The Arts Council also provides funding for artists working with children and young people through a range of awards such as commissions, bursaries, project awards and travel and training. For further information visit our available funding page.
The primary purpose of this award is to support groups of young people between the ages of 12 and 23 to create ambitious and original work together in any art form (e.g., circus, dance, digital media, film, music, theatre, literature, visual arts, or any combination of the above). For further information please click on the Young Ensembles Scheme page in our available funding section.
The Children's Laureate / Laureate na nÓg
The Innagural laureate for children's literature was announced by President of Ireland Mary McAleese on 10 May 2010. This unique honour was awarded to author Siobhán Parkinson. Siobhán Parkinson writes fiction for children and young people (and occasionally for adults). She has published more than twenty books since 1992, and her work has been translated into as many languages. The position as Laureate na nÓg was held by Siobhán Parkinson for a period of two years.
The Children's laureate is an initiative of the Arts Council with the support of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Children's Books Ireland and Poetry Ireland. You can read more about Laureate na nÓg on the dedicated website.
Artist in Schools Scheme (Local Authorities)
The Artist in Schools Scheme facilitates a professional artist to make a series of visits to a school in his/her local county, to work with students on a specific project. Projects can range across artforms.
Most local authorities run this scheme. Please contact your local arts officer for more information.
Writers in Schools Scheme (Poetry Ireland)
The Writers in Schools Scheme is one of the longest running arts-in-education programmes in Ireland. 2007 marked the 30th anniversary of the scheme, run by Poetry Ireland and funded by the Arts Council/ An Chomhairle Ealaíon.
The scheme part-funds visits by writers and storytellers to primary and post primary schools throughout the Republic of Ireland. There are over 250 writers and storytellers for schools to choose from on the Writers in Schools Web-Directory of Writers.
For more information please visit the website of Poetry Ireland at www.poetryireland.ie.
Artist and Youth Work Residency Scheme (National Youth Council of Ireland - NYCI)
The artist and youth work residency scheme is designed to promote innovative partnerships between youth groups, artists and (where relevant) arts organisations. A residency may take the form of an artist in residence in a youth work setting and/or a youth group in residence in an arts setting. This scheme is managed by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) on behalf of the Arts Council and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
Youth Arts Development Award (National Youth Council of Ireland - NYCI)
The Youth Arts Development Award is offered as an extension of the Artist in Youth Work Residency Scheme, to further sustainable development of youth arts practice at a local level. The aim of the Youth Arts Development Award is to encourage the formation of partnerships between relevant agencies and organisations at a local level, to work towards integrated development of long-term youth arts programmes in a specific geographical area.
For more information on both schemes please visit the website of the National Youth Arts Programme (NYCI) at www.youtharts.ie or contact Fiona Smith at 01 478 41 22.
Music Capital Scheme (Music Network)
The Music Capital Scheme, managed by Music Network, focuses exclusively on the area of music instrument purchase. The fund includes support for the purchase of rehearsal equipment and instruments for use by youth and community groups.
There are three categories of support under the Music Capital Scheme aimed at highly skilled performing artists, non-professional performing groups/ensembles and those working in youth or community organisations supporting musical practice.
For more information please contact Music Network at 01 671 94 29 or visit their website www.musicnetwork.ie.
Artist in the Community Scheme (Create)
Twice yearly, the Arts Council offers grants to enable
artists and communities of place or interest to work together on projects. The
scheme covers all art forms. The Artist in the Community Scheme is managed by
Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts. The
AIC Scheme also offers an annual bursary, as well as residencies and a summer
school.
The aim of the AIC scheme is to encourage
meaningful collaboration between communities of place and/or interest and
artists. It is essential that consultation take place between the artist and
the community, so that both parties are involved in deciding on the nature of
the project’s realisation. Group ownership of the art should be maintained at
every stage.
The AIC 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.
For further information, application forms or
to book an advisory session, contact Áine Crowley, Programme Manager, Arts
and Engagement: 01 473 66 00.
Creative Europe 2014–2020 Culture Sub-programme
The Creative Europe 20146–2020 programme is the EU funding programme run by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) for the European Commission. It was established to enhance the cultural area shared by Europeans which is based on a common cultural heritage through the development of cooperation activities among cultural operators from eligible countries in the EU and beyond.
Find out more about the Creative Europe Culture Sub-programme
Léargas - Youth in Action
The EU Youth in Action programme aims to develop the needs of young people (aged 13 to 30) in over 30 countries by providing funding and support for development of specific activities and objectives through non-formal learning with young people and their youth workers/leaders.
For more information please visit the Léargas website or contact Léargas at 01 873 1411.
European Cultural Contact Point Ireland - Culture Programme
The EU Culture Programme supports cultural co-operation in all fields of the contemporary arts and cultural heritage, with the exception of film and cinema, which is supported by the MEDIA Programme. The Culture Programme runs from 2007-2013, with annual calls for proposals, and aims to promote transnational mobility of artists and people working in the cultural sector; transnational circulation of artistic and cultural works and products; and intercultural dialogue.
Study on youth access to Culture in Europe
On 13 September 2010, the Directorate-General for Education and Culture presented the Study on Youth Access to Culture in Europe carried out by the Interarts Foundation, following a call for tenders for the study by the European Commission. For more information click here.
Links on the new strategy for youth policies adopted by the European Commission