Grants in Ireland for the Creative Arts, Design & Community Projects 2025
- Mar
- May 9
- 3 min read
Ireland has always been a country of storytellers, musicians, makers, and visionaries. If you're a creative, whether you are painting, performing, designing, or developing community arts projects - there's never been a better time to access funding to support your work.
At Grant Wise Advisors, we help individuals, groups, and organisations find and apply for the grants that can bring their ideas to life.
Here's a clear guide to grants currently available in Ireland for creatives, designers, and grassroots projects and hoe to get started.
Arts Council of Ireland - National Arts Funding
The Arts Council of Ireland provides a wide range of funding supports across every artform, including visual art, theatre, dance, literature, architecture, street arts, film, music, and multi disciplinary work.
Key funding options:
Bursary Awards
Project Awards
Festival Investment Scheme
Arts Grant Funding
Applications are competitive, so contact Grant Wise Advisors for a well prepared proposal.
Website: www.artscouncil.ie
Culture Ireland - Showcasing Irish Arts Abroad
If you're working on a project with international reach, Culture Ireland offers funding to help present Irish arts worldwide. This includes exhibitions, performances, tours, and collaborations in music, dance, literature, film, and more.
Tip: Apply early and show strong international interest.
Website: www.cultureireland.ie
Local Authority Arts Grants
Nearly every county and city in Ireland has its own Arts Office, offering funding for :
Individual artists
Community led projects
Artist in residence schemes
Public art and local festivals
For example:
Dublin City Council offers grants through the Arts Office and Culture Company.
Wexford County Council supports artist bursaries and creative community events.
Kildare County Council funds artists, youth projects, and arts organisations.
Find your Arts Office via your local council's website.
Creative Ireland Programme
Creative Ireland is a cross government initiative supporting creativity in all communities. Each local authority has a Creative Ireland Coordinator who manages small grants for:
Creative Workshops.
Heritage based arts projects.
Health and wellbeing initiatives using art.
Intergenerational and youth creativity programmes.
Website: www.creative.gov.ie
Design & Craft Support
If your work involves design, fashion, or craft, support is also available from:
Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI)
Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)
Enterprise Ireland
Websites:
Night Time Economy & Grassroots Culture
The government is investing in Ireland's night time economy. This includes funding for venues, pop up spaces, and grassroots programming such as:
Live Music
Spoken word nights
Performance art
Youth led cultural events
Eligible venues (including community halls and arts centres) can receive up to €15,000 to programme events, pay artists, and cover production costs.
Website:
www.gove.ie-nighttimeeconomysupportscheme
Community & Sustainability - Focused Creativity
Creativity doesn't just belong in galleries and theatres, it's also transforming communities and tackling big issues.
Grants to support this kind of work include:
EPA Research Grants.
SEAI Community Grants.
Climate Action Fund.
Public Participation Networks
Final Thoughts: You Don't Need to Be a Big Organisation to Get Funded
Many of these grants are open to:
Individual artists and designers.
Small creative businesses.
Community and voluntary groups.
Startups and collectives.
The key is having a clear idea, a well structured plan, and the right support behind you.
That's where we come in. At Grant Wise Advisors, we can help you:
Identify the most suitable grants.
Create a strong, confident application.
Write a clear budget and project plan.
Meet the deadlines and requirements.
Ready to apply?
Visit www.grantwiseadvisors.com or get in touch directly for a consultation.
Let's get your creativity funded.
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