Organisations

We are the main support for arts organisations and arts venues, offering a broad range of funding and development opportunities through our Public and National Lottery funds.
We support and promote the widest possible spectrum of high quality arts and creativity.

Orchestra perform in vast auditorium against backdrop projection of painting of face of Jesus Christ — Conor Mitchell's MASS, Belfast Ensemble, Outburst Arts and Ulster Orchestra at Outburst Queer Arts Festival. Photo: Neil Harrison

How we support Organisations

We support organisations and venues providing amazing creative and cultural experiences to people right across Northern Ireland, from drama and dance to visual arts, music to disability arts, circus to language arts, poetry to arts in the community.

Director of Belfast Exposed, Deirdre Robb and the Arts Council’s Joanna Johnston hang photographs at the Belfast Exposed Gallery — Belfast Exposed Photography

The key funding streams for organisations are:

Annual Funding Programme

Supporting Northern Ireland’s arts infrastructure through grants to organisations for year-round running and programming costs. This programme opens for applications once a year, prior to the beginning of the new financial year.

Lottery Project Funding

For organisations to deliver arts projects contributing to growth of arts in the community. This programme opens for applications once a year, after the Annual Funding Programme decisions have been announced.

Small Grants Programme

We provide grants to help small constituted organisations to deliver arts projects which contribute to the growth of arts in the community for new and existing audiences and which reflect the diversity of Northern Ireland’s society and culture. This programme is open for applications all year round.

Other Programmes

We may provide further funding opportunities for organisations at different times during the year. In recent times this has included funding for musical instruments, the Creative Industries, Rural Engagement, and international opportunities.