The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon is an autonomous body established in 1951 to stimulate public interest in and promote the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts. We are the Irish State's principal instrument of arts funding and an advisory body to Government on arts matters, operating under the Arts Acts of 1951, 1973, and 2003. More information about the Arts Council and its role and activities is available from the About us and the Arts in Ireland sections of the website.
The Arts Council (12 members and a Chair) is appointed by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
You can find a listing of the members and further information about the Council on the Council Members section of the website.
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon was established in 1951 to stimulate public interest in and promote the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts. We are the Irish State's principal instrument of arts funding and an advisory body to Government on arts matters, operating under the Arts Acts of 1951, 1973, and 2003.
Information on our activities from 1951 to the present is available in our Annual Reports, available to download from our publications section.
You might also take a look at Dreams and Responsibilities (1990) (PDF, 1.12 MB) a detailed account of the state and the arts in Ireland from 1922 – 1988. This book will give you a history of the Arts Council and is available in the publications section.
The Arts Council's annual budget varies from year to year. The Arts Council's grant from the Irish Exchequer in 2024 is €134 million.
As the Irish Government’s development agency for the arts, the Arts Council is the major funder of the arts in Ireland. Each year it provides grants to arts organisations, along with grants for individual artists, or groups of artists (artists’ bursaries). Grants are always made with the objective of promoting artistic excellence and innovation.
The Arts Council’s annual budget is made up of grants in aid from the Irish Exchequer, and income from the National Lottery. The Arts Council’s annual budget also includes income from other sources such as trust funds. The Arts Council publishes a public statement of its financial accounts in its Annual Report.
The Arts Council is located at 70 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, Ireland. Telephone + 353 1 618 0200 for directions.
The Arts Council opening hours are: 9.15 am-5.30pm, Monday-Friday. We are closed on weekends and public holidays.
If you are in receipt of an Arts Council award, you must acknowledge this support accordingly. You can find these guidelines in the Logo Guide section of the Arts Council website. Please contact digital@artscouncil.ie for further information on the logo and its use.
If you have a complaint or are unhappy about any aspect of the Arts Councils service, you can contact the Arts Council or the manager of the service you have been dealing with to let them know your concerns. Full details of the Arts Council's complaint procedure can be found here.
The Arts Council is committed to providing an open, accountable and accessible system of procedures and processes in relation to all areas of its work. Any suggestions as to how we might improve our services may be directed to info@artscouncil.ie