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 & 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 

About the fund: the objective of the scheme is to support Sligo’s arts infrastructure which is defined as arts & cultural venues, workspaces & organisations & those who play a distinctive role in developing & maintaining a year-round vibrant and sustainable arts environment at local, regional, national, and international level in partnership with Sligo County Council. 

Eligibility

• Dedicated/purpose-built arts & cultural venues with a year-round programme of arts activity that stimulates public interest in the arts, promotes knowledge & appreciation & strives to improves artistic standards at a local level
• Workspaces that provide space for multiple professional artists (4+) to work in and/or access to facilities, equipment etc
• Established arts/cultural organisations wishing to 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 & support the development of artists through a range of supports and activities
• 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

About the fund: this scheme funds activities which meet the criteria of The Arts Act (2003) as outlined above. Arts events (community or otherwise) are also eligible under this fund. Festivals or events may also be programmed over a number of months (e.g. an extended concert series).

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:

• A strong artistic vision
• Provision for audiences to high-quality, innovative arts programming (local, national and international artists) across a variety of settings
• Place artform development at the core of their work as is evidenced in their programming, e.g. through workshops, talks, masterclasses etc that support the main programme of performances/exhibitions etc
• How they support artist development initiatives, providing artists (including Sligo based artists/collectives) with opportunities to both make and/or present new work to the public and/or have opportunities to develop their artistic practice.

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

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 application and who then make recommendations