Funding available to buy new instruments

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is offering a number of funding opportunities under its Musical Instruments Scheme. Thanks to capital investment from the Department for Communities, three funding programmes have opened offering support for artists and groups to purchase instruments up until March 2025.

The scheme is good news for marching bands, non-professional and professional performing groups, community groups, professional musicians and schools that may be eligible to apply to purchase instruments and music-making equipment. The Musical Instruments Scheme is designed to increase the quality of music-making in Northern Ireland and to ensure as many groups and individuals as possible have an opportunity to purchase new instruments.

Musical Instruments for Bands Programme
Grants of up to £10,000 will be available. This funding is designed to help bands replace worn –out instruments and purchase new ones. It is open to bands based in Northern Ireland, which are constituted, including marching, accordion, brass, concert, flute, pipe and wind bands. Application deadline: 30^th September 2024. Visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-organisations/musical-instruments-for-bands

Professional and Non-Professional Performing Groups Programme
Grants of up to £30,000 will be available. This strand is open to schools and to professional and non-professional performing groups in any genre of music, including community, youth and resource organisations. All organisations must be constituted and instruments applied for must be used for rehearsal, tuition and performance. Instruments must be owned by a constituted group which operates as not-for-profit, that is, a voluntary or charitable body with its own separate bank account. Application deadline: 30^th September 2024. Visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-organisations/musical-instruments-for-professional-and-non-professional-performing-groups

Individual Professional Performing Musicians Programme
Grants of up to £10,000 will be available. This strand is designed to provide support for highly-skilled performing musicians based in Northern Ireland, working at a professional level, who seek support for the purchase of high quality instruments that are central to their performing career. Application deadline: 2^nd September 2024. Visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-individuals/musical-instruments-for-individuals

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented:

“With much appreciated capital investment from the Department of Communities, the Arts Council is delighted to announce the opening of the Musical Instruments Scheme. This valuable scheme offers bands, musical groups, schools and professional musicians the opportunity to buy new instruments, helping to increase skills for all players, from young musicians just starting out, right through to highly trained performers. All the information about how to apply is on the Arts Council website and we would encourage anyone interested in the scheme to visit www.artscouncil-ni.org/funding for more details. “