The purpose of Reel Art is to provide film artists with the opportunity to make highly creative, imaginative and experimental documentaries on an artistic theme for cinema exhibition. One film will be supported in 2024. A total fund of up to €135,000 will be made available to the successful applicant (to include a production budget of €120,000 and further exhibition support of €15,000). Only films that can be made within this budget will be considered. The films must be completed to premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival, our exhibition partner, in February 2026. Applicants will be notified in July 2024 if they have been shortlisted. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to discuss the details of their proposals with the selection panel, expected to be convened in July 2024.

The Arts Council’s purpose in offering Reel Art is to support film artists to make documentary art films that would not otherwise get made. The award offers film artists a unique opportunity to make artistic film works on arts subjects. Film artists should have a passion for their subject and be able to transpose this to the screen.

Projects should be conceived for theatrical exhibition at film festivals and in arthouse/cultural-cinema settings. Only proposals for original, imaginative and aesthetically driven treatments of arts subjects will be considered, while proposals that offer visually engaging, creative and experimental approaches to their subject will be prioritised.

A Reel Art film is not a television documentary. Subjects and treatments that are televisual rather than filmic will not be considered. Proposals for biographic treatments of artists will only be considered in exceptional cases where the proposed approach is particularly unique.

A key aim of Reel Art is to complement, rather than duplicate, the documentary and other funding programmes offered by the Arts Council, broadcasters and funding agencies in Ireland.

Successful projects will be required to complete at least one Digital Cinema Print (DCP) for deposit at the IFI Archive as part of the delivery requirements for Reel Art. Provision for this should be made within the application budget.

Reel Art films must be made within a total maximum budget of €120,000 and must be completed on/before 1 December 2025.

Please note: an earlier version of these guidelines stated that 2 films would be supported in 2024. This is incorrect: only 1 film will be supported in 2024.

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.