Funding available for arts projects supporting older people
25th August, 2026
Organisations across Northern Ireland are encouraged to apply for funding from the National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme.
Community groups, arts organisations and councils across Northern Ireland, can now apply to the National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme, a funding scheme managed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This latest round of the programme invites applications for grants up to £10,000 to deliver arts projects benefitting older people.
Applications are open from 25 August 2026 and will close at 12noon on 22 October 2026 with decisions expected in December 2026. Applications must be submitted on-line at www.artscouncil-ni.org/funding
The National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme has been designed to challenge the perceptions of what it means to be an older person, aiming to strengthen the voice of older people, tackle isolation and loneliness, and promote positive mental health and well-being through engagement with the arts. It was established by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 2010 and is now a cross-governmental partnership with funding from The National Lottery and Public Health Agency.
The National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme is one of the Arts Council’s targeted schemes, delivering National Lottery funds to increase the health and well-being of older people within the community. This programme contributes to the Arts Council’s strategic priorities of supporting Creative Health and improving our Reach across Northern Ireland to the people who need it most.
To date the programme has provided over £2m funding to community organisations and voluntary groups across Northern Ireland in the delivery of over 272 arts projects to older people.
Lorraine Calderwood, Development Officer: Programmes Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented, “Thanks to funding from the National Lottery players and Public Health Agency, we’re delighted to re-open applications for the National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme. Research has proven that taking part in arts activities can boost health and wellbeing, raise self-esteem, confidence and motivation, as well as aid in relieving isolation and stress.
"This programme is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for older people to take part in arts activities, enriching their lives for the better and helping to ensure that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy arts experiences. The arts have a vital role to play in helping our older people stay well, find their voice, bring people together socially and promote positive physical and mental health - funding from the National Lottery and the Public Health Agency has been a game changer in helping us achieve that, and I would encourage organisations across the region to apply.”
Applications for the National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme are now open and will close at 12noon on 22 October 2026. To read the guidance notes and make an application visit www.artscouncil-ni.org/funding