Funding available for rural arts projects, supported by The National Lottery

The National Lottery Rural Engagement Arts Programme was established in 2022 with the aim of providing an integrated, cohesive approach to the needs of rural communities as they emerged from the global Covid-19 pandemic. The overarching theme of the programme is to tackle isolation and loneliness and promote social inclusion and wellbeing through participation in the arts for those living in rural communities.

REAP is one of the Arts Council’s core National Lottery programme areas. Recent Arts Council NI led research (https://artscouncil-ni.org/res... ) demonstrated the powerful impact the programme is having on rural communities showing that 16,686 participants have engaged with the programme since its inception, reaching audience of 16,686, engaging 1,229 artists, 70% of whom lived in rural areas, and delivering 4,000 artist led workshops - the equivalent face-to-face contact of 352 days (8,472 hours).

Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented, “The arts are part of how Northern Ireland stays well. We know that taking part in arts activities brings people and communities closer together, improves wellbeing, and helps to alleviate isolation and loneliness. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted today to reopen the Rural Engagement Arts Programme which has been making positive impacts in NI’s rural communities by increasing opportunities for people to engage and participate in meaningful arts activities, enriching their lives for the better.

"Thanks to The National Lottery players, this game-changing funding has supported 239 rural arts projects with total National Lottery funding of £1,699,622 since its establishment in 2022. This vital funding enables artists and arts organisations to increase access to the arts across society and deliver great art that is within everyone’s reach, helping to build healthy, integrated communities. The Arts Council believes that arts, and coming together as communities, can make a vital contribution to healthy, integrated communities, and I would encourage organisations to apply.”

Glenlough Community Choir, based in Carnlough, recently received REAP funding. Over the last four months the choir has run three interlinked community singing projects with rural communities across Northeast Antrim, bringing together school children, older residents and singers from across Northern Ireland, promoting connection and inclusion, and addressing social isolation and loneliness through music.

The project involved intergenerational music classes in residential settings, intergenerational choirs plus a Larks and Crows Day of Inclusive Community Singing which brought together 200 singers from eight rural community choirs including Hinch Harmony, Antrim Community Choir, Ormeau Community Choir, The Carers' Choir, Ballygally Community Choir, Glenlough Community Choir, the Pick Me Up Choir and Open Arts Community Choir.

Anne McCambridge, Choir Director said, "I am so proud of this project and of everyone who has taken part, young and old. Many of our singers have never sung in a choir before, and others haven't sung in years – but every single one of them has been willing to give it a go, and that takes courage. It has been truly heartwarming to witness their confidence and musical skills grow, in our Intergenerational music classes, through our Intergenerational Choir and through our epic Larks and Crows Day of Inclusive Community Singing. Thanks to the Arts Council and the National Lottery players, it has been a special thing to witness the connections forming through music between people in our rural community, and across generations, and to hear how much their singing has progressed!”

The National Lottery Rural Engagement Arts Programme (REAP) is open to rural groups across the region for people of all ages. To view the eligibility information and to make an online application visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-organisations/rural-engagement-arts-programme