The purpose of Arts Centre Funding is to invest in and support the infrastructure of arts centres required to sustain and develop the arts in Ireland.

Arts centres are defined as full-time, public-facing, professionally managed, building-based arts organisations. They support the creation, presentation and mediation of the arts across a range of artforms and arts practices. They support professional, collaborative, voluntary and amateur arts practice.

Recipients of Arts Centre Funding must play a critical part in delivering the policy priorities of Making Great Art Work, the Arts Council's ten-year strategy.

In offering Arts Centre Funding, the Arts Council wishes to ensure:

• The year-round production and dissemination of arts activities, events and services of the highest quality throughout the country

• That greater numbers of people enjoy high-quality arts experiences

• That artists are supported in their professional practice

• That audiences, artists and participants reflect the diversity of contemporary Ireland

• Increased depth of engagement by and with the public

• High standards in governance and management.

In accordance with the Policy and Strategy for Arts Centres, the Arts Council wishes to encourage arts centres to engage with and further develop supports for artists. Examples of this might be by:

• Providing professional-development opportunities for practising artists through:

  • The management of physical spaces for artists to develop work

  • Residencies that are meaningful in length, appropriately remunerated, and relevant to the requirements of artists in different artforms and practices

  • In-house productions/co-productions

  • Other models of support as appropriate

• Working with cultural and other organisations (e.g. other arts centres and venues, local-authority arts offices, festivals, libraries, schools, care centres, etc.) to engage with people as artists, audience members, collaborators and participants

• Planning for the development of digitally intelligent buildings, supporting innovation both in creation and dissemination.

Such additional supports to artists should be outlined in the application form as activities in 2025.

Who can apply?

The Arts Centre Funding Programme is open only to building-based, professionally managed, multidisciplinary arts organisations that are open to the public all year round.

If this is the first time your organisation has applied for Arts Centre Funding, you must contact  the arts centres team, before applying.

Preparing your engagement information

Additional guidance on preparing engagement information for your application is available in our public engagement section which includes definitions, tools and resources to support you.

Online Information Sessions for Arts Centre Funding 2025

There will be information sessions for Arts Centre Funding 2025. Dates are TBC.

Access Supports

If you have a disability and would like help applying, contact our Access Officer as early as possible before the deadline.

Phone:      

• 01 618 0200
• 01 618 0243

 Email: access@artscouncil.ie

 You will be able to apply for additional costs if you have access needs relating to your application.

Note: applications will only be accepted through the Arts Council’s Online Services site. If you have not used Online Services before you must register for a login to be able to apply for funding.  It is important that you register as early as possible as it may take up to five working days for your registration to be processed.