Sligo County Council is committed to supporting the development of the arts, culture, and heritage sectors across the county. The Council recognises the vital contribution of voluntary committees, community groups, and professional organisations in sustaining Sligo’s diverse cultural landscape.
Through a range of annual funding schemes, the Council assists voluntary, community, and professional bodies, as well as festival and event organisers, in fostering a vibrant and sustainable cultural environment. Each scheme has its own eligibility criteria – applicants are encouraged to look at the different priorities, requirements and assessment criteria for each scheme or fund before choosing which is the most appropriate one for them to pursue.
The Arts Grants
Sligo County Council’s Arts Service Department administers the annual Arts Grants fund, which provides financial support to Sligo’s arts infrastructure including arts/cultural venues, artist workspaces and arts organisations (Strand 1). The fund also supports independent arts festivals & arts events which take place in a range of places and spaces throughout the county (Strand 2).
The Arts Grants fund activities which meet the criteria of The Arts Act (2003). In this Act ‘the arts’ is defined as:
“…..any creative or interpretative expression (whether traditional or contemporary) in whatever form, and includes, in particular, visual arts, theatre, literature, music, dance, opera, film, circus and architecture, and includes any medium when used for those purposes.”
Strand 1: Arts Infrastructure
The objective of Strand 1 is to support Sligo’s arts infrastructure which is defined as:
- Dedicated arts & cultural venues, workspaces & organisations with a year-round programme of arts activity. This programme should at times be public-facing and may include, but is not limited to, performances, exhibitions, literary events, film screenings, workshops, classes, outreach and engagement initiatives, festivals and summer schools/projects.
- Resource organisations & dedicated artist workspaces that provide space and resources to multiple (4+) professional artists/practitioners and are in existence for 2 years or more.
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Venues, organisations and festivals that provide ongoing support for artform development and/or professional artists and practitioners through resource sharing, commissioning, awards or other forms of support throughout the year.
From 2026, arts organisations/venues that programme festivals, summer schools or similar as part of their ongoing annual programme & who have traditionally submitted separate applications, should now submit one application under INFRASTRUCTURE which reflects their overall programme for the year.
Applicants may submit a maximum of 1 application in this Scheme.
Eligibility
- Established (3+ years), dedicated arts & cultural venues with a year-round programme of arts activity that stimulates public interest and promotes knowledge and appreciation of the arts
- Resource organisations and workspaces that provide space for multiple professional artists (4+) to work in and/or access to facilities, equipment etc that can demonstrate they are 2 years + in existence
- Established arts/cultural organisations that programme events (including event series) or undertake a programme of work (training, workshops etc) throughout the year
- Established arts/cultural organisations that promote artform development and/or provide a range of supports to professional artists throughout the year
- Promote fair & equitable pay for artists
- Are accessible (where possible)
- Promote inclusivity
- Can be any creative activity e.g. performances, exhibitions, readings, talks, workshops, art/craft demonstrations, heritage events, interactive installations, craft activities, film screenings, animation
- Celebrate the diversity of our linguistic and cultural heritage
Strand 2: Arts Festivals & Events
The objective of Strand 2 is to support Sligo’s arts organisations and wider arts community who independently programme arts festivals and arts events. The scheme is open to professional, amateur and community-based applicants whose activities have a clear arts focus and meet the requirements of the Arts Act 2003, as outlined above.
A Note on Arts Festivals:
Arts Festivals may focus on a single artform (such as music, film, or dance) or be multi-disciplinary in nature, encompassing a diverse range of creative practices and opportunities.
Festivals and events whose primary focus lies outside the arts — for example, those that are primarily specialist (food), community, heritage, tourism-focused or deemed commercial — will not be considered under this fund and should consider applying under an alternative funding scheme in Sligo County Council, see here
To distinguish arts festivals from other types of festivals, applicants to this fund must demonstrate in their applications:
- Artistic Vision: A clear artistic vision and purpose that guides the festival’s programming, with opportunities for audiences to experience work by local, national and international artists across a range of settings
- Artform Development: How the festival contributes to the development of its chosen artform(s) through activities such as workshops, talks, masterclasses, discussions, collaborations and opportunities for artistic exchange, experimentation and learning that compliment the festival programme
- Artist Supports: What opportunities are provided for artists, including Sligo-based artists and collectives, to develop their practice and/or create and present new work/work in development (e.g. awards, commissions, residencies).
Eligibility for Arts Festivals:
- Independently run arts festivals & events/event series
- Demonstrate a clear artistic mission & purpose
- Can be either single or mutli-disciplinary artform programmes
- Festivals or events must be longer than one day in duration and can be programmed over a number of months (e.g. an extended concert series)
- Provide access to innovative & high-quality arts programming
- Provide engagement opportunities for the public
- Promote artform development
- Promote opportunities to engage with the work of local, national & international artists in a range of settings
- Support the work of professional (non-commercial) artists & practitioners
- Promote fair & equitable pay for artists
- Be not for profit & non-commercial
- Are accessible (where possible)
- Promote inclusivity
Arts Events
To qualify for this fund, the proposed event(s)/project must clearly demonstrate that they are arts focussed and non-commercial. Heritage type events do not typically qualify under this fund. Arts activity funded under this strand should:
- Stimulate public interest in the arts, promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts or improve the standards of the arts within the local authority’s area
- Events/Projects often must be open to a public audience (not purely internal or closed membership).
- Usually take place within the area of the local authority (or specified in the scheme) and within the timeframe required
- Provide opportunities to access and engage with high quality arts events in both urban and rural settings throughout County Sligo.
- Promote programming that is well planned, publicised, and managed and represents value for money.
- Promote more traditional arts practices (music, dance, literature)
- Promote paying the artist in line with industry standards
- Events may be one off or a series, but must all take place between January and December 2027.
- Applicants must clearly demonstrate evidence of a committee-based governing structure for organisation & evidence of sound book-keeping practices
APPLICATION PROCESS
As part of Sligo County Council’s commitment to digital transformation, applications can only be submitted online via www.sligococo.ie/grants
The Arts Grants Scheme will be advertised annually via the local press & Sligo Arts Service’s website and social media platforms. The Arts Service Department does not contact previous applicants directly to inform them about the scheme.
PLEASE NOTE:
This is a highly competitive fund and not all who apply are guaranteed funding. The Arts Assessment Panel assess all applications and then make recommendations.
Criteria for Assessment & Terms and Conditions of grants are published as part of the application process on the portal.