UK Nations back 42 new global arts collaborative projects through Four Nations International Fund
27th May, 2026
Five Northern Ireland projects are set to receive funding including those led by the University of Atypical, Off The Rails Dance, Spark Opera, Wendy Blemings, and Gawain Morrison.
The latest round of the Four Nations International Fund is supporting 42 artist-led projects connecting the UK with peers in 37 countries, from Armenia to Australia, spanning five continents, driving cross-border activity and tackling shared challenges from climate disruption to cultural access.
Administered by Creative Scotland and backed by co-investment from Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland and Arts Council of Wales/Wales Arts International to a total of £335,000, awards up to £7,500 are enabling artists and organisations across the UK to build valuable international partnerships to address shared global challenges facing the cultural and creative sector.
Dana MacLeod, Executive Director of Arts, Communities and Inclusion said: “It is always important to support artists to connect regardless of borders and more pertinently during times of global challenge. Drawing inspiration from different perspectives and experiences and offering the ability to spend vital time in a shared space be that in-person, on-line or through a collectively created work. By pooling resources as agencies and funders we can support work that has greater reach and deeper impact.”
Interest in global collaboration continues to surge with applications rising by 50% in this round alone. Of these, 64% of supported projects are with partners in Europe reflecting the continued demand for inclusion in European projects and networks.
Each project, led by a UK nation, partners with at least one other UK nation and international country.
One of the NI projects set to receive funding is ROOTS: Global Echoes in the Biome, a project by Off The Rails, in partnership with the Eden Project and PLAYGROUND. The project will create a research and development residency building on the success of ROOTS – a community garden and live performance animating a once-contested site, giving voice to complex histories through a deep connection with nature.
As the Eden Project celebrates its 25th anniversary, this project explores a large-scale, immersive dance-theatre experience within the unique landscape of Eden’s Tropical Biome. By weaving together Cornwall’s maritime heritage, indigenous poetry, and the climate crisis, the team will prototype a “playground for radical empathy”.
Eileen McClory, Artistic Director at Off The Rails said: “This Four Nations funding is a vital bridge from our Belfast 2024 project to a new collaboration with the Eden Project. It allows us to explore how live performance can animate the Tropical Biome, giving voice to local history and indigenous flora. We are thrilled to work with Cornish artists to prototype an immersive experience that connects our audience more deeply with the natural world.”
Siobhán Molloy, Festivals, Venues & International Arts Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to partner with our arts funding colleagues across these islands in the Four Nations International Fund. This investment, which is funded through the National Lottery players, offers vital opportunities for artists to collaborate, exchange and learn from one another. We are delighted to see five Northern Ireland projects being supported in this round, and we look forward to seeing all the projects develop. Congratulations to all involved.”
Other NI supported projects include:
Shore to Shore: A Celtic Conversation, by Wendy Blemings, with partners in Wales and England. This is a research and development residency in Belfast which will gather partners and nominated artists from Northern Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Ireland to explore the Celtic Sea as an identity, a mythology and a shared cultural space.
Lifecycle by Gawain Morrison. Lifecycle is a collaborative, multidisciplinary project led by Gawain Morrison with partners in England, Spain, North Macedonia and Ukraine. The work will centre on the study of fungi and related organisms. Through collective experimentation they will create small hybrid ecosystems and explore how their processes can inform visual art, textiles, sound, performance and data-led practices such as sonification.
Beyond Vision Creative Hub, led by University of Atypical with partners, Quiplash (England) and Tanzhaus (Germany), is a new programme of shared learning, networking and development of continued collaboration for aspiring and professional artists who are blind or visually impaired. This unique programme will connect artists in online forums and in a networking event at Bounce Festival, engaging blind and visually impaired artists.
Spark Opera will lead a concentrated week of research and development on USHER by Belgian composer Annelies Van Parys, a critically acclaimed opera. Spark Opera will convene an exceptional team of female opera practitioners including Belfast-based director Kate Guelke, London-based conductor Lada Valešová, the composer Annelies Van Parys, a pianist, and four Ireland-based singers.
Across an intensive week, they will stage and interrogate selected scenes, documenting their process and exploring the work’s dramaturgy, vocal writing and psychological intensity. This rare opportunity to work in the room with the living composer enables genuine cultural exchange and deep artistic dialogue between practitioners of different nationalities.
The full details of all those set to receive funding can be found at on the Creative Scotland website here www.creativescotland.com/news-stories