the application form, please contact the University of Atypical (UoA). The UoA will provide tailored advice and support to D/deaf, disabled and Neurodiverse applicants when submitting applications to ACNI Programmes. Visit www.universityofatypical.com
For information on eligibility and to apply visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-individuals/rosy-james-memorial-trust-award