In the context of the Arts Council's strategy of seeking to increase public engagement and participation with the arts, a number of specific schemes and initiatives have been established for the particular support of those working in arts participation.
The Artist in the Community Scheme
This scheme offers funding to enable artists and communities of place/or interest to work collaboratively on contemporary arts projects.
The scheme is open to artists from any of the following artform disciplines: architecture, circus, street art and spectacle, dance, film, literature (Irish and English language), music, opera, theatre, visual arts and traditional arts. The projects can take place in a diverse range of social and community contexts such as arts and disability, arts and health; arts and older people; arts and cultural diversity and arts and communities. Projects have taken place in a variety of locations such as community centres, hospitals, care centres, prisons, parks or public spaces.
The aim of the scheme is to encourage meaningful collaboration between communities of place and/or interest and artists. This means that the members of the group will have as much influence on the project as the artist. So both parties are involved in deciding on the nature of the end result of the project. Ownership of the art should be negotiated and agreed from the start. The project may result in a variety of outcomes.
This scheme, which has three strands which encompass research, mentoring and project realisation, is managed by Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts in social and community contexts, on behalf of the Arts Council. There are two closing dates annually. For more information and application details please see the Create website at https://www.create-ireland.ie/programme/artist-in-the-community-scheme/
The Visual Artists in Prisons Scheme
Through this scheme the Arts Council offers opportunities to visual artists working in Irish prisons. It is managed jointly by the Irish Prison Service (through its Education Department) and the Arts Council.
The artists carry out a series of workshops with interested students. Workshops in the past have included sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, mosaics and other visual media.
Initially the teacher and artist discuss the type of workshops that are required and when the aims and objectives are clarified and dates agreed, the artist, the art teacher and students all work together.
If you are a visual artist interested in becoming a member of the panel from which artists are selected or are involved in prison education please contact the scheme coordinator: Tom Shortt, Art Development Worker, Prison Education Service, Email: teshortt@ipsedu.ie
The Writers in Prisons Scheme
The scheme provides selected writers the opportunity to work in Irish prisons. The teachers or librarians from any of the prisons in the Republic of Ireland invite selected writers to visit to carry out a reading, a workshop or a series of workshops with the relevant students. The workshops in the past have included literature, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting.Initially the teacher and/or librarian and artist discuss the reading or type of workshops that are required and when the aims and objectives are clarified and dates agreed, the writer carries out the work with the students.
If you are a writer interested in becoming a member of the panel from which writers are selected or are involved in prison education please contact the scheme coordinator: Tom Short, Art Development Worker, Prison Education Service, Email: teshortt@ipsedu.ie
Arts and Disability Connect Scheme
Arts and Disability Connect (ADC) is a scheme open to artists with disabilities to develop their practice. This scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to make new and ambitious work.
Funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland ADC is tailored closely to the needs of artists living in the Republic of Ireland and is in line with Arts Council commitments outlined in its Arts and Disability Policy 2012–2016 (PDF, 3.98MB).
The scheme, which has been created in in a way that complements other funding opportunities, has four strands:
- Arts and Disability Connect New Work is for more established artists with a strong track record in their professional practice, who wish to work with artists and arts partners to develop new work and present it in established arts organisations, venues, and festivals etc.
- Arts and Disability Connect Mentoring is for artists at all stages of career development, including emerging artists who wish to engage in mentoring opportunities
- Arts and Disability Connect Training is for artists at all stages of career development, including emerging artists who wish to engage in professional development and other learning opportunities
- Research and Reflection is to provide established artists with disabilities the time and resources to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their practice. This award can also offer artists the opportunity to build relationships with arts partners towards submitting a New Work award application to the scheme or develop Arts Council Project Award applications.
For further information
Contact Arts & Disability Ireland at 01 850 9002 or email info@adiarts.ie