| Arts & Disability Ireland

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Round One of the Arts and Disability Connect Scheme is open for applications from 24 March until 7 May 2024.

Arts and Disability Connect Round One 2025 is now open for applications from Monday 24 March, and the deadline to apply is Wednesday 7 May at 4pm. There will be a second opportunity to apply this year with Round Two opening in the summer on 18 August 2025.

What is Arts and Disability Connect and where can I apply?

The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to be ambitious, to develop their practice and to connect with arts organisations and arts professionals in the Republic of Ireland. Arts and Disability Connect includes New Work, Research and Reflection, Mentoring, and Training awards for individual artists with disabilities.

The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is funded by the Arts Council and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland. For guidelines and application forms for each award visit adiarts.ie /connect. For further information or any queries, please email connect@adiarts.ie

What applicant support is available?

There are several applicant support resources available, including a Come and Ask Questions Session and one-on-one sessions which you can read more about below. Previous information sessions are also available on our YouTube and SoundCloud, including interviews with previous awarded artists for Training, Mentoring, Research and Reflection and New Work awards.

Come and Ask Questions Session

Join the Arts & Disability Ireland team on 9 April on Zoom to answer all your questions about making an application to the Arts and Disability Connect scheme. On Wednesday 9 April from 12 noon to 1pm we’ll chat to you about your application ideas and answer questions you have about applying to Arts and Disability Connect, including the New Work, Research and Reflection, Mentoring, and Training awards.

This information session is open to individual artists with disabilities who are applying to the Arts and Disability Connect scheme as well as people who are supporting them to apply.

Live captioning will be provided by MyClearText and ISL will be provided by Bridge Interpreting. To book, visit calendly.com/connect-adiarts. For any queries, please email connect@adiarts.ie

One on One Sessions

Book a session for up to one hour by phone, Zoom, or email for applicant support. Individual artists who are applying for Arts and Disability Connect funding can book in an applicant support session between 10 April to 2 May. These sessions are open to individual artists with disabilities who are applying to the Arts and Disability Connect scheme as well as people who are supporting them to apply.

We recommend that you read the guidelines of the award you are applying for before attending the meeting, which you can read fully at adiarts.ie/connect

You can have up to 1 hour of support either on the phone, Zoom or by email. During this time, we can review a draft application, answer any queries, and give feedback. Book your space at the link below. Booking in advance is highly recommended, as these sessions quickly fill up. To book, visit calendly.com/connect-adiarts. For any queries, please email connect@adiarts.ie

All application forms, guidelines, Easy Read information and FAQ’s are available at adiarts.ie/connect

If you have any queries about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme please email connect@adiarts.ie.

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Euan’s Guide, the award-winning disabled access review charity, seek a Review Coordinator.

A Review Coordinator is responsible for visiting locations around the UK and sharing their experiences of disabled access on EuansGuide.com. Locations, venues and businesses to be visited will be those that can enable our community to travel with confidence so will focus on transport hubs and surrounding facilities such as toilets, places to eat and drink and other everyday essentials.

The Review Coordinator will be responsible for generating access information, community outreach and engagement, project resources, and project management.

Euan’s Guide have put together a Frequently Asked Questions document to help with your application and will update it regularly. If you have further questions, feel free to get in touch with the Community Manager joe.logue@euansguide.com.

How to apply

For full details and to apply, visit euansguide.com/news. The closing date for applications is Monday 24 March.

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The aim of the Artist in the Community Scheme is to encourage meaningful collaboration between communities of place and/or interest and professional artists.

Applications are now open for the Research and Development Award (both with and without mentoring), the Recent Graduate Research and Development Award (with mentoring), and the Project Realisation Award. The deadline for the awards are Monday 31 March.

For more information and to apply, visit create-ireland.ie

Access

Create and the Arts Council aim to make the application process accessible to all. They have increased supports to remove barriers for artist applicants to Artist in the Community awards. These additional supports may include: translation to other languages, Irish Sign Language interpretation for advisory sessions, or transcription of audio and video files. They will use all reasonable endeavours to assist people with disabilities or access requirements who are eligible under the conditions of the award. To find out more please contact Create at least 3 weeks in advance of the closing date. Email at info@create-ireland.ie or call on (01) 473 66 00. If you feel your needs are not outlined here please contact them and they will do their best to support you.

Image: Pleasc, Fibín. A previous AIC Scheme Project Realisation award recipient. Photo: Seán T Ó Meallaigh

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IMMA Perspectives- A Creative Encounter is a partnership between IMMA, Dublin City Council, Skillnet and neurodivergent artists, Jody O’Neill and Dee Roycroft, working towards creating a Dublin where neurodivergent people can fully participate in and enjoy cultural experiences.

This is a partnership which aims to explore new and experiential ways that people who are neurodivergent can interact within cultural institutions and work together to learn and seek practical solutions for barriers encountered.

The programme is open to professional artists who are neurodivergent across disciplines, living and/or working in Dublin City. If you prefer, you can answer the questions via video or audio recording rather than written text. The application deadline is April 4, with sucessful applicants to be informed by April 17.

What does the encounter offer?

The encounter, designed and facilitated by Jody O’Neill and Dee Roycroft, sees selected professional artists (across a range of disciplines) participate in a weeklong series of bespoke workshops and seminars. These are an opportunity for selected artists to spend a concentrated period of time exploring their practice and identifying areas where they encounter challenges, and evolving practical solutions. Ultimately, the artists will also contribute to deep learning relating to: identifying barriers, training staff experientially, raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and overall artist development, within a cultural institution.

What can I expect from participating in the encounter?

A temporary artistic community to examine and reimagine systems of making within a shared experience of neurodivergence.
Working with other artists who are neurodivergent to foster connection and exchange within bespoke structures and supports;
Daily check-ins, workshops and seminars;
Time, space and resources to explore artistic practice and ideas;
Learning how to create and disseminate access documents;
Experiential training in workshop facilitation, through co-designing and co-delivering a workshop for IMMA and DCC staff that explores neurodiversity inclusion and accessibility from a point of view of lived experience.

Dates and Times (full schedule to follow)

May 12 to 16 inclusive, from 10am to 5pm daily.
This includes a €10 lunch stipend as well as access to basic facilities, access will be provided to basic facilities.
There will also be one online introductory workshop in advance. Date will be coordinated with participating artists.

FAQ

How many artists will be taking part?
5 professional artists who are neurodivergent will be selected across a range of disciplines.

What does the encounter offer?
The encounter, designed and facilitated by Jody O’Neill and Dee Roycroft, sees 5 selected professional artists who are neurodivergent.

I identify as neurodivergent, but don’t have a formal diagnosis – can I still apply? Yes.

Can you cover accommodation costs? No. As this pilot is based on funding from Dublin City Arts office, selected artists should be living and/or working in Dublin City. We cannot cover costs of accommodation, transport or per diems.

Is this a paid opportunity? Selected artists will receive a stipend of €150 per day. Is attendance at all days mandatory? Yes.

Will my caring costs be covered? There is a small budget to contribute towards caring costs.

What access provisions are available? We are committed to making this an accessible opportunity and will discuss specific access requirements with selected artists ahead of the encounter.

If I need support with the application or have questions, who can I contact? Email: immaperspectives@gmail.com How will we select the successful artists? Representatives from IMMA, Dublin City Council and two independent artists will comprise the selection panel.

For more information and to apply, visit dublincityartsoffice.submittable.com/submit or any applications done by video or audio should be sent directly to immaperspectives@gmail.com.

The watercolour painting 'Aimée' by Marie Le Men, featured in Profiles Issue 3, features a woman sitting by a bed covered in red and pink checkered sheets. She has a distinctive hairstyle with braided hair and is wearing a colourful outfit that combines geometric patterns. Asleep next to her on the bed is a ginger cat.

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Profiles welcomes character-driven fiction and non-fiction — both original works and works in translation — between 1,000 and 5,000 words for Issue 4 is open until March 18.

Profiles are interested in publishing character studies. They love short stories and works of non-fiction that treat their subjects with empathy, without bordering on apologia, and show human nature as it is, not necessarily as it should be. To get a sense of what they are after, they recommend reading past issues of Profiles.

Profiles feature work from writers living in Ireland and abroad. Due to the high volume of submissions they receive and our limited resources, they regret that they cannot accept submissions of original writing from residents of the US or Canada (with the exception of Irish citizens). However, translators living in these countries are welcome to submit.

Profiles especially welcome submissions from writers who are underrepresented in the arts due to their ethnicity, socio-economic background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.

Profiles also publish visual art and are happy to accept submissions of artwork and writing from the same individual over the course of one submission period. However, please submit them using separate forms, unless they are part of the same project (in which case please use the writing submission form and combine your artwork and written piece in a single document).

The deadline to apply is March 18.

Ensure you read the guidelines in full before submitting your work — they are also available in OpenDyslexic font.

For more information and to submit work, visit profilesjournal.com

Image credit: ‘Aimée’ by Marie Le Men, featured in Profiles Issue 3.

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Catalyst International Film Festival is delighted to announce the Short Documentary Bursary Award 2025.

This award is open to emerging and early career filmmakers. The successful applicant will be awarded €10,000 to finance the making of a short documentary.

Guidelines

A bursary of €10,000 will be awarded to the selected project, which must be between 10 and 15 minutes long. Filmmaking teams should be diverse and aim for a gender balance. Thematically, the film must creatively explore an aspect of equality, diversity, and inclusion in Ireland. There must be at least one paid internship must be available for a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in the screen industries. Projects must demonstrate diversity and gender balance in three key areas: on-screen representation, story content, and diversity behind the camera

How to apply

Filmmakers must submit their application via this online form or by visiting visit catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com. Please note there is no application fee.

The deadline for applications is midnight 11 March. For more information about the selection process and full guidelines, visit catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com

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Cork County Council’s Arts Office is currently seeking creative facilitators in all artforms to join a panel of experienced and skilled practitioners.

Artists who form part of the panel could work on various Council led initiatives over the next two years, including the Council’s Creative Ireland programme, arts and health projects, as well as in Library and community-based settings.

Expressions of interest to join this panel are invited from artists and creatives working in any medium including dance, fashion/textiles, design, architecture, Irish language arts, film or content creation.

Artists engaged through the Arts Programme will work in managed, structured projects assisting delivery of creative programmes to various sectors of the community as part the Council’s Arts Activity Programme.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Sunday 2 of March 2025. Queries can be made to arts@corkcoco.ie by Friday 28 February 2025.

Further information is available by visiting corkcoco.ie

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Learn how to navigate the screen industries as a creative with a disability or as someone who is neurodivergent, with tips on self-advocacy, support and inclusive working practices.

The film and TV industry often feels intimidating and inaccessible, whether you are an established creative, or trying to land your first job. This is especially the case if you identify as disabled or neurodivergent – the industry is rarely inclusive in terms of working practice or physical access. As an individual with a disability or a neurodivergent condition, how can you navigate this industry successfully – and safely?

Join the British Film Institute‘s online panel discussion on 23 February at 2pm for advice on effectively advocating for yourself, tips on accessing support and setting boundaries, and insights into accessible working practices. Whether you identify as disabled or neurodivergent, or simply want to make your filmmaking more supportive and inclusive – this event is for you. Speakers include Lindsey Dryden, Danielle Goff, and Rosanagh Griffiths, hosted by Jess Painter, BFI Film Academy.

As part of this series, BFI will also host a webinar Can I Afford to Work in the Screen Industries? on 22 February at 4pm, exploring how working-class creatives can break into the screen industries, navigate low wages and help build a more equitable industry.

For more information on both events, visit bfi.org

Curated by BFI Film Academy Young Programmers Jess Painter and Phoebe Yemi Ara. Image courtesy of BFI.

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Dublin City Council Bram Stoker Festival’s Open Call to present events at this year’s festival is now live. They’re looking for a broad range of events from artists, producers, creatives and organisations who want to thrill Dubliners this Halloween, with budget available to support successful submissions.

For four days and nights between Friday 31 October and Monday 3 November 2025, Dublin City Council and Bram Stoker Festival will present a programme of literary, cultural, contemporary and family events to engage a broad audience in celebration of Bram Stoker.

Once again, they are holding an open call for ideas for events and activities. These ideas must have a real connection to or be thematically linked to Bram Stoker; his works, his life, his philosophy, Victorian Dublin, all things Gothic, the supernatural or the mysterious. The deadline is Monday 3 March at 6pm.

About the festival

Bram Stoker Festival is one of Dublin’s biggest multi-disciplinary arts festivals, with a broad audience of Dubliners of all ages and backgrounds, united in a love for the unknown, the supernatural and the Gothic.

This year the festival will start on Hallowe’en Night, allowing them (and you!) to present events rooted in Samhain, superstition and terror…

Their programme combines family-friendly adventures with late-night antics for mates, dates and everything in between. We’ve presented interactive art installations, music gigs, comedy, theatre, spoken word, themed parties, food-focused experiences, literary events, outdoor adventures for children, families or grownups, film screenings, exhibitions, talks and lots more… and we’re thirsty for more!

For more information and to view the how to apply guide, visit bramstokerfestival.com

Image courtesy of Bram Stoker Festival.

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Mayo County Council’s Arts Service is now inviting applications for UPSTART 2025.

UPSTART is an initiative of Mayo County Council’s Arts Service which aims to incentivise quality artistic collaborations between groups/people with disabilities, artists, arts venues and organisations within County Mayo. The award supports opportunities for people with disabilities to develop arts projects in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December.

If you would like to apply to the UPSTART programme, please download the guidelines and application form at mayo.ie/arts/funding/upstart, or visit mayo-upstart.ie.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 14 February 2025.

For further information on the UPSTART programme, contact Damien O’Connor, Arts and Disability Coordinator, Mayo County Council, by telephoning 094 906 4363, or by emailing doconnor@mayococo.ie.

Banner image: ‘My Clinical Life’ by Katie Moore Visual Artist, previous UPSTART Bursary awardee, courtesy of UPSTART and Mayo County Council.

AlanJames runs a session for a group of people. They sit at the front of a room, in front of blue screens with wave patterns and a large screen that says Divergently Together. They wear a black band on their forehead, linking to wires and an ipad.

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Divergently Together is a socially engaged creative project that uses technology to support neurodivergent communities to take part in climate action.

Climate change is the key issue of our time and it disproportionately affects disabled communities. This can be through eco-ableism, lack of accessible information, physical vulnerabilities in extreme weather events, increased sensitivity in heat waves due to critical medications, and lack of access funding in climate action projects, to name a few.

However, people with lived experience of disability also have expert skill sets which are needed to address the climate emergency, such as resilience, resourcefulness, and specialist knowledge of navigating a world of barriers and obstacles. People with neurodiversity think creatively in non-linear, exploratory patterns that could greatly support climate mitigation solutions, yet they are largely excluded from climate action.

About the Open Call

Led by Cavan born artist AlanJames Burns and Insight Centre at DCU, the Divergently Together project is building a shared Island community of neurodivergent individuals from Cavan, Fermanagh and Omagh, which will come together to co-design creative responses to the climate emergency.

How to take part

The call for participants to take part is open now and they are looking for neurodivergent people, over the age of 25 with an interest in climate action. Participants will take part in a series of ten workshops from February to July 2025. There will be an information session online on the 13 February at 12:30pm for those interested in being part of the group. To find out more and sign up for the info session visit alanjamesburns.com/divergently-together or email studio@alanjamesburns.com

For the ISL interpreted information video, visit instagram.com/alanjamesburns

Divergently Together is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Taoiseach and awarded to Dublin City University in collaboration with the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. Divergently Together has emanated from research conducted with the financial support of Taighde Éireann

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Join industry professionals to discuss topics of accessibility, inclusion and representation in all aspects of the film and performing arts industries, and explore beyond the basics into progressive best practices.

Industry leaders, including creatives with disabilities, will share knowledge and experience providing participants with the tools to elevate accessibility and open pathways to deeper inclusion. The Industry Summit is presented as a part of the annual ReelAbilities Film Festival New York, in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

This summit is for:

Film and television industry professionals, including event presenters, exhibitors, and distributors
Performing arts industry professionals, including venue management and front of house, artistic directors, and agents
Experienced and emerging filmmakers and performers
Disability and arts organisations

Access

ReelAbilities strives for inclusion of all people. To accommodate a variety of needs, the summit will be held in-person and virtually. All sessions will include:

ASL interpretation
CART (live transcript)
Braille materials
Wheelchair seating
Fully accessible to people using mobility devices
Sensory friendly space and support

Registration

The ReelAbilities Industry Summit can be attended online or in person April 7 and 8 2025.

Thanks to the generous support of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, they are able to offer Industry Summit admission at an affordable rate. Additionally, a limited number of free summit passes are available for those facing financial barriers. Visit reelabilities.org for more information and to register.

Image from ‘Donald’, directed by Dylan S. Tuccillo from ReelAbilities Film Festival 2024.

Dancers Madeleine Månsson and Anna Borràs Picó perform in Fine Lines. Two dancers moved against a black background and black floor. One person with blond hair tied back leans forward while sitting in a wheelchair to balance another dancer with dark short hair on their back.

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Europe Beyond Access (EBA) is an international project that supports the creation of new works by artists who are Deaf and/or have a disability from across Europe. It involves 10 European dance and performing arts organisations and is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. EBA is the biggest transnational project in the world supporting artists to break the glass ceilings of contemporary dance and theatre and to become Europe’s next artistic leaders.

About the research

In this context, EBA is undertaking research on the access, lack of access and experience of students with a disability in higher education institutions in the performing arts in Creative Europe countries and the UK – that is, theatre schools, dance academies, conservatories, and similar institutions that provide practical, skills-based education for those seeking to enter the professional performing arts, for example as actors, dancers, technicians, directors, choreographers, producers, stage managers, lighting or costume or stage designers, or production managers. Research will also analyse what alternative educational and professional development paths have been followed by people who have a disability who could not access mainstream educational institutions.

The research combines interviews, focus groups, events, a literature review and several surveys. It is coordinated by On the Move, based on its previous research that led to the groundbreaking research series Time to Act. Their final report will be published on 3 December 2025, on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

About the survey

As part of the research process, there are three surveys that focus on three target groups (people can choose which one to fill in depending on which target group is most relevant for them):

The first survey is addressed to Performing Artists & Culture Professionals (including those in training) with disabilities, and people who are Deaf, Neurodivergent and chronically ill – in the fields of theatre, dance, and other performing arts forms.
The second is addressed to higher education institutions providing tertiary/university-level education in theatre, dance, and other performing arts forms. They are seeking the opinions and experiences of individual staff members as well as formal responses from administrations. More than one response from different representatives/staff members of the same institution are acceptable.
The third survey is addressed to performing arts organisations involved in the creation, production, distribution or presentation of professional works. It focuses particularly on their perception of educational opportunities in this field and how these may enable or hinder careers for artists and professionals with disabilities in the performing arts.

The deadline is 20 March 2025, for more information visit on-the-move.org

Image credit: Fine Lines by Roser López Espinosa and Skånes Dansteater.
Photo credit: Tilo Stengel, Sjoerd Derine.

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Dublin Fringe Festival 2025 Curatorial Call is now live!

Dublin Fringe is calling all artists to submit an application to be a part of Dublin Fringe Festival 2025 which will turn the city of Dublin into a stage for some of the most jaw dropping performances and events of the year.

“In 2025 we’re asking you to step off-road. Seek urgent pleasure. Practice radical care. A desire path is waiting to be made.” – Bee Sparks, Festival Director, with Niamh Murtagh, Programme & Artist Support Coordinator and Clíona Malin, Programme Administrator.

Please note this year’s festival application deadline is 12pm, Monday 17 February.

Read Fringe’s curatorial callout and How to Guide, and get a sense of the kind of ideas they want to see, hear and read more of in your applications. Fringe have compiled a comprehensive Application Guide to help you navigate your Dublin Fringe Festival application, it is essential you read it in full.

To ensure that all applicants can access the necessary information, Fringe have provided accessible versions of all application materials, including dyslexia friendly and text to speech documents.

For more information on how to plan and give shape to your application, visit fringefest.com

Image courtesy of Dublin Fringe Festival.

A gallery space in the University of Atypical. A collection of large white gallery walls and a white plinth in the centre. Three landscape paintings hang in the centre with two photographs opposite, and a round sculpture in the centre.

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The University of Atypical open applications for the d/Deaf and Disabled Artists Support Fund from March to April 2025.

The D/deaf and Disabled Artists Support Fund is an Arts Council of Northern Ireland funded opportunity that allows artists located in Northern Ireland to buy time to be creative, to support the development or production of new contemporary artwork, or for activity to develop existing skills or gain a new type of experience.

Important dates for this funding round

Monday 3 March 2025 at 10:00 am: Applications and advice sessions open

Wednesday 2 April 2025 at 5 pm: Advice sessions close

Thursday 10 April 2025 at 4 pm: Applications close

Projects must be completed by: Friday 12 December 2025

Support for Individual Artists Programme

The University of Atypical is providing advice sessions to artists who are d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent and wish to apply to a range of funding opportunities available through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

These funding advice sessions happen online and in person. They are arranged in the lead up to the funding opportunity.

You can arrange an advice session by emailing access@universityofatypical.org or calling 028 90239450.

This service is made possible thanks to support from their Principal Funder, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through National Lottery Funds.

For more information, visit universityofatypical.org

Image courtesy of University of Atypical.

Two tables spotlit on a dark stage. On the larger table sits a range of musical instruments such as drums as well as bottles and tripods.

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The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland announce the awarded artists for Round Two of the Arts and Disability Connect scheme 2024.

The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to be ambitious, develop their practice and connect with arts organisations and arts professionals in Ireland.

The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland are delighted to announce that €70,000 has been awarded to 17 artists through a New Work, Research & Reflection, Mentoring and Training awards as part of Round Two 2024.

At the heart of every Arts and Disability Connect proposal is the seed of an exciting idea and Round 2 of the scheme will continue to see the development of innovative practice and the acquisition of new skills by artists with disabilities. – Pádraig Naughton, Executive Director of Arts & Disability Ireland.

New Work

New Work awards give artists the resources and time to develop and present new and ambitious work. Artists work with an arts partner to support them to get this new work seen by audiences. One artist received a New Work award in Round Two 2024.

Tinomuda Wekare is a Dublin based multimedia artist who will work with their collective The Haus of Schiaparelli and their partner Project Arts Centre to host a Lover’s Ball, a celebration of 10 years of marriage equality in Ireland. Ballroom is a dance subculture from 1970s New York. It was created out of a need for resistance and community among black and Afro Latino LGBT communities.

Research & Reflection

Research and Reflection awards give artists time to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their practice. In this Round, seven artists received Research & Reflection awards.

Cian Manning is a visual artist based in Cork. He will continue to develop a body of sculptural work through material and text based research. He will work with FabLab Limerick and meet with mentors Iarlaith Ní Fheorais and Dennis McNulty.

Iarlaith Ní Fheorais is a visual artist who will spend time researching and reflecting to develop a film about the artist J.J.Beegan. Beegan made drawings on tissue paper at Netherne Mental Hospital in England from the 1920s to the 1940s. She will research access tools and build a team, developing relationships with future partners.

Jane Hackett is a Dublin based musician who will research the Dalcroze Eurhythmics Method and connect with artists and arts organisations who advocate for accessibility. She will meet with the Chronic Collective and Jessie Grimes head of outreach at the National Concert Hall.

Katie McCann is a theatre maker based in Dublin who will research the Wrens of the Curragh with the aim of developing a first draft of a new play about them. She wants to use this award to experiment with movement direction and visual storytelling. She will be supported by the DLR Mill Theatre in Dundrum.

Niamh Gibbons is a Mayo based visual artist. She will reflect on key questions associated with her current practice the ‘Calli Collective’ and ideas around sustainability and access. She will be mentored by the Chronic Collective and participate in coaching sessions with Suzie Cahn.

Nicole Rourke is a theatre maker based in Dublin. She will research methods for combining her skills as a theatre maker, writer and spoken word artist and will forge connections with arts professionals for future development, particularly working with director Deirdre Molloy.

Sophie Geary is a Dublin based musician who will engage in a period of research, reflection and artistic development where she will read, make field recordings in the Irish countryside and experiment with songwriting techniques.

Mentoring

Mentoring awards give artists the resources to develop a mentoring relationship with a more established arts professional. Artists work on an element of their practice with their mentor. In Round Two, six artists received Mentoring awards.

Daniel Doherty is a poet based in Galway. He will be mentored by the poet Rita-Ann Higgins where they will read, write and discuss Dan’s poetry as well as examining the work of other poets.

Elena Horgan is a Dublin based photographer who will be mentored by Darragh Shanahan, the exhibition manager at PhotoIreland. She will reflect on and experiment with her analogue photography practice. She will focus on darkroom techniques.

Em Murphy is a multidisciplinary movement artist based in Dublin. She will be mentored by the theatre maker Betty Duffy and work at the Dublin Circus Project. She will develop a piece that will investigate traditional, folkloric and modern understandings of death and grief.

Jane Willow is a Sligo based musician who will be mentored by Steve Wickham. She will reflect and work on her songwriting, explore musical influences and experiment with playing different instruments.

Paul Mulgrew is a Dublin based visual artist working in zine making. He will be mentored by Izzy Grange from Way Bad Press and learn the skill of risograph printing. They will also discuss zines and explore zine libraries and galleries.

Tadhg Kinsella is a sound artist based in Dublin who will be mentored by Pauric Freeman, an audiovisual artist and composer. They will discuss style and techniques as well as work on the synergy of sound and imagery in audiovisual work.

Training

Training awards give artists the resources to learn skills through courses, workshops and masterclasses facilitated by arts organisations, artists and arts professionals. Three artists received Training awards in Round Two.

George Rath is a Dublin based visual artist who will attend a two day mould making workshop with Ciarán Patterson at the Fire Station Artists’ Studio.

Lisa Callaghan is a visual artist based in Leitrim who wants to develop her printmaking skills by attending two courses at Limerick Printmakers. She will explore various printing techniques such as etching, dry point, lino and screen print.

Olive MacDonagh is a musician based in Co. Westmeath. She will participate in one-on-one guitar lessons with Zack Boone focusing on the new songs she has written.

Congratulations to all the awarded artists!

For more information about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme see adiarts.ie/connect

Image credit: Continue Reading, 2024, installation by Tadhg Kinsella, The Complex Gallery, Dublin. Photo by Cian Copeland.

A group of people outside celebrating. Blue Teapot Theatre and guests celebrate outside their premises on Muster Avenue.

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Blue Teapot Theatre Company is an accredited provider of training for people aged 18 and over with intellectual disabilities.

Founded in 2010, it was specifically set up to address the needs of those learners who want to gain formal training and certification in QQI creative modules.

Their ethos is to give learners quality arts experience of equal importance to that of required learning outcomes. Tutors are subject matter experts with a wealth of knowledge in creative arts – theatre directors, actors, artists, musicians and designers – along with specialists in advocacy and life skills.

Programme & How To Apply

The three year programme delivers training in performing arts modules leading to certification in QQI Levels 2 and 3. Blue Teapot enrol new learners every September but try to keep numbers small to ensure every person gets a high quality learning experience.

Year One Core skills are introduced with a Level 2 General Learning Major Award Modules in Drama, Music, Design, Craft, Non Verbal Communication and Pattern and Relationship.

Year Two Develop skills: Level 3 programme that deepens core skills learnt in year one with addition of Drawing, Music Appreciation, Puppetry and Event Participation.

Year Three Practice skills: Continuation of Level 3 with opportunities to perform prior to graduation.

Life Skills programme is an additional component of the course, incorporating online safety, health & fitness, help with IT and literacy, interpersonal skills and person centred outcomes.

Application process

Application: Candidates submit completed application forms which are available at the bottom of this page by post or by emailing training@blueteapot.ie.
Invitation: They invite applicants to attend an informal meeting, as an opportunity to gather further information, find out more about a candidate’s interest in performing arts practice, and answer any questions they might have about the programme. This meeting lasts for 30-40 minutes.
Audition: All candidates are invited to attend an audition day where they take part in different group workshops.
Decision: Final decision is made by the Audition Panel and places are offered.

Further general information can be found in their brochure below or by contacting Ana Alvarez on 087 652 0146 or email training@blueteapot.ie. The deadline to apply is 31 January.

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Applications are now open for the Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary and Residency 2025 in association with Tyrone Guthrie Centre Annaghmakerrig.

The Phelim Donlon Bursary and Residency provides a playwright with time and resources towards writing a new play. It is named in honour of Phelim Donlon, an independent theatre producer for many years and the Drama Officer at the Arts Council from 1983 to 2001. He was committed to the arts and was a passionate advocate for new and emerging talent. Phelim was also a dedicated member of the first Irish Theatre Institute Playography Ireland Advisory Panel. This award, now in its 10th year, is an acknowledgement of his valued contribution to Irish theatre.

The recipient will be announced at an event in Dublin in late March. It comprises of a bursary of €2,000 and a 2 weeks’ fully resourced residency in Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered eligible you must:
• Have an established practice as a playwright – this means that you must have a minimum of one full-length play (where you are a named writer) that has been programmed or produced by an established production company, theatre venue, theatre festival, or independent producer.
• Be resident on the island of Ireland or an Irish National living abroad.
• Be an individual writer, or part of a writing partnership that has a history of working together.
• Be working on a new project (i.e. not a project already begun, or in receipt of other significant support).
• Have a play proposal that is based on an original idea, and not an adaptation or reimagining of an existing work.
• Playwrights who have previously submitted and were not successful are welcome to reapply.

Making Your Application and Timeline

Please complete the application form available at irishtheatreinstitute.ie

Applications open 7 January and will close on 4 February at 12pm. Applicants will be notified by 3 March with a ceremony and recipient announcement in late March.

Selection Process and Assistance for Applicants

Applications will be reviewed by ITI’s team for eligibility and initial review. Reading and selection of the shortlist and recipient are done by an artist peer panel. The panel is selected from a diverse range of artists and playwrights familiar with this residency.

The ITI welcome questions from all potential applicants, but specific access supports, and access costs are also available. These supports are for applicants with disabilities to cover any requirements you may have to remove barriers that might stop you from completing your application. ITI can cover access costs, as defined by the Arts Council. If you’d prefer to meet one of the team to talk through these guidelines or would like to submit your application in another format (like video), please contact them by emailing info@irishtheatreinstitute.ie.

If anyone has any questions, worries, or concerns or before anyone potentially rules themselves out of applying, please contact contact Narod Shahinian at nshahinian@irishtheatreinstitute.ie or call on 01 670 49 06.

For further information and for frequently asked questions, visit irishtheatreinstitute.ie/news

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Roscommon Arts Centre announce their artist in residence opportunities for 2025.

Roscommon Arts Centre will offer four residency opportunities under their Artist in Residence (AIR) programme through an open call.

New Voice Residency

The New Voice residency is specifically for an artist or collective with an idea or project, who would benefit from receiving support to further develop the project. This residency is specific to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, including those based on age, civil or family status, disability, gender, membership of the Traveller Community, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. This residency aligns with The Arts Council’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Implementation Plan, recognising the challenges faced by such artists who are striving to advance their careers and enhance their artistic practice.

Seed Residency

The Seed Residency will offer an opportunity to an artist to start or develop a new idea and who would benefit from time and space in a studio or workshop setting with access to mentored support and resources.

Next Steps Residency

The Next Steps Residency will offer an opportunity to an established artist or collective to develop an already existing idea and who would benefit from time and space in a studio or workshop setting with access to mentored support and resources with a possible view to applying for a Project Award or similar Arts Council grant or which may be considered for support in 2026 directly by Roscommon Arts Centre.

Show Development in partnership with Motion Chapel

The Show Development Residency is an exciting new partnership with Roscommon’s newest residency space Motion Chapel and Roscommon County Council Arts Office. Suitable for companies or artists who would like time to remount a piece of work or develop existing work further with support of a residency time and space in Motion Chapel and time to work on technical aspects within the Roscommon Arts Centre’s studio or workshops space and auditorium. Suitable for ground based artforms or artists in the process of creating or remounting an indoor show for theatres and arts centres, open to circus, dance, movement, theatre or multidisciplinary artforms. Please note there are no rigging points in Motion Chapel for aerial artforms.

The closing date for applications is midnight, Friday 31 January 2025.

For more information on Roscommon Arts Centre of their residencies, please visit roscommonartscentre.ie or visit the online application form to apply.

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Arts & Disability moves to the Digital Depot at the Digital Hub in Dublin 8

After over ten years in East Wall, Arts & Disability Ireland has moved offices to join the many creative teams working at the Digital Hub. We were sorry to say goodbye to our friends at the Sean O’Casey Community Centre after so many years, but we are excited to move to a location in the heart of the Liberties in Dublin 8.

Please note that our phone number has changed to (01) 568 84 70, but you can still contact us by emailing info@adiarts.ie as per usual, or please visit adiarts.ie to find out more about our team and how to get in touch.

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The Emma O’Kane Bursary is a new award for independent artists who want to think beyond the boundaries of their art form and practice and to explore dance or a physical language in their work.

The Emma O’Kane Bursary dares artists to ‘go big’ and fearlessly venture beyond the norms of what they do, and by embracing dance or a physical language in their work enjoy new confidence, capacity and understanding. It honours the exceptional ethos and artistic practice of artist Emma O’Kane who died in 2021.

Emma O’Kane was an exceptionally gifted artist who moved effortlessly across artforms and media as a performer, a choreographer and a participation project leader. She was passionate, professional and highly articulate about interdisciplinary performance, holding a first-class honours degree in Contemporary Dance Performance (MA) from the University of Limerick.

Emma brought joy to all those with whom she worked. No matter how difficult or dark the material she could introduce light. A consummate team player, as evidenced by her core contributions to CoisCéim and ANU, she was also fiercely independent. Before her untimely death Emma had embarked on a new phase of discovery and development in her practice, concentrating on self-authored work.

The Emma O’Kane Bursary is open to artists of all types and talents. Over the course of the year, bursary recipients will receive a stipend of €600 for a total of six weeks totalling €3,600, research and materials budget of €500, a six-week residency at the Atrium at 42 Fairview Strand, Dublin, up to five bespoke mentorships sessions over the course of the year, and opportunities to attend professional morning dance classes.

The deadline to apply has been extended until 14 January 2025. For any questions concerning the application please email emmaokanebursary@gmail.com. You can find out more about Emma and how to apply for this bursary by visiting emmaokanebursary.ie

Image Credit: Ros Kavanagh

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The Connecting Artists Programme is a national programme designed for adult visual artists, who want to take the next step to develop their creative practice, exhibit, and sell their work.

The mission through the Connecting Artists Programme is to specifically support adult artists who face challenges or barriers in accessing formal and informal art education and supports. Each year, they select 10 talented artists from across Ireland to participate in a 10-week online programme aimed at enriching their artistic journey and preparing them for a national exhibition in the RCSI.

This online programme provides a safe environment supported by skilled facilitators. Within this immersive and nurturing environment, participants have the opportunity to explore their artistic expression through demonstrations, workshops, and peer engagement.

With the dedicated support of the Connections Arts Centre team, artists gain insights into essential areas of professional development, enhancing their skills and confidence. The programme gives them opportunities to share their skills leading workshops and talks. Throughout the process each artist is paired with mentors, who provide individual support.

The Connecting Artists 2025 programme will culminate with a Summer exhibition at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. This provides a unique opportunity for artists to connect in person, showcase their exceptional work, and achieve greater visibility within the arts community.

As part of the programme each artists is partnered with a volunteer mentor for the 10 week online programme. Each mentor and artists pair will engage in up to 1 hour phone calls/zoom calls each week. The mentorship partnership is an integral part of the Connecting Artstis Programme and supports the aritsts journey through the workshops and preparing for the exhibition at the RCSI.

If you interested in applying to become a volunteer mentor for the Connecting Artists programme, Connections are hosting a series of zoom information calls throughout January and February, which you can find out more about and register for at connectionsartscentre.ie/ca25-mentor-zoom-information-call-sign-up

For questions please email CA@connectionsartscentre.ie. To apply or find our more information about the programme or becoming a mentor, please visit connectionsartscentre.ie

Image Credit: Marc O’Sullivan

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The Connecting Artists Programme is a national programme designed for adult visual artists, who want to take the next step to develop their creative practice, exhibit, and sell their work.

The mission through the Connecting Artists Programme is to specifically support adult artists who face challenges or barriers in accessing formal and informal art education and supports.

The national application open call is available to artists who identify as neurodivergent or who have an intellectual disability. The programme is open to artists from all 32 counties of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This programme is currently open for 2D artwork, such as painting, drawing, and collage. Photography is not currently accepted.

Each year, they select 10 talented artists from across Ireland to participate in a 10-week online programme aimed at enriching their artistic journey and preparing them for a national exhibition in the RCSI.

Artist applications close Friday 31st January 2025, with the programme beginning in March 2025 (date TBD)

For questions please email CA@connectionsartscentre.ie. To apply or find our more information about the programme or becoming a mentor, please visit connectionsartscentre.ie

Image Credit: Marc O’Sullivan

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Arts & Disability Ireland seeks tender for the provision of services for the review of the Art and Disability Connect Scheme.

Arts & Disability Ireland (ADI) is the national development and resource organisation, championing the creativity of artists with disabilities and promoting inclusive experiences for audiences with disabilities.

ADI’s role and remit has changed and grown substantially over recent years. To meet its current and future needs, the organisation is currently seeking tender for the provision of services to undertake research, review and evaluate Arts and Disability Connect Scheme, funded by the Arts Council and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland.

More information on the tender and how to apply can be found at etenders.gov.ie

Photo by Simon Lazewski of of Arts and Disability Connect awardee panel featuring Mimi Seery, Philip Kenny, Tadgh Kinsella, and chaired by Cathy Coughlan.

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IADT is launching a new Level 6 course exclusively for mature students with intellectual disabilities with an interest in film, animation, photography and design.

Young people with intellectual disabilities are a group of learners who to date have not had many college course options available to them. The Creative Pathways for All – Learning to Learn is an exciting 18-month college course that will run over two days per week from 10am to 2pm. The course will follow the college timetable of classes from January to April and September to December. There are 10 places available on this course and there are no fees.

The first module called learning to learn will support each student to transition to college life, the independence that it will offer and new ways of learning. Other year one modules that students will learn include animation, photography, design and art in practical workshop classes.

Year two of the course will focus on work taster or work placement learning. Students will learn about work skills, how to create a curriculum vitae and how to use LinkedIn. A work placement or work placement taster option will complete the learning in year two of the course.

Creative Pathways students will have access to a range of modules including learning to learn, creative workshop, work readiness programme, and work placement. For any additional enquiries please email creativepathways@iadt.ie.

For more information and to apply, visit iadt.ie/courses/creative-pathways-for-all-learning-to-learn

The deadline is 15 November.

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All In is a new access scheme in development in the UK and Ireland to improve accessibility in arts, creativity and culture for people who identify as D/deaf, people who have a disability, and/or people who are neurodivergent.

All In is being developed by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, who want to help creative and cultural organisations improve access, remove barriers and welcome more people with access requirements through their doors. This includes theatres, museums, galleries, festivals, libraries and more.

All In is a partnership between Arts Council England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales, and Creative Scotland, and as of October 2024, the Arts Council of Ireland is joining as a founding partner to extend the project to cover all of Ireland in its remit.

This project is, and will continue to be, disabled-led and inclusive, reflecting the needs of the groups they seek to serve. For more information contact allin@artscouncil.ie

All In have issued a call out for Expressions of Interest to become a member of the UK and Ireland All In Advisory Group. They are looking for two representatives to sit on an Advisory Group for this ground-breaking new access scheme in Ireland and the UK.

To date, the All In Advisory Group has supported the development of this scheme by bringing lived experience and sector expertise to the decision-making process for the UK wide access scheme. Given that Ireland is now joining this scheme and will be contributing to that development process, they want to recruit two Irish based representatives to sit on this important Advisory Group and offer new perspectives from Ireland to the team.

As this project is disabled-led, they are only accepting applications from people who identify as someone who is D/deaf, has a disability, people who are neurodivergent, and/or who have a long-term condition. In this instance they are looking specifically for people with disabilities who live in the Republic of Ireland.

This is a remunerated role. The closing date for receipt of applications is Tuesday 12 November 2024.

For further details on how to apply please visit artscouncil.ie/all-in

Photo by Karol Wyszynski.

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Age & Opportunity invites artists and producers to submit proposals for consideration for the 2025 Bealtaine Touring Award.

Age & Opportunity will provide a platform for presenting the tour during the Bealtaine Festival in the month of May along with some financial support. The producer or artist will be responsible for all aspects of the production and tour, with Age & Opportunity as a co-producer. The tour must happen during the month of May 2025 (but may have additional dates outside of this period) and have at least three shows or performances.

The aim of the award is to encourage and nurture creative work by and for older people which is ambitious and innovative and takes place across Ireland. They are particularly eager to receive applications for work that is radical, challenging, humorous, or offbeat. We also wish to bring a broader range of festival events to our Bealtaine participants and audiences. They especially invite artists from marginalised or underrepresented communities to apply.

Those wishing to apply for the tour award should submit their completed application via the online form available at bealtaine.ie or you can apply via email in Word or PDF formats, with supporting documentation included. Please read the application guidelines closely. Applications should be submitted via the online form or to the Arts Administrator, arts@ageandopportunity.ie no later than 12pm, Wednesday 13 November, 2024. For the full guidelines and application forms, visit bealtaine.ie

If you encounter an issue with the online application form, please get in touch with arts@ageandopportunity.ie

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We Only Want the Earth evolves as A4 Sounds reflect and build on their work each year. This year they are making a few changes and are excited to announce that they are offering four funded awards!

A4 Sounds are offering two five month residencies to two individual artists, and eight studio awards open to individual artists. Artists can work on any topic of their choosing as long their proposal responds to the theme We Only Want the Earth.

They are seeking bold, ambitious and critical artists to participate on their programme, which includes two residency awards.

Residency award one is with collaborating partners Create and Transgender Equality Network Ireland and is open to individual artists who are trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming currently living in Ireland.

Residency award two is with collaborating partners and artists Fire Station Artists’ Studios and Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland and is open to individual artists who are seeking or have sought international protection in Ireland.

You can read more about their programme at a4sounds.org and look at the work produced by previous artists on the programme at a4sounds.org/WOWTE-Archive. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Lisa by emailing wowte@a4sounds.org.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 November 2024 at 5pm.

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Six in the Attic and Six in the Virtual Attic is Irish Theatre Institute (ITI)’s key artist development programme. This year-long programme provides playwrights and theatre makers with the space and resources to develop your practice and build a community of peers.

Six in the Attic was established in 2011, focusing on supporting a community of playwrights and theatre makers to engage, explore, develop, debate, and collaborate on their projects. Since the foundation of the programme, Six in the Attic alumni have gone on to great successes – creating new works, winning awards, and founding theatre companies, amongst many more accolades and achievements.

2024/25 marks the second time the programme has included strategic local authority partners to ensure the virtual programme reaches the entire country. This year the nine partners include: Cork County Council Arts Office, Fingal Arts Office, Galway City Arts Office, Galway County Arts Office, Kilkenny Arts Office, Kildare County Arts Office, Tipperary Arts Office, Waterford County Arts Office, and Wicklow County Arts Office. These sectoral collaborators are supporting ITI to identify artists across the country to ensure they avail and participate in the programme. There will be twelve artists selected in total (both virtual and in person), with a minimum of six spaces held for artists living in the local authorities listed above.

The ITI are interested in receiving applications from artists who:

Have ambitious creative plans for the period December 2024 to November 2025.

Are seeking mentoring and peer support alongside provision of space, time, and practical resources to create over a 12-month period.

Are resident on the island of Ireland.
Have an established theatre practice and track record of 1 full-length production produced or programmed by an established production company, festival, theatre venue or independent producer.

Selected artists engage in a thoughtfully curated programme of:

Weekly gatherings online and two in-person meet ups to establish a community of peers.

Professional development workshops from ITI and external experts focused on areas identified by the group for upskilling.

Introductions and networking with other independent artists and arts organisations nationally and internationally.

One-to-one mentoring and application support from Irish Theatre Institute’s Director, Niamh O’Donnell and Programme Manager, Katherine Murphy, as well as optional coaching from Creative Facilitator Lian Bell.

Dublin artists will have access to a shared workspace with a desk, as well as access to rehearsal/meeting room spaces for development and collaboration sessions in ITI’s offices in 17 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Non Dublin artists will have access to short-term dedicated desk in a venue or cultural space in your area, as well as meeting with your Arts Office to facilitate local networking opportunities.

An artist practice honorarium of €1,300 (Please note, travel, overnight accommodation and per diems are additional for the in person meet ups.)

ITI is now calling for applications from playwrights and theatre makers seeking to realise their artistic ambition, enhance their professional skills and build peer supports. The deadline for applications is 12 November at 4.00pm.

For more information and the application form, visit irishtheatreinstitute.ie

The ITI are happy to accept video applications (no longer than 8 minutes) stating the relevant information outlined above. Please use wetransfer.com and email us a link to your video application. Here is a guide of how to do that.

Specific access supports and access costs are also available. These supports are for applicants with disabilities to cover any requirements you may have in order to remove barriers that might stop you from completing your application. ITI can cover access costs, as defined by the Arts Council. If you’d prefer to meet one of the team to talk through these guidelines or would like to submit your application in another format (for example, video), please contact Katherine Murphy, on kmurphy@irishtheatreinstitute.ie.

If you are selected for the programme, the ITI will complete an access requirement audit as part of the induction process to identify and make a plan to meet your needs. If you have any queries or there are barriers you feel limit your access to the programme or application process, please get in touch directly so they can best support you within the means available to us.

ITI, and their strategic partners, are determined to ensure the artists supported through this programme are representative of Ireland today. If anyone has any questions, worries, or concerns or before anyone potentially rules themselves out of applying, please contact the ITI.

Please contact Katherine Murphy at kmurphy@irishtheatreinstitute.ie or call on 01 670 49 06.

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Join the KCAT team and support life long learning through the arts and to achieve a high quality of creative and personal development for all students and participants.

The theatre coordinator requires a good knowledge of drama and a good understanding of drama facilitation. A coordinator will have a passion for arts participation centred cultural work and is expected to support high quality artist led development for all the participants in the Equinox Theatre Company and acting programmes.

For the full job description and to apply, visit occupop.com. The closing date for applications is 18 Oct September.

Image courtesy of KCAT.

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Pioneering disability and Deaf arts-led organisation, Dada, celebrates their 40 year anniversary.

DaDa is an award-winning, cutting-edge multi artform charity was founded in 1984 and since then has become an integral part of the campaign for greater equality and access for disabled artists across the arts and cultural sector.

The centrepiece of DaDa’s work is DaDaFest International, which was launched in 2001 as a platform to showcase the work of artists with disability, artists who are Deaf, and artists who are neurodivergent. DadaFest is set to return in March 2025 with the theme for the special anniversary festival.

DaDa was founded in 1984 by artistic director John McGrath and Liverpool disability activist and performer Mandy Colleran as Arts Integrated Merseyside, then a branch of London-based Shape Arts. In 1986 it became the independent North West Disability Arts Forum with a focus on Liverpool, Manchester and the surrounding area, and worked as a cross-artform organisation led by disabled artists and advocating for disability rights, equitable access to the arts and arts training, and developing bespoke support for disabled artists to develop their own practice. It was renamed DaDa in 2008.

DaDaFest was launched in 2001 to promote artists with a disability in ‘mainstream’ venues and present artist’s work as having equal value in terms of artistic quality and political and social impact. The festival also worked to remove barriers for audience members with disabilities to attend by offering BSL translation, audio description and support with transport to and from venues. It quickly grew to become a home for UK disability arts and to attract international artists, soon moving to a biennial format to assist artists to secure funding and develop work. The festival provides a safe space for peer discussion and shared learning, a national and international platform for new and existing work by disabled artists, and networking opportunities.

A total of 13 DaDaFests have now been held, featuring more than 500 events showcasing the work of artists with disabilities, artists who are Deaf, and artists who are neurodivergent. DaDaFest International 40 will run from 8 to 31 March 2025, with an official launch event revealing the programme set to take place at the Unity Theatre on 29 November.

The festival theme RAGE was chosen after consulting with disabled artists who reflected their frustrations at the continued uphill battle for equity and inclusion – with disabled people still being excluded from conversations and decision making, and disadvantaged when it comes to work, transport and the cost of living.

DaDa interim chief executive Zoe Partington says: “This is a very important year for DaDa as we mark our 40th anniversary – 40 years of artistic excellence, activism, advocacy, creativity, collaboration, conversation and celebration. Our vision is ‘equity and excellence in the cultural landscape to break down the barriers that exist for disabled art communities’ and I’m very proud of the high level of artwork which has been created and presented over those four decades under the DaDa umbrella as well as in partnership with organisations and venues within Liverpool and beyond. It’s not been easy and disabled leaders have had to fight for equity at DaDa.

“I’m also delighted we can reveal the theme of next year’s DaDaFest International is RAGE. After consulting with artists, the feedback we received clearly shows that though some progress has been made, too many decisions are still taken without involving disabled people. This has left disabled artists and disabled communities raging that the gaps in society are still so wide, and we are still so far from equity and representation at all levels in art, culture and heritage. Often neglected, ignored and discriminated against at the highest levels in the arts sector, community and government at cultural level.

“We want our festival to continue to provide an equal, radical and open space for artists to flourish, share work and debate the solutions to the issues we face together through artistic excellence, expression and engagement, to offer valuable networking opportunities for disabled artists across the arts sector in Liverpool and beyond and, importantly, to provide a high-profile UK platform exclusively for new and existing work by disabled artists and activists to ensure no stone is unturned and we are at the centre of the decision making powers and production We still live in an age where we cannot drop our guard and have to campaign for real change .”

Read more about DaDa and their work in the Liverpool Express. For more information on DaDaFest, visit dadafest.co.uk

Banner image: Maelstrom Under Glass by Alexandrina Hemsley, 2020.

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Babel is an opportunity for artists passionate about developing performances for young audiences.

Baboró seeks two artists to participate in professional development workshops hosted by international European festivals.

If selected, you will:

Participate in two 5-day practical sessions in 2025 with a cohort of 11 other professional artists from across Europe
Experience two European children’s arts festivals with your workshop cohort
Receive a daily fee of €200 to cover workshop and travel days. The cost of all travel, accommodation and festival tickets will be covered.

Please note: If selected, you must be available for all days of both workshop weeks and the travel days. In the off chance there are any adjustments to the workshop dates, you will be notified promptly.

This opportunity is made possible through their partnership on BABEL, a 4-year Creative Europe project emphasising communication and multilingualism in Theatre for Young Audiences.

There are two workshop series to choose from:

Both workshops within Series 1 will be facilitated by JES (Stuttgart) founder and now-freelance director Brigitte Dethier and Belgian choregrapher Ives Thuwis-De Leeuw. These workshops will have a particular focus on movement, applicants for this series should have a strong foundation in dance and/or movement. These workshops will take place 30 March – 6 April 2025, KLAP (Denmark) and 6 – 10 November 2025, Export/Import Festival (Belgium).

Both workshops within Workshop Series 2 will be facilitated by Alex Byrne, artistic director of New International Encounter (NIE) and Greg Hall, Music Director / Composer from NIE’s core ensemble of artists. These workshops will have a particular focus on music and multilingualism. You do not need a background in music for this workshop. These workshops will take place 13 – 17 March 2025, Festival Visioni di Futuro (Italy) and 11 – 15 October 2025, Baboró International Arts Festival for Children (Ireland)

Baboró strives to make sure that all children in Ireland see themselves and their stories reflected in the arts. Baboró endeavour to deliver projects and present performances which reflect the diversity of the Ireland we live in today. Baboró strongly encourage artists from currently underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

Baboró recognise that life comes with challenges and needs are different for everyone. They want to minimise barriers you may face in applying for, or participating in, this opportunity. They can offer limited access supports and want to work with you to ensure this opportunity is attainable. Access supports can include, but are not limited to, additional funds for child care, a companion or accessibility costs such as taxis. They are happy to chat about any additional support you may require and will try our best to accommodate you. Please contact Rachel at rachel@baboro.ie or call their office at 091 562 667 should you have a particular query.

For more information on BABEL and both workshop options as well as the full call out, visit baboro.ie

Applications Close end of day Wednesday, 6 November 2024 at midnight. All participants will be notified by Friday, 20 December 2024.

Banner image by Søren K. Kløft of Irish artist Róisín Whelan at KLAP Theatre Festival 2024.

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Leitrim County Council invites expression of interest from artists to undertake a public art project at The Junction, Ballinamore, Leitrim.

A public art project based at The Junction, Ballinamore that involves consultation and/or participation with any number of communities of place or interest in the Ballinamore area. The processes, anticipated outcomes, duration and schedule of the project will be determined by the nature of the proposal by selected artists, their availability and that of other stakeholders. While not mandatory, it is anticipated that the project will culminate in a tangible outcome of a participatory process or a tangible outcome developed in parallel to a consultative or participatory process.

The maximum budget for the project will be €45,000 inclusive of all fees, costs, expenses, VAT, insurance and any other charges associated with the execution of the project.

This commission is open to all national or international professional artists from any art form with proven experience of executing high quality public art projects. This commission is a two-stage open competition. Artists may register their interest in the project at leitrimcoco.ie

A site visit will be held at the new The Junction, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim on Tuesday 8 October 2024 at 2pm and will last approximately one hour. Only those artists who have registered their interest in the project and indicated that they will attend the site visit prior to the date specified, may attend on the day.

For further information and full artist brief please visit leitrimarts.ie. Applicants can also make enquiries regarding the commission to Joeleen Lynch, Public Art Project Manager, by emailing joeleenlynch@gmail.com.

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Join the KCAT team and support life long learning through the arts and to achieve a high quality of creative and personal development for all students and participants.

The Centre Coordinator at KCAT will uphold Camphill’s Community ethos and values in the role of the principle person responsible for the day to day management of KCAT. This role will ensure individuals supported by KCAT enjoy a safe environment and an excellent quality of learning where individuals achieve their ambitions. The Centre Coordinator will ensure that KCAT operates effectively and sustainably, building on Camphill’s ethos to offer an inspiring model of social enterprise and community building.

For the full job description and to apply, visit occupop.com. The closing date for applications is 27 September.

Image courtesy of KCAT.

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Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to announce the launch of an upcoming filmmaking scheme, Perspectives, a new pilot programme to support the development and production of lower budget Irish feature films.

Perspectives is a scheme aimed at projects that offer a new way into a story – providing a window into experiences and viewpoints that may not have been widely represented on the big screen before. The scheme is particularly interested in original, authentic stories: stories that can touch on a wide range of experiences across Irish life, culture and communities.

For the first phase of Perspectives, Screen Ireland will select up to 20 projects for development within the fund. Following the development stage, a number of projects will advance to production, fully supported by Screen Ireland. This pilot scheme will also offer skills development support and opportunities throughout.

Applications for Perspectives are now open until Thursday, 31 October 2024. For more information, full guidelines, and to apply, visit screenireland.ie

Screen Ireland is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion across all of its production and development funding schemes, and would strongly encourage applications from underrepresented backgrounds and communities.

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Rough ideas is an open call for ideas from writers and theatre artists who are interested in making work with Rough Magic.

To celebrate Rough Magic’s 40 birthday, they want to use the opportunity during their anniversary year to discover new talent and engage with even more artists.

Rough Ideas is an open call for emerging/early career writers to submit the beginnings of a play, or part of a play in progress. This is an opportunity to initiate a working relationship with one of Ireland’s leading theatre producers. The winner will receive an award of €2,500 and will work with Rough Magic’s Literary Manager over the course of 2025 to develop their play.

This award is designed to give the winner the opportunity to engage in dedicated dramaturgical work alongside their ongoing commissioning structure, in order to produce a full first draft of a play.

Rough Magic was founded on the core values of egalitarianism and fairness. They welcome submissions from anyone living on the island of Ireland (or Irish citizens living abroad) and would like to encourage applications that are representative of Irish theatre artists in all their diversity – particularly from artists who are currently underrepresented on Irish stages.

Rough Magic has been commissioning writers and producing new work since its inception. For four decades new writing and artist development have been cornerstones of Rough Magic’s work. In the last two years they have produced three world premiere productions under their Compass strategy. They are thrilled in this anniversary year to be continuing that practice and expanding the Rough Ideas programme.

Simply fill in this short application form and upload your pdf/word doc of the scenes you want to submit.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 4 October. For more information, visit roughmagic.ie

Image by Jeda de Brí of Wander Wander Wild Wild by Choy-Ping Ní Chléirigh-Ng at Rough Weekend 2022.

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Musici Ireland are excited to announce an open call for dancers to audition for an innovative and interdisciplinary production that explores the often overlooked experiences of people who have unseen disabilities.

This upcoming show is a collaboration between choreographers, directors, musicians, and multimedia artists. It will blend contemporary dance with storytelling, music and spoken word poetry to create a poignant narrative that resonates with a diverse audience. The production will delve into themes of resilience, empathy, and the unseen battles faced by those who have invisible disabilities such as chronic pain, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and more. For this production Musici Ireland are collaborating with choreographer Ali Clarke and director Katie O’Halloran.

The audition will take place on 24 September from 10am to 1pm at Dance House Foley Street, the deadline to register is 8 September.

They are looking for dancers of all backgrounds and experience levels, performers with a strong foundation in contemporary dance, individuals who are open to collaborative and experimental processes, and artists with a personal connection to or understanding of invisible disabilities are encouraged to apply. The audition will include a group improvisation session and an interview segment to discuss your connection to the theme and your artistic vision.

How to Apply

Submit your CV, headshot, and a brief statement (approx. 200 words) explaining your interest in the project and any relevant experiences.
Send your application to info@musici.ie before 8 September 2024.

If you have any access requirements to take part in the audition please do not hesitate to reach out to info@ali-clarke.com. They will endeavor to do everything possible to make the audition accessible to all.

Key dates include rehearsals during October and November 2024 plus dates in 2025, with performances in Ireland and Europe in 2025. Exact dates TBC in consultation with the final team.

This is a paid opportunity. Compensation details will be discussed during the interview segment of the audition and will be in line with industry standards. Access provisions will be available for all involved in the final production.

For any inquiries, please contact Ali Clarke at info@ali-clarke.com

Musici Ireland, founded in 2012 by Beth McNinch as a chamber music collective, has evolved into a groundbreaking multidisciplinary production house, pushing artistic boundaries and creating impactful new works.

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Are you an artist working collaboratively with a community? Are you an artist or community group with an interest in working on a collaborative, socially engaged project?

The Arts Council’s Artist in the Community Scheme, managed by Create, offers awards to enable artists and communities of place and/or interest to work together on projects. The scheme also offers an annual bursary, as well as residencies and a summer school. The scheme is open to artists from any of the following artform disciplines: architecture, circus, street art and spectacle, dance, film, literature (Irish and English language), music, opera, theatre, visual arts and traditional arts.

The aim of the Artist in the Community Scheme is to encourage meaningful collaboration between communities of place and/or interest and artists. Create defines community in the broadest sense of the word, however for the Artist in the Community Scheme the artist or artists must be collaborating with a community of non-arts professionals. Create defines collaborative arts as artists and communities working closely together, often over extended periods of time, to make art.

There will be an information session on 27 August and 4 September to learn more about the scheme. The information session is about answering any questions you might have about making an application to the scheme. It’s also about sharing experience of developing and delivering a collaborative project through the scheme. If you are an artist or a community organisation interested in the Artist in the Community Scheme but don’t know where to start, come talk to Create.

The closing date for applications is 30 September.

Image: Pleasc, Fibín. A previous AIC Scheme Project Realisation award recipient. Photo: Seán T Ó Meallaigh

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All Irish Dance is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation tackling social isolation and loneliness by connecting people through Irish Céilí dance.

All Irish Dance train people with or without prior experience to lead inclusive adaptive céilí dance activities in their own local communities and/or care settings. All Irish Dance are delighted to launch their first of a kind evidence based Certified Inclusive Adaptive Céilí Dance Leader Training Programmes.

Their evidence based training is designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead All Irish Dance’s inclusive adaptive céilí dance activites for all ages, levels and abilities in communities and care settings including, but not limited to:

Céilí Recall © (for older adults)
Reels on Wheels © (for people who use wheelchairs)
Some Dance to Remember © (for people living with dementia and their support
networks)
Y-Céilí © (for teenagers and young adults).

The training is suitable for people, with or without prior experience of Irish or any other form of dance/movement, who are passionate about inclusion, accessibility and/or community engagement and may include caregivers, community development workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physiotherapists,and other rehabilitation specialists to name a few.

The next round of training commences on the 1 September, you can apply via the online application form.

For more information, visit allirishdance.com. If you are interested in organising group training for your organisation, please do not hesitate to get in touch at allirishdance1@gmail.com.

Dancer credit: Cian Horgan (back to camera), Caroline O’Halloran and David Fitzgerald.
Photo credit: Jamie Moore.

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The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland announce the awarded artists for Round One of the Arts and Disability Connect scheme 2024.

The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland are delighted to announce that €55,220 has been awarded to 12 artists through New Work awards, Research and Reflection awards, Mentoring awards and a Training award as part of Round One in 2024.

“At the heart of every Arts and Disability Connect award is the chance to engage in new learning experiences, research new creative approaches, build new working relationships and to reach new audiences. Above all else it is an opportunity for all awarded artists to further develop their professional practice and explore a new level of creative ambition”

– Pádraig Naughton, Executive Director of Arts & Disability Ireland.

New Work

Michael Patrick Campbell is a playwright who will write a one person play exploring what it is like to slowly become more disabled over time because of Motor Neurone Disease. He will work with director Oisín Kearney and lead partner Axis Ballymun to develop the play for presentation at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2025.

Research and Reflection

Research and Reflection awards give artists time to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their practice. In this Round, five artists received Research and Reflection awards.

Alison Clarke is a dancer based in Wicklow who will research mental health and the female experience. She will also develop methods of working between choreography and performance poetry. These will be informed by collaboration with Professor Brendan Kelly and performance poet Alysia Harris.

Emilie Richard-Froozan is a writer and filmmaker from New York, now based in Mayo. She will research epilepsy, Mozart’s music and shame in the Persian culture. Interested in music and its neurological connection to the mind of a person with epilepsy, she hopes to create an experimental film about this in the future.

Ivan Owen is a Limerick based animator and interdisciplinary artist.  He will research the principles of mechanical, analogue animation techniques, including zoetrope, kinetoscope and praxinoscope to further innovate with a new concept. He will apply this to create short experimental animated clips and document the process.

Lucy O’Donnell is a Mayo based visual artist who will do research focusing on ableism and its presence in our society within the context of miscarriage. She will also research the use of hologram technology to make future artwork.

Romi Cruaňas is a multidisciplinary artist, performer and theatre maker based in Dublin. In collaboration with Mairead Folan, they will research and reflect in order to create new, relevant work that is inclusive, and which can safely bring together people from many different backgrounds.

Mentoring

Alex Conway is a Dublin based visual artist. Through a mentorship with curator and lecturer Michelle Browne, he will develop his proposal writing skills.  Alex will also develop a new body of work as part of the mentorship, introducing new themes including illusion, the absurd, failure and its positive effects.

Clare Martyn is a musician based in Cavan. She will do a mentorship with Judith Mok where she will learn new techniques for the use of In Ear Monitors (IEMs). Clare will translate the vocal techniques and practice she has already acquired, to a completely different and challenging monitoring system.

Grace Haynes is a Cork based visual artist who is interested in eco-art processes. She will do a mentorship with Ashleigh Ellis where she will learn skills in natural dyeing and pigment through a community project approach.

Helen Horgan is a visual artist based in Cork. Doing a mentorship with Alan James Burns, which will take the form of a series of interviews around specific areas of Helen’s practice through sharing of work, with questions designed to tease out solutions from within her own thinking and making.

Moss Russell is a circus performer based in Cork who will do a mentorship with Jody O’Neill. Jody will focus on providing dramaturgical support for Moss’s existing work, ‘Squish Stomp Spin’ and any new projects they may be developing.

Training

Training awards give artists the resources to learn skills through courses, workshops and masterclasses facilitated by arts organisations, artists and arts professionals. One artist received a Training award in Round One this year.

Lorna Watkins is a Sligo based visual artist. She will attend a sculptural process workshop delivered by Anna Spearman. She will work with a range of materials including textiles, clay, cardboard, foam, tape, wire and paper mâché and explore how these skills will connect with the rest of her visual arts practice.

Congratulations to all the awarded artists!

For more information about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme see adiarts.ie/connect

Image Credit: What Is Not Ours To Carry, by Alison Clarke, 2023, the Mermaid Arts Centre. Photo by Sonya O’Donoghue.

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Round Two of the Arts and Disability Connect Scheme open from Monday 12 August until 4pm on Tuesday 8 October 2024.

Arts and Disability Connect includes New Work, Research and Reflection, and Mentoring and Training awards for individual artists with disabilities. The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is funded by the Arts Council and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland.

There are several applicant support resources available, including a Come and Ask Questions Session, one-on-one Applicant Support, and recorded Information Sessions, which you can find out more about here.

All application forms, guidelines, Easy Read information and FAQ’s are available at adiarts.ie/connect

If you have any queries about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme please email connect@adiarts.ie.

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Dance Ireland and Dance Base Scotland are delighted to continue their partnership of artistic and cultural exchange together to offer two, fully resourced reciprocal residencies for one Ireland-based and one Scotland-based artist, thanks to funding from the Scottish Government in Ireland, and the Consulate General of Ireland in Scotland.

Eadrainn / Between Us is a new programme of creative exchange that will build on the existing relationship between Dance Ireland and Dance Base Scotland to provide an opportunity to connect artists across both organisations and countries, to share practice, and to develop an ecology of exchange and collegial support.

The residencies will take place in November 2024 and will provide each choreographer/ maker with a week of residency space at Dance Base Scotland and a week of residency space at Dance Ireland. During the residency the host organisation will support each artist with space and resources to develop their creative work, connect with the organisation and deepen their understanding of the other country’s dance sector. While the artists will work independently from each other, the residency weeks will be accompanied by moments of reflection where they can share their experience and learning with both organisations and each other.

This is a unique opportunity for independent artists to develop their work in a new cultural venue while building a long-lasting creative relationship with the dance sector in Scotland or Ireland that will enable them to continue to work, present and exchange between the two countries in the future.

If you have any questions or need some assistance with your application please do get in touch with programme@danceireland.ie.

There is an Artist Fee of €1,500/£1,300. For more information and assessment criteria, please visit danceireland.ie. Please note that this opportunity is for solo artists only, Dance Ireland are unable to support duets or group work.

Dance Ireland recognise that there are significant barriers to working in the dance sector and that these challenges are experienced more acutely by those facing marginalisation and deep-rooted systemic injustice. As part of their on-going support to artists who have this lived experience and ensuring that they support the full vibrancy of our dance sectors in Ireland and Scotland, for this opportunity at least one residency will be offered to an artist who identifies as someone who is d/Deaf or has a disability. This is a minimum, but not a limit. Artists are invited to notify Dance Ireland if they identify as someone who is d/Deaf or has a disability in their application form and this will be brought into the application assessment process.

To apply for this opportunity, Dance Ireland have an online application form. The application form will ask the following questions: 

Tell us about your current work and what you wish to focus on in the residency
How will the residency and cultural exchange in Ireland/Scotland support your artistic evolution at this time?
How would you like to connect with the dance sector in Ireland/Scotland?

If you would like to provide any supporting material such as a CV, examples of work or other relevant documents please email these to programme@danceireland.ie with the subject title: “[Project Name] [NAME OF APPLICANT] Supporting Documents”. Video should be submitted through YouTube and Vimeo links in a PDF or Word document.

There is an access budget to support participation in the application process and the residency programme for artists who need additional support. In terms of the application process, this may include financial support for translation from other languages, Irish Sign Language (ISL) or British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, or transcription of audio and video files. They recommend contacting us at least 3 weeks before the deadline to ensure that they can support as required.

Should you require additional support in completing the application or have access needs, please let Dance Ireland know by emailing info@danceireland.ie or calling Dance Ireland on 01 855 8800.

There will be an online Information session 12 noon Friday 16 August, you can register for this by emailing info@danceireland.ie

Deadline for applications is Friday 30 August, before 5pm, this includes all supporting materials. Successful artists will be contacted by Wednesday 11 September. All applicants will be contacted by 13 September and feedback will be provided to unsuccessful applicants, where requested.

Image courtesy of Dance Ireland.

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Dublin City Arts Office will be accepting applications for the Community Development Grant from 29 July to the 6 September 2024.

Dublin City Council recently granted an annual increase in Arts Grant funding from €550K to €800K. This increase was on foot of a review of Arts Grants in 2023 and an agreement by the Elected Members that this increase should be targeted on capacity building in the area of arts programming in local communities.

Dublin City Arts Office wish to conduct a two year pilot scheme to allocate this amount of €250k with a view to empowering arts organisations and artists to continue to programme meaningfully and effectively in community settings while simultaneously supporting community development practitioners and organisations to engage with the arts and the benefits it brings to local communities. After the pilot scheme concludes the main Arts Grants in Neighbourhood Grants will be increased by the €250K in question with incorporation of the learning that has taken place.

To this end the City Arts Office invites Community development practitioners and community development groups and organisations as well as artists and arts organisations to collaborate in joint applications to this pilot scheme fund.

€50K will be allocated to each Administrative Area of Dublin City Council and applicants may apply for a minimum of €5K and a maximum of €20K.

For the purposes of this application Community development refers to the process of empowering and improving the quality of life within a specific group or neighbourhood. It involves collaboration and collective action among community members, organizations, and local authorities to address social, economic, and environmental challenges. Community development aims to enhance the well-being, resilience, and self-sufficiency of the community by promoting social cohesion, economic opportunities, sustainable infrastructure, and access to essential services. It often includes initiatives such as education and skill-building, healthcare, affordable housing, job creation, environmental sustainability, and cultural enrichment.

Dublin City Council understands that community development can be expressed in many different ways from youth work to local enterprise and does not wish to restrict any form of community based activity or any innovation approach from applying. Moreover artists and arts organisations may wish to innovate in their approaches to community settings and should feel free to propose new or original ways of working.

In essence Dublin City Council want to stimulate the partnership and synergy of the Arts and Community Development so that new initiatives and collaborations can emerge. Dublin City Council understands that this is not a new idea in itself and that such initiatives have been successfully implemented by individuals, organisations and agencies over many years.

There are three main elements that this pilot grants scheme wants to encourage. Local audiences, local participation in the project or programme, secured through the involvement of professional artists working closely with community development professionals and/or voluntary organisations.

Applications will take place on Submittable, in keeping with Arts Office practice, the first applications round will be as easy as possible on the applicant.

Fore more information on the grant and assessment criteria, visit dublincityartsoffice.ie.

The deadline for the scheme is 12 noon on Friday the 6 of September.

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Kildare County Council Library and Arts Service seeks to award a contract for services for a
Project Coordinator, to support the coordination and evaluation of ‘Did I Ever Tell You’, a
creative health and wellbeing project taking place across counties Kildare, Offaly and
Westmeath.

Did I Ever Tell You is a storytelling project, focused on collecting the thoughts and memories from older people in HSE healthcare settings through a variety of creative artforms over the period September 2024 to December 2025. Selected stories from each county will be published as a collective celebratory booklet, which will be shared widely across Age Friendly, Healthy Ireland, and Creative Ireland networks in each county. The project seeks to support positive mental health, improve wellbeing, and promote positive ageing through creative participation.

Applications are now open for the role of Project Coordinator, to serve as primary liaison
between project stakeholders and partners and lead the development of the Did I Ever Tell You celebratory booklet and project evaluation.

For a full role description and to apply, visit https://submit.link/2NZ.
The deadline for submissions is Thursday 22 August 2024 at 5pm.

This project is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme under the Creative Health &
Wellbeing in the Community Scheme working in partnership with Kildare County Council,
Offaly County Council and Westmeath County Council.

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Cork City Council invites expressions of interest from experienced individuals for the provision of Engaged Research Services for Creative Places Knocknaheeny Research and Development Strand.

Creative Places Knocknaheeny is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and supported by a partnership of local organisations. Together with Cork City Council, they wish to respond to the demand for more local arts and creativity in the community as expressed in a review of the Knocknaheeny Social Economic and Environmental (SEEP) Plan.

Engaged Research Services are required to facilitate an research and development process between October 2024 and December 2025. This brief depends upon a broad range of hands on, creative, organisational, analytical and interpersonal skills, particularly the ability to meet people where they are at and at a time that suits them. With that in mind, expressions of interest are invited from one individual, a partnership, or team of individuals working together to provide the services required for the budget available. The brief may appeal to creative and cultural producers, researchers, consultants or other practitioners with arts based group facilitation experience that can be applied in the delivery of Engaged Research Services.

The objectives for Creative Places Knocknaheeny research and development are outlined in detail together with budgetary and scheduling information in the Engaged Research Services Brief. The deadline for responses to the brief is 4pm on Monday 9 September 2024. Shortlisted applicants may be required to attend an interview in late September 2024.

Please express your interest to siobhan_clancy@corkcity.ie via email by 4pm on Thursday 22 August 2024 if you wish to be included in an opportunity to quote for the services required.

A copy of the brief and an overview of the application process including instructions for submitting a quotation by the September deadline will be sent on a rolling basis to everyone that sends an expression of interest email with the title ‘Creative Services Knocknaheeny’ in the subject line.

Image Credit: Darragh Kane, Cruinniú na nÓg Knocknaheeny, 2024.

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The Arts Council is calling for tenders for the provision of advice and assessment services in festivals and events to cover the provincial areas of Connacht and Munster, and separately Ulster and Leinster.

The Arts Council has a strategic responsibility for developing arts festivals in Ireland. Festivals are key producers and presenters of the arts and are critical to engaging large and diverse audiences. In this regard the Arts Council provides financial and developmental supports to a range of arts festival models.

We now require the services of a single service provider, with suitable experiences and qualified resources, to provide: high quality assessment services, advisory and critical evaluation services and policy development services for festival and events taking place in Connacht and Munster and separately in Ulster and Leinster.

The Adviser for Festivals and Events will be able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and commitment to the art practice of festivals and festival making. They will understand how the work of the Arts Council seeks to balance the imperative to fulfil its remit to promote and develop the arts within the context of the broader landscape of Festivals and events and the limitations of the available resources.

Further information, including tender submission information can be found below;

For Connacht and Munster 2024/17 here

For Ulster and Leinster 2024/18 here

The deadline for submissions is 16 August 2024 at 12 noon.

Clarification deadline is 2 August 2024 at 12 noon.

Image by Lissette Carcarmo, courtesy of Arts Council Ireland.

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Inclusive Dance Cork (IDC) seeks to hire a Project Coordinator who will oversee the day-to- day running of the annual training programme.

The role offers an exciting opportunity to work with a unique training opportunity, advocating for inclusivity in dance. The role entails lead project management of IDC on delivery of the programme supported by administrative support and studio space at Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

About Inclusive Dance Cork
Inclusive Dance Cork is a professional training programme that began in September 2022, open to individuals interested in learning inclusive dance methods. The programme was conceived out of an absence of formal inclusive dance training in the country. Inclusive Dance Cork is the only accredited programme of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. The 2022/2023 pilot year intake of students came from a diverse range of backgrounds, among them professional dance artists, teachers, and movement practitioners. In 2024, the intake of students expanded to include dance enthusiasts with less experience who wanted to engage with the dance community in inclusive contexts. Both years included a blend of people with and without disabilities.

The programme was initially conceived by Dance Cork Firkin Crane with support from partners Suisha Inclusive Arts: Cope Foundation, Cork ETB, and University College Cork. Current partners of the programme include Suisha Inclusive Arts: Cope Foundation, Cork ETB, and ReThink Ireland. Rhona Coughlan is the Artistic Director, supported by the Project Coordinator, Partners, and Guest Facilitators. A year of research and development, and the first academic year of Inclusive Dance Cork, was funded by The Community Foundation for Ireland through a donation by an anonymous donor. The second academic year was funded by the ReThink Ireland Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2023 and The Community Foundation for Ireland through a donation by an anonymous donor.

Tasks include:
● Seek new funding opportunities for the project
● Follow up on existing funding sources, including progress reports, workshops with
stakeholders, and stakeholder meetings
● Coordinate the practical running of the training sessions including liaising with artists
/ guest facilitators, and organising accommodation, travel etc.
● Coordinate the programme schedule for training workshops in collaboration with the
Artistic Director and relevant staff at Dance Cork Firkin Crane
● Act as the main point of contact for students to university/Cork ETB / facilitators / AD
etc.
● Administration (Uploading of programme materials to Google Drive and other online
resources (differs between university and Cork ETB); editing notes; assisting with
uploading of assessment results; email / phone / Zoom and in-person meetings;
project budget management).

● Liaise with university and Cork ETB collaborators about accreditation components of
the programme
● Advise on course components – practicalities of how the programme runs and
coordinate with university/Cork ETB requirements

● Report on projects to stakeholders Travel to and participate in stakeholder workshops, events, and meetings
● Write progress reports and related documents (i.e. maintenance of strategic
plan and theory of change)

● Gather and analyse feedback from students and facilitators with Artistic Director
● Research and make connections with potential partners, collaborators, and
facilitators with Artistic Director
● Draft copy and promotional materials for project visibility on DCFC website
● Collaborate on posts to social media with Artistic Director
● Informal documentation of dance workshops through photo and video (on IDC
phone)
● Carry out additional IDC-related activities in collaboration with Artistic Director
● Engage in regular/weekly staff meetings with Dance Cork Firkin Crane
● Engage in meetings with Artistic Director
The candidate will have several of the following attributes / skills / experience:
● Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering arts projects/programmes
● Demonstrable experience of project management.
● Commitment to the development of the arts in Ireland, with particular interest and
expertise relating to dance and to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the arts.
● Understanding of the arts and disability sector is advantageous.
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
● Excellent interpersonal, communication, facilitation, and networking skills.
● Capacity to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds, agencies & sectors.
● Experience of working as part of a team as well as on one’s own initiative.
● Research and analytical skills.
● Evidence of ability / experience of strategic thinking and planning.
● Academic experience in dance or arts administration is preferred
The person appointed will also need to:
● Work closely in collaboration with the Artistic Director
● Be available to work flexible hours when necessary and be available on the training
dates (TBC by the Artistic Director, Project Coordinator, and DCFC).
● Adhere to Inclusive Dance Cork / Dance Cork Firkin Crane internal policies.

Dates, Remuneration and Location:
August – December 2024 with potential for extension, funding dependent
IDC Training days at Dance Cork Firkin Crane: To Be Confirmed

Fee:
€20 / hr @ approx. 20-30 hrs per week (+ additional hours for Training Days). Daily
travel and accommodation fees are not covered by the project. Travel and accommodation
related to funding sources/stakeholders has been covered by the relevant funder to date.
Location: The role can be remote. You will be required to be on-site at Dance Cork Firkin
Crane for training days and key meetings and events to be agreed with the Artistic Director
and the team.

To Apply:
Please send a CV and Cover letter to the Project Coordinator of Inclusive Dance
Cork at Dance Cork Firkin Dance Crane Kaylie Streit at kaylie@firkincrane.ie.

Deadline: Applications to be submitted by 6 August 2024.

Image by Sound of Photography, courtesy of Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

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Axis Ballymun have announced two local arts bursaries, the John Duffy Young Visual Arts Bursary and the Axis Music Studio Arts Bursary, both with a closing date of 6 August at 6pm.

The John Duffy Young Visual Arts Bursary is an opportunity for young visual artists from or based in Ballymun and the NorthWest area of Dublin.

Axis are delighted to announce the 2024 edition of a very special bursary opportunity to support the development of a young visual artist from the Ballymun area in honour of John Duffy, the extraordinarily talented Ballymun artist and youth worker who sadly passed away in late 2014.

Axis are looking for submissions from artists with a local connection aged 18 – 26 for this exciting opportunity. The successful candidate will get free studio time, core team support, a mentoring session with local artist Aaron Sunderland Carey, and a bursary worth €500 towards materials. The awardee of this bursary will receive a support package that includes a €500 bursary plus additional in-kind supports to the value of €1250, for information and to apply visit axisballymun.ie.

The Axis Music Studio Bursary is an opportunity for musicians from, or based in Ballymun or the North-West Area of Dublin.

Axis are delighted to announce a bursary opportunity to support the practice of a musician with a connection to Ballymun/the North West area. Axis is looking for submissions from artists aged 18+ for this exciting opportunity. The successful candidate will get free rehearsal time, music studio recording time, core team support and a bursary worth €500 towards materials or production.

The awardee of this bursary will receive a support package that includes a €500 bursary plus additional in-kind supports to the value of €1500. For more information and to apply, visit axisballymun.ie.

Info on both applications
In addition to some personal info, the form asks for;

· a little info outlining what the bursary would mean to you (250 words approx)

· photographs of your work, these can be of ideas, sketches etc.

If you find you express yourself better in audio or video, feel free to send an audio or a video file no longer than 3 minutes via wetransfer in which you cover the items above. These files can be sent to axisplayground@gmail.com. If your images don’t feature in this file, please send these through as separate attachments (max 3).

Applications for both bursaries are open until Tuesday the 6th of August 2024 at 6pm.

Axis Ballymun encourages applications from individuals of all identities and backgrounds, and are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic people from putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — as they would love to hear from you.

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Fire Station Artists’ Studios are working together with Chronic Collective for the second year of Chronic Connections, networking for artists who are sick and have a disability.

Artists who are disability and chronically ill often cannot network in the same way as their peers, this programme tries to bridge the gap and invites curators and programmers to have a conversation with artists who are disabled and chronically ill about their work.

This programme involves two events, the first event, a networking event taking the form of speed curating (artists will have 15 minutes with each of our curators to introduce themselves and their practice) and the second event, a one-on-one studio visit or meeting with a selected curator. 

After the first networking event, the artists will rate the curators in order of who they wish to connect with. Artists will be matched with the most suitable curator for their needs.

The artists will then have one planned studio visit/meeting as part of this programme, with the curator they are matched with. Throughout the programme, Chronic Collective and FSAS will be checking in and available for support and advice. This programme aims to build capacity for artists who are sick and disabled to create dialogue and networking opportunities with curators invested in inclusive practices.

Chronic Collective and Fire Station Artists’ Studios have gathered a panel of nationally recognised curators who have a close interest and practice in inclusion and access to participate in the speed curating event and in studio visits with up to 8 visual artists with disabilities/chronic illnesses in 2024. 

The 2024 Networking Programme curators are:

Clodagh Boyce (Curator at PS2)
Iarlaith Ní Fheorais (Curator and Writer)
Maolíosa Boyle (Director of Rua Red and an independent Curator)
Michael Hill (Programme Curator at Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin)

What is speed curating?
You will meet with each of the four curators for 15 mins each. It is a fast-paced but relaxed environment. Don’t worry there will be lots of breaks! You can share examples of your work from your online portfolio, website, Instagram, or printed files. You can also simply chat about your practice. There will be a spare laptop and iPad available. The space can also print files/images prior to the event. To make the best use of your time, please have the files or web pages ready so you can share during your meeting. 

The speed curating meetings are usually a first introduction between the artist and curator, but also can be useful to reconnect with someone if you have made new work. The curator will also introduce themselves and what they do. A meeting like this can be a way to build a more long-term relationship with the curator. It can sometimes take several years between your first meeting and an exhibition opportunity. 

What is a studio visit?
The goal of the studio visit/meeting is for artists and curators to have a conversation about the artist’s work and discuss areas of the artist’s practice. This first conversation could lead to building a relationship over time.

Studio visits are meetings between artists and curators that are focused on the artist’s practice, their work and interests. In the studio visit the conversation may address themes of the artist’s work, works in progress, ideas around potential exhibition opportunities, audiences for future work, introducing references by other artists, professional development opportunities and critical responses. This can happen at the artist’s studio, online or in a meeting room. In advance the curator will research the artist and the artist will choose what artworks they’d like to show the curator and be prepared to discuss their work more in detail. All of this preparation is a starting point for a conversation.

What to expect from Chronic Connections?
Each of the successful artists will participate in a speed curating event with the four curators of the panel on 1 October 2024, 1-5pm, and a studio visit/meeting with one of the curators on our panel in the following weeks/months. Successful artists will receive a fee of €200. Curators will also receive a fee. After the programme is complete, each artist and curator will submit a one-page report /3min video or audio file on their experience of the networking programme.

Who can apply?
Visual artists at all stages of their careers are welcome to apply.

To be eligible you must:

have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory barriers which prevent you from engaging or accessing the art world in the same way as your peers
be a practising artist
live in the Republic of Ireland
be over 18 years of age

Please note that you are ineligible to apply if you took part in Chronic Connections previously.

If you are unsure if you are eligible, please reach out to chronicartcollective@gmail.com or programme@firestation.ie.

Application Process
Artists are asked to send an application email with the following information:

A one-page letter of interest (max 500 words; .doc or .pdf) or a 3-minute video/sound file, responding to the following prompts:
– Tell us about your art practice and your experience
– Tell us how this programme will benefit you and your practice
– Tell us why this is an important time for you to engage in a programme like this
Artist Statement (optional)
CV or Biog: max 2 pages (.doc or .pdf)
Examples of previous work: between 3 and 10 images/works, captioned with title, medium/materials and 1 or 2 sentences about the work (.jpg, .wav, .mp3, .mp4, .pdf, .doc)

If you have any access requirements to participate in the Chronic Connections, please outline these in your email.

Deadline for applications is Wednesday, 21 August at 5pm. 

Please email programme@firestation.ie if you have any questions about your application.

Accessibility
All events and workshops seek to care for participants by asking that folks wear high quality masks and by providing ventilation, comfortable seating, snacks and water. 

There will be options available for artists to take part virtually, either partly or for the whole programme, if required. 

The networking event will take place at Fire Station Artists’ Studios in Dublin 1. This is an indoor/outdoor space. The space is step free. There is a small door lip at two entrance doors to the space. Lighting is adjustable. A section of the courtyard entrance way has cobblestones. There is a toilet in the event space with a standard width door. Images of the building and event space can be sent to enquiring applicants.  These are relaxed spaces, and you can come and go as you please, make noise, stim and move around! 

We have a limited amount of access funding available to provide things like transport costs, masks, captioning and printing. We will communicate with all selected artists and curators about their access needs and do our best to meet them. We are aware that many people are working with limited energy, so we are open to flexibility in the running of this programme. 

About Chronic Collective
Chronic Collective  is a multidisciplinary art collective with a strong focus on accessibility in the arts. The collective is run by two queer and chronically ill artists, Tara Carroll and Áine O’Hara. They work to create spaces, events and opportunities for sick and disabled artists and audiences to engage in art and culture in Ireland as well as working alongside cultural organisations and venues to improve their physical and structural barriers.

They have been funded by the arts council and have worked with venues and organisations like Pallas Projects, A4 Sounds Studios, Project Arts Centre, Rua Red, Create and the Museum of Everyone.

For more information, visit firestation.ie. To view and Easy-To-Read version of this Open Call, click here.

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Visual Artists Ireland operates a wide range of training and events throughout the year including workshops, peer discussion groups, seminars, and talks.

Visual Artists Help Desk with Oonagh Hyland (Advocacy & Advice)
11, 18 and 25 July, 2pm to 4.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Visual Artists NI Help Desk with Brian Kielt (Advocacy & Advice NI)
17 July, 2pm to 5.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Creating Identity and Recognition for Art Practice with Colin McKeown
Thursday 25 July, 11am to 1pm

A practical step by step approach to the creation of an effective identity for your art practice. Colin McKeown has extensive experience supporting artists and other creative industries to understand the importance of brand in the digital age.

Creating Identity and Recognition in Art Practice: 1-1 Clinics with Colin McKeown
Friday 26 July, 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Following on from the webinar with Colin McKeown, Director of White Space, you can register for a 1-1 clinic over Zoom to discuss the creation of an effective identity for your art practice.

Belfast Peer Support
16 July, 20 August, and 22 October, 2pm to 5pm

Visual Artists Ireland invite artists who are currently not based within a studio group to our new peer support programme. Taking place over three events, artists will have a chance to meet with peers and like minded creatives, hear from an experienced artist on their practice and artistic journey, book one to one sessions with a curator to discuss their practice and engage in a peer critique over the course of four months. After each session, their will be an informal walk around some of the galleries in the city centre to soak up the best of whats on culturally in Belfast.

An Artist’s Guide to Tax
Thursday 22 August, 11am to 12.30pm

An introductory session on finance for artists, this session aims to support artists who are new to self-employment or who are considering registering as self-employed with Revenue.

How To Fill Out Your Tax Return with ROS
Thursday 29 August, 11am to 12.30pm

In this session Gaby Smyth will create a mock Revenue Online (ROS) profile and give a step by step walkthrough guide on how to fill in your tax return via ROS in the context of Artists and Freelancers involved in the arts. Please note this is the second of two sessions.

For more information on any of the upcoming events or for booking details, visit the visualartistsireland.ie website.

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Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office is seeking expressions of interest from professional artists, who are already working in or are interested in working in healthcare settings.

This training opportunity will build artists’ capacity to engage with older people in local healthcare settings through their artistic practice. This opportunity is open to artists from any artform.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLR) Arts Office has invited Sarah Cairns and Tess Leak to deliver three lively and comprehensive sessions for professional artists. The training will provide opportunities to explore ways of collaborating and delivering multi-sensory projects in healthcare settings, inclusive of people with cognitive and other differences. Participating artists will receive vital dementia and communications training specific to their needs in the healthcare settings and hands-on creative practices. This opportunity is part of the Let’s Get Social DLR Programme 2024-25 funded by Creative Ireland and the HSE, supported by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

DLR Arts Office has been working with local services and national organisations to deliver arts and health programmes since 2007. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County has one of the fastest ageing populations in the country. We are seeing increasing need for skilled artists to work with older people in healthcare settings across the county. This opportunity builds on two previous Creative Ireland funded Creativity in Older Age programmes and the HSE funded Arts and Health Programme, aiming to build capacity and sustain the creative practice that has evolved locally in the county in creativity and wellbeing.

This opportunity will offer ten artists three training sessions in DLR LexIcon, Dún Laoghaire with Sarah Cairns and Tess Leak. Lunch will be provided and artists will be given a small fee of €100 per session payable on attendance.

Dates and Times

10.30am – 3.30pm, Monday 23 September 2024
10.30am – 3.30pm, Monday 14 October 2024
10.30am – 3.30pm, Monday 27 January 2025

To apply, proposals must include and outline of your professional arts practice and an expression of interest that details the following:

How this training opportunity could be of value to your practice now?
What might the benefit/impact be from the insights gained from this opportunity to your practice?
Confirmation of availability for all three of the dates for training, please note that it is essential that you are available to attend all three sessions.
Two examples of relevant projects in support of your proposal.

For more information, visit the DLR County Council website. The closing date for proposals is 2pm on 12 August 2024. If you have any access requirements, please contact Máire or Ciara in DLR Arts Office by emailing arts@dlrcoco.ie or calling (01) 236 2759.

Image courtesy of Stedman Photography and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

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Cork County Council Library and Arts Service in collaboration with Kerry County Arts Service, the HSE Southwest and The Crawford Art Gallery, are seeking a contractor to deliver a Pilot Creative Health and Wellbeing Programme.

Make Or Break is a creative wellbeing pilot programme, which aims to promote employee wellbeing through creative workshops offered in the workplace, developed as an initiative of the Cork County Council Creative Ireland programme in 2023. The programme offers employees to opportunity to take part in a creative activity facilitated by an artist during their break time. The activities are designed to be fun, encourage social interaction and conversation while providing a stimulating creative experience and outcome for each participant.

The Make or Break programme is now being extended to workplaces in the Cork and Kerry region, funded by Creative Ireland, through the Creative Health and Wellbeing Scheme and supported by Cork County Council, Kerry County Council and HSE and The Crawford Art Gallery.

Aims of Make or Break

Develop, test and evaluate a model of creative activity that supports wellbeing in the workplace through active employee participation in creative activity.
Increase employee wellbeing through creative engagement and social interaction.
Develop and provide creative wellbeing programme that can be accessed in the workplace.
Encourage a culture of creativity in the workplace with a focus on collaboration and innovation.
Deliver a flexible programme informed by participant feedback and preference
Provide an accessible programme to be delivered by and in consultation with professional creative practitioners with a track record of delivering quality workshops.

Cork County Council Library and Arts Service wishes to appoint an experienced programme coordinator to lead this expansion. Delivery will require intensive input from the coordinator during the establishment phase, which we estimate will take approximately 3 months. Once the programme is up and running we envisage the project will require a reduced input on a part time basis in the region of 15-20 hours per week.

Due to the nature of the funding support the project will take place in several phases;

Establishment August to October 2024.
Initial workshop programme November 2024 to February 2025, this will include 2 blocks of 6 weeks.
Second workshop programme March to July 2025
Final workshop programme September to November 2025
Evaluation and final report End January 2026

The Coordinator role will operate as a contract for services between the successful applicant and Cork County Council Arts Office. The contract will be executed in two parts. The First contract will l run from August 2024 until the end of February 2025. Subject to funding from Creative Ireland and successful performance the contract will be extended to the end of January 2026. The total budget for the contract for services will not exceed €8000 in 2024 inclusive of VAT and any other expenses incurred in connection with the delivery of services. Subject to funding from Creative Ireland and successful performance the contract will be extended to the end of January 2026.

Responsibilities

The role requires a versatile, experienced self-starter with access to own transport and a full clean driving licence and will involve:

Meeting with prospective clients including public sector workplace managers and business owners in the private sector.
Developing the programme with a panel of creative practitioners.
Coordinating the creative sessions over 6 months in multiple locations. The ambition is for workshops to be delivered in 15 locations across Cork and Kerry, over two 6 weeks blocks in each location.
Promoting the programme in collaboration with the partners involved.
Identifying and securing Private Industry workplaces in which to deliver the services.
Acting as the point of contact for all Make or Break queries.
Reporting to the Cork County Council Arts Office team, to ensure the project is effectively administered at all stages. Liaising with project partners and external evaluator on completion of the incentive
Documenting the project and compiling data on attendance and engagement from all organisers.

Person Specification

Enthusiastic and highly motivated individual that sees the potential and would relish the opportunity to lead and progress this project
Possess a relevant third level qualification and / or considerable experience working in similar role(s)
Experience in the planning, development and delivery of a range of art, culture and community outreach projects, events, and initiatives.
Excellent time management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
Strong project management, curation and relationship management skills.
Comfortable engaging with members and stakeholders to drive participation and collaboration
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective communication with partners, participants and creative facilitators
Capacity to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds, agencies and sectors.
Knowledge of Local Authority and Health Service Executive operations is an advantage but not essential
Good business acumen to understand project objectives and contribute strategic insights
Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a team environment Full clean Driver’s License and own vehicle

How to Apply

A short professional resume demonstrating your experience relevant to the role.
A brief outline how you plan to meet the requirements of the role (no more than 750 words).
A full quotation for the provision of the above project co-ordination services.
Copy of current Driver’s licence and declaration that you will have access to your own transport, if appointed.
Interviews will be arranged with shortlisted candidates after the closing date.

Submissions must be emailed by 5pm on 17 July 2024 by emailing the above to Creative.Ireland@Corkcoco.ie (please note emails should not be larger than 10MB in size). Email any enquiries about this contract to Arts@Corkcoco.ie.

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Arts & Disability Ireland and The Arts Council celebrates 10 years of the Arts and Disability Connect Funding Scheme.

On 11 June, Arts & Disability Ireland invited previous awardees, organisations, and partners to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Arts and Disability Connect in partnership with Arts Council Ireland at the Project Arts Centre.

The event consisted of two facilitated panel discussions and a presentation, alongside questions from the audience. The day began with an address by Arts & Disability Ireland Executive Director Pádraig Naughton, followed by Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council Director. The morning panel was facilitated by Cathy Coughlan, Head of Project Potential at Project Arts Centre, and focused on Training Award and Mentoring Award recipients Philip Kenny, Tadgh Kinsella, and Mimi Seery.

“As I worked through my own barriers, I learned I find joy in dismantling barriers for others” – AlanJames Burns, Visual Artist

The afternoon saw a keynote by AlanJames Burns, followed by the second panel discussion on the New Work Award and Research and Reflection Award. This was facilitated by Paul Johnson, Arts & Disability Ireland Board member, and featured panellists Ali Clarke, Ciara Chapman, and Diane Crotty. See below for some snippests of the discussion throughout the day.

Access was provided throughout the event, including captioning, ISL interpretation by Bridge Interpreting, spaces to rest and socially distance, sighted guides, and image descriptions.

Arts and Disability Connect is funded by The Arts Council and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland. To learn more about the scheme, visit adiarts.ie/connect.

“We want to create more spaces for disabled artists to produce work where their needs are understood, and provided for. We want to help people find space to create, to perform, to exhibit and to interact in venues that have the infrastructural capacity and expertise in understanding and addressing their individual needs” – Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council Director.

“Arts and Disability Connect really helped me figure out what was needed for myself, so now when I am going for an Arts Council award I can approach their team and be like “This is what I need, can that be done?” – Panellist Tadgh Kinsella, Music and Visual Artist.

Arts and Disability Connect has changed so many lives in this room, and shifted so many careers with the people in this room… there are loads of people, like me, years ago who didn’t know this existed and didn’t know this was a provision. Didn’t know access riders and access costs and all of this were a thing. And I am sure everyone in this room knows that feeling of discovering “Oh my gosh, I can ask for help”. – Panellist Ali Clarke, Dance Artist

Photos by Simon Lazewski.

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Spark was developed by Leitrim County Council’s Arts Office and Local Enterprise Office for companies that are interested in collaborating with artists and promoting creativity within their organisation, and artists that are interested in exploring how their thinking, knowledge and practice can have relevance and impact in different environments.

As part of Small Sparks, three Leitrim businesses are provided the opportunity to each work with an artist to explore common interests and how creative activity can benefit both the company and the artist. The residency lasts for approximately 10 days over three weeks, which can be taken in one block or spread over a longer period as agreed between the artist and company. What an artist will do will be influenced by the adopted environment, providing a greater interest and involvement in what the artist produces from staff and clients/customers, and serving as a catalyst for new thinking. Participating companies include The Shed Distillery, Leitrim Hill Creamery and Crusader Cabins.

Applicants can be from any arts discipline. While some companies may appear suited to one or other artform, neither the arts office nor any of the companies have any preconceived ideas on what a project might look like or what approach any artist might propose, and as such are entirely open to all artists, disciplines and ideas.

Interested artists should first register their interest in the programme online available at leitrimarts.ie. Artists who have declared an interest are invited to a site visit of the three companies and to meet with the arts office. While attendance at the site visit is not essential to make an application, it is strongly advised that applicants do so.

To declare your interest in SPARK, please register online before midnight on Sunday 30 June 2024

The site visit will be in person and start at the first of the three companies with an introduction to the programme, its background and what it hopes to achieve and will take place on Wednesday 10 July 2024. For more information and a full schedule on transport options, visit leitrimarts.ie.

Following the site visit, artists are invited to propose ideas and approaches for a three-week residency at any of the companies. Proposals should be submitted online only at this link before midnight on Sunday 4 August.

A panel consisting of representatives of the Arts Office and Local Enterprise Office along with external experts will shortlist applications. A maximum of three proposals will be presented to each company for consideration. One or more of those shortlisted will then be invited to meet with the company.

The artist fee is €2000 and Leitrim County Council will provide a materials budget of €500 as indicated above. This does not prohibit a company providing further funding towards the project or further funding being sought from other sources.

The Spark programme also consists of a longer 6-month programme which follows on from Small Sparks. Should a Small Sparks project give rise to work that would be suitable for the longer 6-month Programme, the Arts Office will look to progress that project with the artist and the company. Should more than one Small Sparks partnership wish to pursue a longer residency, each partnership will be asked to prepare a further proposal, one of which will be selected for the 6-month programme.

For further information call 071 96 21694 or email arts@leitrimcoco.ie or go to www.leitrimarts.ie

Spark is a project of Leitrim County Council’s Arts Office and Local Enterprise Office and is funded by Leitrim County Council and the Arts Council of Ireland. Image courtesy of the Shed Distillery.

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The bursary award from Create is aimed at artists whose practice centres on collaboration with individuals or groups/ communities.

The objective of the Artist in the Community (AIC) Scheme Bursary Award is to support individual professional artists in any artform to develop their collaborative socially engaged arts practice. There will be two awards of €15,000 awarded in 2024, offering the artists time to reflect on, and develop, their practice. One of the two bursary awards will be ringfenced for an early career/emerging artist with a track record in collaborative arts practice.

The purpose of the award is to support and nurture professional arts practice. This is a developmental bursary that is underpinned by the Arts Councils Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI, formerly EHRD) Policy and Create’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy; it is aimed at practitioners who are facing particular barriers and/or challenges in developing their collaborative socially engaged arts practice.

The delivery of the bursary is assisted by a suite of partners who align with Create Ireland’s work and the purpose of the AIC Scheme Bursary. These partners will assist in the dissemination of the bursary and support of the awarded artists with up to two support meetings, where appropriate. Visit create-ireland.ie for a full list of potiential partners and more information on the application process.

The bursary of €15,000 will provide the selected artist with time and resources to engage with and reflect on their practice. This may include time to carry out research. More particularly, it allows the artist to consider key questions associated with their collaborative arts practice and collaborative methodologies.

There will be an information session on 27 June to learn more about the scheme. At this clinic, potential applicants can meet with Create and members of the Artist Mentor Panel to get advice and support on their potential ideas for the bursary.

The application takes the form of an Expression of Interest, to be completed online. This provides space for applicants to identify challenges and barriers to progressing their collaborative arts practice and outline how this bursary and the support it offers will enable a transformational impact on their arts practice. If you have questions regarding the bursary, consult the FAQ document.

Shortlisted applicants will be offered feedback and invited to meet with the decision making panel to discuss their expression of interest, following which two awards will be granted.

The closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday 29 July 2024.

Photo courtesy of Create Ireland, by Brian Cregan.

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Running Blind Dance Project are diving deep into the world of dance accessibility.

Running Blind Dance project focuses on making dance accessible to people who have a visual impairment, in this 10 year project by Laura Sarah Dowdall that all about community, reconnection to our body, our senses and each other. Laura was interviewed on Nationwide on 7 June, which you can view on RTE Player.

Speaking on the project, Laura says; “It breaks down hierarchies, questions assumptions and opens up possibilities, reminding us of the power and importance of our creative expression and our social need for connection, listening and to learn from one another.

This work adds value to everyone, the integrated workshops have been informative and awakening for sighted participants- dancers, artists, social workers, medical practitioners and people who just want to dance!”

Research, community collaboration, and development of the Running Blind Dance project began in 2015 and has led to a series of accessible dance performances, community sharings, international collaborations, integrated workshops, six-week training programs, performance projects, and short films. This project has been developed and inspired by collaboration with people who are blind, people who have low vision, and people who are deafblind.

The below videos share research, principles and practices for inclusive movement practice that this project has developed over the last ten years while working with the Anne Sullivan Centre for the Deafblind and through the integrated workshops open to all community members, for the National Council for the Blind and Vision Sports Ireland.

Laura Sarah Dowdall founded the Running Blind Dance Project after her engagement as Artist in the Community working with the Anne Sullivan Centre for the Deafblind in 2015. To this day, she continues to offer ongoing weekly dance classes to the residents and support staff, having developed a longstanding relationship with the centre and its community.

Laura has collaborated with the National Council for the Blind in Ireland, Vision Sports and Fighting Blindness to enable inclusive dance experiences to their members and families, she has created collaborative community projects focused on the research and development of inclusive dance practice and performance for people with vision-loss.

mages courtesy of Laura Sarah Dowdall and Steve Humphreys from community research at Rua Red in 2017 and workshops at Dance Theatre of Ireland in 2018.

You can contact at laura@runningblind.ie, by visiting runningblind.ie.

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Dance Ireland’s Residency Applications are now open for applications!

Dance Ireland is offering one residency specifically for dancers who have a disability and residing in Ireland, to create new dance work without any barriers to space and support.

Dance Ireland are offering an additional access budget for this residency. If you require support, please include details of this in your application, or get in touch to discuss further by emailing favour.odusola@danceireland.ie.

Applications close 12 June at 12pm.

For more information and to apply, visit danceireland.ie

Image of Stopgap artist Nadenh Poan, by Chris Parkes.

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Got an idea for next years festival? Bealtaine want to hear from you!

Bealtaine Festival is looking to hear from artists from all artforms who wish to work with the festival over the next number of years. Whether you have work that is already made and looking for a platform, or the germ of a compelling new show that needs an audience, Bealtaine would love to hear from you.

They’re looking for work that is unexpected, challenging or a new take on a well-known subject matter. They’re especially eager to hear from artists 50+, artists from underrepresented communities, and events that involve local community groups.

Bealtaine will be reviewing pitches in June, where an online session to meet with the festival curation team will be held.

What they need to know:

Your biography and CV
Brief outline of event idea
Potential partners and funders

Any questions can be emailed to arts@ageandopportunity.ie

The online form is now live at bealtaine.ie.

Image courtesy of Bealtaine Festival.

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Kildare County Council Arts Office welcomes applications from professional artists across all artforms at any stage of their career, for a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Artist Practice Bursary supported by The Arts Council.

This award is €5,000, and is available to artists specifically from under-represented backgrounds and communities, including those based on gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, membership of the Traveller Community and socio-economic status.

The bursary aligns with Kildare County Council’s Integration Strategy 2020 – 2026 and the Arts Council’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy towards ensuring that everyone who lives in Ireland has the opportunity to engage with, and participate in the arts. This Artist Practice Bursary Award will provide the opportunity for the successful applicant to focus on the development of their professional practice, or develop a specific artistic project, or both.

This award emphasises the value and benefit to an artist’s development of an extended process of engagement with their practice and seeks to provide an artist from an underrepresented background with the resources to do this. In addition to the bursary award, Kildare Arts Service will work with the artist via a series of 3 meetings to identify opportunities for networking and professional development.

Applications will only be accepted via the online application form and must be submitted before the deadline at 12pm midday Wednesday 12 June 2024.

For queries, please email arts@kildarecoco.ie.

If you need help to complete and submit your application, please contact the Arts Service team as soon as possible by emailing arts@kildarecoco.ie or calling 045 980872.

Image: ‘Flight of Doves’ by John Behan, Kildare County Council Municipal Art Collection.

A landscape view of the Dublin city skyline, showing skyscrapers, O'Connell Bridge, and the IFSC.

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Conducted on behalf of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the purpose of the survey is to understand how people with disabilities experience night life in Ireland.

If the Night Time Economy is to be truly inclusive and diverse it is imperative that we examine the current challenges for people and Artists with disabilities and those with an intellectual disabilities in order to find solutions together on how we deliver this objective. This research has been developed in consultation with individuals and organisations from these communities. This survey is open until 24 June 2024.

If you are a person with a disability, an artist with a disability working in the Night Time Economy or an organisation working with persons with a disability, you are invited to participate in this research by completing the online survey.

For the Main Survey please click here

For the organisation survey please click here

Más mian leat an suirbhé a líonadh trí Ghaeilge, is féidir leat é sin a dhéanamh anseo

For information regarding the survey, and to hear from our guest speaker Louise Bruton on her lived experience as an artist and a patron of the Night Time Economy, watch the video below.

If you are a person with an intellectual disability, or someone assisting a person with an intellectual disability, you can complete the survey in three ways:

1. Fill out the online easy to read survey here

2. Print out the easy to read PDF here complete it by hand and return it to us by post to Night Time Economy Unit, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, 3rd Floor, Joyce House, Lombard St, Dublin 1, or scan the document and email to nte@tcagsm.gov.ie

3. Contact nte@tcagsm.gov.ie if you would like us to post you a hard copy of the survey. You can then complete it by hand and return it to us by post, or scan and email to nte@tcagsm.gov.ie

Please click on this link for a guide on how to complete the easy to read survey.

If you have any questions, contact nte@tcagsm.gov.ie.

A collage of two images; A large red and gold guilded throne, with a crown perched on the side, layered with a photo of a wheelchair, mashing the two images together with a blue backround.

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Are you an actor with a disability with an interest in making an impact on mainstream Irish theatre – or have you always wanted to act, but never had the opportunity?

Male actors with a physical disability aged 30 and over are invited to audition to play the lead character, Martin, in No Magic Pill, a stage play inspired by the life of activist and wheelchair-user Martin Naughton.

Magic Pill Productions will present an Irish tour of the award-winning show, No Magic Pill by Christian O’Reilly, in November 2024. Auditions will be held by director Raymond Keane, writer and producer Christian O’Reilly and dramaturg and outreach producer Peter Kearns. This will be a high-profile professional production. Those auditioning will ideally have some theatre experience but the producers are also very open to considering candidates who believe they have performance ability. First produced in 2022, and winner of the Audience Choice Award at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, this ground-breaking production will begin rehearsals in October before going on tour from 7-23 November to four venues in Ireland; Black Box Theatre in Galway, Backstage Theatre in Longford, glór in Ennis, and The Civic in Tallaght.

In casting actors with a disability, No Magic Pill aims to bring a fresh conversation and disability aesthetic to Irish theatre. Anyone who wishes to be considered to audition should send their CV, or a letter outlining their experience to date, to casting@nomagicpill.ie. The deadline for expressions of interest is Thursday, May 23.

Selected candidates will be invited to attend an audition on Wednesday 5 June at the
Independent Living Movement Ireland office, Carmichael House, North Brunswick
Street, Dublin 7.

No Magic Pill is a ground-breaking play by award-winning playwright Christian O’Reilly.
Inspired by Galway-native and wheelchair-user Martin Naughton, leader of the disability rights
movement in Ireland (who passed away in 2016), the production broke new ground in Irish
theatre in 2022 in its casting of disabled actors. It tells the heartfelt, hilarious, irreverent,
stereotype-shattering story of one man’s anarchic quest for both justice and love.
No Magic Pill is the story of an activist … but it is also a love story. Martin is a man at war with
the Government, with society, but, above all else, with himself – and at this crisis point in his
life, which road will he choose? Will his fight for equality be derailed by dreams of lifelong love
and distant shores?

No Magic Pill is funded by the Arts Council and is presented in association with Independent
Living Movement Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association and Disability Federation of Ireland.
Magic Pill Productions is supported by Town Hall Theatre, The Civic, glór, Backstage and The Glens Arts Centre.

A person with brown hair and light skin with freckles hold up a violin, obscuring their mouth.

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Applications are now open for the Music Network Music Capital Scheme 2024.

The Music Capital Scheme, which is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to individual professional musicians and non-professional groups across the country.

A total of €542,000 in funding is available through the following awards which are now open for applications:

Award 1 – for non-professional performing groups
Award 2 – for individual established professional performing musicians
Award 3 – for individual emerging professional performing musicians

You can find further details of the scheme and a list of upcoming support sessions on the Music Network website. In addition they also have a limited number of one-to-one consultation sessions with each seminar speaker. To book a one-to-one consultation with any of the seminar speakers, please email Sarah Ledwidge at programmesadmin@musicnetwork.ie. Please include a contact phone number, the name of your organisation (if applicable) and let them know whether you have made any previous application to the Music Capital Scheme.

Music Network will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities or access requirements. They encourage prospective applicants with disabilities or access requirements who wish to submit an application or who have difficulties in accessing Online Services to make contact with them as early as possible before the deadline.

Any questions regarding the Music Capital Scheme can be sent to Sarah Cunningham, Music Capital Scheme Administrator, by emailing capitalscheme@musicnetwork.ie or calling +353 (0) 83 095 5956 (part-time).

Deadline for applications is 2pm, Tuesday 25 June 2024.

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Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) invites artists and healthcare professionals to submit proposals for their 2024 Seed Grant programme for creative exploration and responses to grief and loss in residential care settings and nursing homes.

Awards are in the region of €2,000 per successful applicant, with up to six awards available – one per HSE health region. Applicants must demonstrate that collaboration with a residential care setting or nursing home has been agreed.

The Seed Grants programme encourages creative exploration through micro-financing and mentorship. The aim may be to start a new project or help existing projects gain momentum. This round of Seed Grants is run in conjunction with Caru, a continuous learning programme for care and compassion at end of life in nursing homes, developed by IHF in partnership with the All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care and the HSE. In addition to financial support, their Caru and Arts and Cultural Engagement teams will provide bespoke mentoring to the grantee and residential care setting.

The deadline for applications is Friday 17 May at 5pm.

For application details and how to apply, visit irishhospicefoundation.ie

Images: Memories by Elaine Mears and Marie Murray.

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Dublin City Council Culture Company wishes to create an advisory group to support the development of their work.

The group will be asked to provide input into their work in ongoing engagement programmes and operation of cultural buildings and to work with their team to strengthen ideas, make connections and help Dublin City Council Culture Company to create meaningful cultural experiences for the people of Dublin.

The people of Dublin remain at the centre of their work and to ensure that everyone is represented, they wish to hear from a wide range of people with a variety of backgrounds, interests, perspectives and experiences to join the advisory group.

Dublin City Council Culture Company encourage expressions of interest from people that represent the variety of communities and cultural interests of the city, so if you are involved in community, sport, recreation, the Irish language, the environment, science, heritage, arts or are interested in the work that we do, they would like to hear from you.

What does being part of the advisory group involve?

The advisory group role is:

To attend and engage in workshops with the team (a maximum of four meetings per year).
To act as a sounding board, providing ideas and reactions to the current programme or projects in development.
To contribute their experience and expertise, to strengthen the impact and programmes of the Culture Company.
To provide guidance and ensure that the development and delivery of programmes and public engagement reflects the needs and expectations of the people of Dublin.
To identify opportunities within their own communities and networks which could be relevant to the Culture Company and its activities.
To act as an ambassador for the work of the Culture Company and to make new connections for the Culture Company where appropriate.

Term and Meetings

The advisory group is an informal, voluntary group and does not have the duties of a formal board.
An advisory group member’s term will run for a period of three years.
Members are invited to attend a maximum of four workshop-style meetings annually. The location of these meetings will be a city centre location such as 14 Henrietta Street or Richmond Barracks. They will be held in the evening, will be of roughly two hours duration, and light refreshments will be provided.
The Advisory group can propose new members in order to keep the group full of fresh perspectives and evenly balanced in terms of composition.

Please note that Dublin City Council Culture Company is committed to developing policies and practices ensuring that accessibility, Universal Design and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities are taken into account. You can read their Universal Design and Accessibility policy here.

Express your interest in this short form here.

For any queries, contact partnerships@dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie with ‘Advisory group’ in the subject line. For more information, visit dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie.

Deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 31 May 2024.

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aemi opens applications for its newly launched Tier 2 Artist Support Programme : Developing your practice as a film artist

Tier 2 works towards developing a more focused career support network and is appropriate for artists who have a more defined plan of the work they plan to make and/or have works in progress or completed.

If you have any access requirements that you would like to discuss with please email info@aemi.ie before applying to allow ample time ahead of the deadline on May 15.

aemi will accommodate adjustments requested during the application period and can accept an audio or video recording as equivalent to the written application form.

aemi actively invite filmmakers and artists who identify as being from underrepresented or marginalised communities to participate in this programme. Particular consideration will be given to recent migrants and to those filmmakers and artists falling under the protected grounds of the Equal Status Act laid out by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. As part of aemi’s EDI strategy, they particularly encourage applications from people from the Global Majority (global majority refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been referred to as “ethnic minorities”); Disabled people; and others who have experienced barriers or discrimination at work.

For more information and to apply, visit aemi.ie.

Interested applicants can email info@aemi.ie with a completed Tier 2 Application Form by end of day Wednesday 15 May.

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All Irish Dance is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation tackling social isolation and loneliness by connecting people through Irish Céilí dance.

Céilí Recall © (for older adults)
Reels on Wheels © (for people who use wheelchairs)
Some Dance to Remember © (for people living with dementia and their support
networks)
Y-Céilí © (for teenagers and young adults).

The training is suitable for people, with or without prior experience of Irish or any other
form of dance/movement, who are passionate about inclusion, accessibility and/or
community engagement and may include caregivers, community development workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physiotherapists,and other rehabilitation specialists to name a few.

Presenter Stephen Mangan stands in front of a landscape with a large castle in the background. Stephen has dark curly hair, and stands with hands crossed in front of the camera.

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If you would like to apply for the next series, the Sky Arts Landscape of the Year competition is now open for entries.

For the chance of winning a £10,000 commission for a major British institution and £500 of materials from Cass Art, get your landscape submissions ready.

The deadline for Landscape Artist of the Year series ten is Friday 3 May 2024

The competition is open to amateur and professional artists aged 16 or over. All media allowed except sculpture and photographic or digital elements. For more information and to apply, visit skyartsartistoftheyear.tv

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The Irish Writers Centre is pleased to announce a new round of course bursaries for writers living on the island of Ireland, made possible with support from the Arts Council of Ireland.

These bursaries will enable writers to develop their skills through funded places at Irish Writers Centre creative writing courses, and create access by subsidising costs to individuals who may not otherwise be able to take a course.

15 bursaries will be awarded to writers from backgrounds typically underrepresented in Irish Literature. Bursary recipients will receive course credit worth €165 towards a course at the IWC. The deadline to apply is May 8, 2024 at 5pm, you can apply here.

The Irish Writers Centre facilitates up to 150 courses a year for writers at every stage of their career. They provide a range of in-person and online courses including novel writing, short story, poetry, and creative non-fiction. You can browse their courses here.

These bursaries are specifically for writers from backgrounds typically underrepresented in the arts in Ireland: Minority ethnic, Black or Person of Colour, Person with a Disability, LGBTQIA+, Member of the Travelling Community, Roma and Unwaged / Low-Income. You can view the full Eligibility and Selection Criteria at irishwriterscentre.ie.

The Irish Writers Centre is the leading support and development organisation for writers since 1991, the Irish Writers Centre carries out its work, online and in person, on an all-island basis. We work with writers of all types and talents, and actively encourage writers from all communities to engage in creative writing. We provide many ways and means for them to develop their skill, advance their ambitions and join a vibrant and diverse community of people who share their passion and purpose. We are also a membership organisation, always seeking new opportunities for members to grow as writers and to connect with each other through IWC programmes and supports.

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The Fingal Access Strategy will contain a number of actions and objectives for ensuring that all services provided by Fingal County Council are accessible for and inclusive of all.

Fingal County Council want to hear the views of the whole community through this survey, particularly people with experience of a disability, to help understand where improvements in accessibility and inclusion are most needed.

This survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete, and can be found at consult.fingal.ie.

Please note any information or data you enter on this form will not be shared and will only be kept for as long as required.

Hard copies of this survey are also available at their Customer Care Units in County Hall (Swords) and Blanchardstown. If you wish to record your response via video or audio, you can do so. Please email your audio or video file to cathal.kearney@fingal.ie once complete.

The deadline for receipt of completed surveys is Friday, 17 May 2024.

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The national arts and health website is offering two bursaries in 2024, funded by the Arts Council and the HSE.

The Documentation Bursary will support the production of a short film, audio documentary or publication about an arts and health project. The Emerging Artist Bursary is available for an early-career artist to reflect on their arts and health practice. Applications are now open for both bursaries with a closing date of Wednesday 12 June 2024.

Documentation Bursary

Are you involved in an arts and health project? Would you like to showcase your work to a larger audience?

The national arts and health website invites applications for a €4000 bursary to produce a short film, audio documentary or publication about an arts and health project.

Applications are invited from artists working in healthcare settings, healthcare professionals, arts and health organisations/partnerships and others working in the field of arts and health.

The documentation bursary aims to:

Showcase arts and health practice to national audiences
Raise awareness around the impact of arts and health practice
Inspire artists, healthcare staff and health service users involved in arts and health projects.

This bursary is applicable to the documentation of arts and health projects across all artforms and arts practice areas (participatory arts, performance arts, environmental enhancement initiatives) in the Republic of Ireland.

To download the application form, eligibility criteria and FAQs, visit artsandhealth.ie.

Emerging Artist Bursary

Professional artists with an emerging arts and health practice are invited to apply for the artsandhealth.ie artist bursary 2024 to reflect on their practice.

Early-career artists working in healthcare contexts are not always afforded the same opportunities to reflect on and interrogate their practice as their more experienced peers. This bursary is purposely designed to provide early-career artists with the headspace for reflective enquiry as they develop and shape their arts and health practice.

The bursary is open to individual early-career artists working in any artform within the field of arts and health practice in the Republic of Ireland. The bursary awardee will share learning arising from the bursary with the wider arts and health community via artsandhealth.ie. How this learning is presented is at the discretion of the selected artist. One bursary award of €2000 will be offered to the successful applicant.

To download the application form, eligibility criteria and FAQs, visit artsandhealth.ie

The closing date for both bursary awards is Wednesday, 12 June 2024 at 12pm.

artsandhealth.ie is the national website for arts and health in Ireland, managed by Réalta, the national resource organisation dedicated to developing arts and health in Ireland. The artsandhealth.ie bursaries 2024 are funded by the HSE and the Arts Council.

Image: Helga Deasy and participants of the Fuse Arts & Health Programme led by MusicAlive. Photo credit: Clare Keogh.

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Applications for the Creative Arts Therapies pilot programme, which involves 12 free weekly sessions with a Creative Arts Therapist, are open now.

Minding Creative Minds offer a growing list of services developed from consistent interactions with the creative sector; questions and requests received from peers via monthly meet and greet sessions, social media, email communications, and in-person gatherings. The addition of Creative Arts Therapies (CAT) to their well-being service was a natural step to continue to support those working in the Irish creative sector in all is forms.

Any member of the Irish Creative Sector can apply for 12 free weekly sessions with a Creative Arts Therapist at mindingcreativeminds.ie.

Creative Arts Therapies are evidence-based health care professions. It is an umbrella term incorporating 4 professions; Art Therapy, Dance-Movement Therapy, Drama therapy, and Music Therapy.

Creative Arts Therapies is the planned and prescribed use of creative processes with a qualified therapist working to support and enhance the psychological and social well-being of individuals. CAT is used to help people interpret, express, and resolve their emotions and thoughts through the creative process of the arts. Creative Arts Therapies (CAT) are based on the idea that creative expression can foster mental health and support wellbeing.

All Creative Art Therapists are master’s level qualified in their specific medium and are registered with the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists (IACAT) and they can integrate knowledge of the arts with principles of psychotherapy and related fields.

CAT is not about a teaching or CPD but about using the arts for self-discovery and self-expression within the safety of a therapeutic framework. Artists can use their own medium or another creative medium to address any issues or stresses that arise through work, any anxieties, and the demands of everyday life, and in supporting mental health.

To apply for sessions or to learn more, visit mindingcreativeminds.ie.

Image: Nicola Kealy (Creative Therapist), Rebecca O’Connor (Creative Arts Therapies Supervisor), Eithne Swaine (Creative Therapist), Shane Cassidy (Creative Therapist). Picture Credit: Ray Keogh

A gallery space, flooded with images like film reels from floor to ceiling. In the centre of the photo is a large dividing beam, stacked chairs, and a bright yellow, red, and green graphic poster saying 'DAM in Venice'.

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The pleasures we choose and Crip Arte Spazio showcase visual art by artists with a disability at this year’s Venice Biennale.

The pleasures we choose is a multifaceted collaboration by artists Pia Lindman, Vidha Saumya, Jenni-Juulia Wallinheimo-Heimonen, curators Yvonne Billimore and Jussi Koitela, and architectural designer Kaisa Sööt. Commissioned and produced by Frame Contemporary Art Finland, it premieres at the Pavilion of Finland at the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

Blurring the boundaries between art, architecture, and social commentary, the Pavilion of Finland brings together three artists for whom art, life, and activism are intertwined. Embraced as a collective project, The pleasures we choose evolved through the exchange of shared and individual experiences to create areas of diverse ‘occupancies’ where visitors are encouraged to reassess and (re)consider societal expectations.

Jenni-Juulia Wallinheimo-Heimonen’s artwork brings to light the variety of forms of discrimination and violence that people with disabilities are subjected to. Her intricately fabricated realities celebrate a world in which a diversity of human bodies have won the right to choose a pleasurable life over mere existence. To learn more about her work, visit frame-finland.fi.

Presented by Shape Arts, Crip Arte Spazio is a huge, joyous, and exuberant celebration showcasing the dynamism, wit, and grandeur of the Disability Arts Movement (DAM). The DAM aligned art with the fight for rights, broke barriers, and ultimately affected changes in UK law, while making great art about doing so. Exhibiting artists include Terence Birch, Tony Heaton OBE, Jameisha Prescod, Abi Palmer, Ker Wallwork, Tanya Raabe-Webber, and Jason Wilsher-Mills.

Crip Arte Spazio at La Biennale di Venezia 2024 is the first major international exhibition of the unique and radical UK Disability Arts Movement, curated by David Hevey and produced by Shape Arts. Crip Arte Spazio is supported by Shape Arts’ National Disability Movement Archive and Collection and will also showcase archival work from the activist street photographer, Keith Armstrong (1950 – 2017), whose work catalogues the front line of the fight for rights and contextualises the exhibition.

David Hevey, Curator and Shape’s Creative Director, said: “We want to put the DAM on the international art map! The Disability Arts Movement is one of the most successful political art movements in the world because it helped to achieve rights. To celebrate this, we went gigantic in scale with bespoke flags, huge film screens, and the epic story plastered across the gallery walls. The monument we’ve created makes us regard disabled people as powerful, rather than pitiful.”

For more information and to view some of the artworks or listen to their audio descriptions, visit shapearts.org.uk.

Images courtesy of Shape Arts, Frame Contemporary Art, HAM, and Jenni-Juulia Wallinheimo-Heimonen.

Two people collaberating. One person sits at a desk with short brown hair, green glasses, a pink jumper, and sits in a wheelchair. The other person has long blonde hair and faces away from us. They are both talking and looking at a laptop together.

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A script-mentoring partnership between National Talent Academy for Film and TV and Tilting the Lens.

The National Talent Academy for Film and TV and accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens are working together to diversify the existing talent in the film and TV industry in Ireland. The wish to support previously excluded voices to overcome existing barriers that hinder writers with a disability from achieving their full potential in film and television.

This partnership will begin by seeking to support writers with a disability to grow their opportunities in film or television, through bespoke training, mentoring and events developed to support their ambitions and encourage voices, stories, and work by new and emerging talents.

They are seeking up to five emerging writing talents with demonstrable experience (this can include an existing script, a media CV, or a showreel of previous work). This application round is open to script writers or writer/directors who identify as having a disability.

The programme will run from June to November, and aims to improve the writing and editing skills of its participants, focusing on the development of their scripts rather than the completion of a polished final draft. It will conclude with a significant industry event in Dublin in November 2024, providing a fitting end to the program’s activities.

Disability-led organisation Tilting the Lens was founded in 2020 by Sinéad Burke, a Disabled educator, advocate and author who champions accessibility, equity and social justice. Established on the three pillars of education, advocacy and design, Tilting the Lens advises major global brands and media platforms, guiding them in their move from awareness to action by creating more accessible practices, policies, products and services, places and promotions.

An online information session and Q&A hosted online at 12pm noon on April Friday 26. Interested applicates can sign up by visiting nationaltalentacademies.ie.

If you’d like to view another versions of the Open Call you can find:

Easy Read (PDF version) HERE
Easy Read (Word version) HERE
Irish Sign Language Video HERE

For the full call out and eligibilia criteria, visit nationaltalentacademies.ie. Interested applicants must apply by completing the linked form link here.

If you have any questions pertaining to the application, email eibh.collins@nationaltalentacademies.ie. If you have any access needs and require support to complete the application form, please email conny@tiltingthelens.com.

The deadline to apply is May 17 at 12 noon.

There will be an online information and Q&A session April 26 at 12 noon. You can register for this information session HERE.

The National Talent Academies Film and TV are an initiative of Screen Ireland managed by Ardán.

Yvonne in studio. She wears a bright yellow jumper and stands at a small white table, covered in art supplies. In front of her is a large white canvas taped to a wall that she is painting figures of buildings on. The paintings are in bright jewel tones of blue, pink and orange.

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View the new mural by visual artist Yvonne Condon below, celebrating the mercantile traditions of Cork’s Cornmarket Street.

Dynamic artist Yvonne Condon has created a stunning vibrant large-scale outdoor painting for Cork’s Cornmarket Street, celebrating the long mercantile traditions of the street, its past and present users. The piece was created mid-April 2024, and will be in place indefinitely for all to enjoy. The location for Yvonne Condon’s new work is across from Peg Twomey’s grocery store, just before Cornmarket Street turns into Kyle Street.

This work, over 1.5 metres high and 5 metres long, is the largest-scale project to date by Yvonne, from Ballinacurra, East Cork, who has gained widespread recognition over recent years for her bold and uncompromising images. She captures the essence of an image, working from observation with great speed and intensity. Her public outdoor work includes most recently her ‘Yellow Nude’ on the billboard outside Dublin’s Project Arts Centre (March 2024) as part of Disrupt Disability Arts Festival, and in Cork an installation on a meter box on Cork city’s Princes Street (2021).

Painting is Yvonne’s window to the world, and she is inspired by everything around her in everyday life. Yvonne does not speak, and has limited hearing, and is only able to see with one of her eyes. Her art is influenced by her life, by people who surround her, by the things she sees.

Over the years Yvonne has created an enormous body of work. Her paintings have been exhibited in venues including the Cork’s People’s Museum, Project Arts Centre Dublin; RHA Dublin, and Atypical Gallery Belfast, and can be found hanging on the walls of many homes in private collections. This installation sees Yvonne build on her experience working with larger scales in international workshops in Spain and England, and situates her work firmly within the wider cultural context of the city, enhancing public spaces and establishing her position among Cork’s most recognised artists.

Yvonne participates in Crawford Supported Studio and was a long-term member of Glasheen Artists Studio Programme (GASP) both of which support artists with disabilities. Yvonne brings her distinctive work to the streets of Cork city in partnership with Crawford Art Gallery and with the support of Cork City Council.

The mural is supported by the Arts Council’s Arts and Disability Connect scheme, funded by Arts Council Ireland and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland. Yvonne was the first artist with an intellectual disability to receive a New Work Award through the scheme. For more information on this funding scheme, please visit adiarts.ie/connect.

Two performers in front of a pink and blue background. To the left is a ballet dancer, stretching out her leg horizontally into a pointed toe. Beside her is a man in a red brick patterned suit mimicking her with a flexed foot.

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Promenade are seeking 5 artists or companies to apply to receive producing, production and artistic supports from the Promenade team and a range of outside experts and partners during 2024 and 2025.

Promenade has recently received funding from the Arts Council’s Creative Production Supports Scheme 2024 and 2025 to provide support to artists and producers working in the areas of circus, street arts, spectacle, participatory arts and multi-disciplinary arts including those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Each artist/company will be assigned a producer with an average of 4 hours support per week. This will involve mentoring and practical support tailored to each individual artist/company needs, such as:

Project planning timelines, resourcing and costing/budgeting
Partnership brokering both within Ireland & internationally
Identifying funds and drafting funding applications/bids
Projects in development supports, such as contracts, scheduling
Supports on public engagement plans or work with communities of place or interest ensuring best practice
Tour booking or liaison with promoters including support with pitching and networking

Residencies will be offered by Circus Factory and The Everyman over 2024 and 2025. In addition, Promenade will pay for each artist or company to benefit from outside support from experts in fields such as dramaturgy, direction, production, operational logistics, marketing, communications, and PR support.

For more information on residencies, mentors, and fees, please visit promenade.ie for more details.

Early career artists resident in the Republic of Ireland will be prioritised from the circus, street arts and spectacle, participatory arts, and outdoors arts (work in the public realm including site-specific work). Artists may identify as multi-disciplinary in their practice, but must include at least one of the above artforms.

For full guidelines and to apply, visit promenade.ie. The deadline for applications is 12pm Monday 22 April. If you have any questions about the project please email Ciara O’Mahony, contact@promenade.ie

Promenade actively encourage applications from artists from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from people of all genders, nationalities, races, cultural backgrounds, ages, religions, languages, different abilities, sexual orientations or socio-economic statuses.

If you would like any of this information in a different format please email Ciara contact@promenade.ie or if you have specific access requirements for the application process, please email and Promenade will be happy to discuss how to support you through the process by phone or email.

This open call is funded by Arts Council’s Creative Production Supports Scheme. With thanks and appreciation to partners: Arts Council, ISACS, Circus Factory, Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival, and The Everyman.

Pictured artists: Fanzini Productions

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Kilkenny County Council Arts Office is delighted to announce a new bursary supported by The Arts Council offering financial support of €5,000 for artists across all artforms.

This opportunity from Kilkenny County Council is specific to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, including those based on age, civil or family status, disability, gender, membership of the Traveller Community, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

The bursary aligns with The Arts Council’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Implementation Plan, recognising the challenges faced by such artists who are striving to advance their careers and enhance their artistic practice. By providing an element of financial relief, the bursary will allow the successful applicant the freedom to focus on the development of their practice and if relevant a specific project.

To maximize the impact of the bursary, recipients are encouraged to allocate a portion of the funds toward engaging a mentor, a coach, or participating in a short professional development course or retreat of their choice. Kilkenny Arts Office is prepared to provide guidance and signpost available options within the artist’s specific artform.

Who can apply

Artist must be from an underrepresented background (see further information on the Arts Councils EDI Implementation plan here)
A professional artist for at least 3 years
An artist residing in Kilkenny for a minimum of 2 years
Applicants cannot be an undergraduate student at the time this bursary is offered
Applicants must be over the age of 18 years

The closing date to apply is April 30 at 4pm.

For more information regarding application guidelines and the application form required please visit Kilkenny Arts Office Website here.

Image by Fintan Wall.

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There are several applicant support resources available for Arts and Disability Connect, including a Come and Ask Questions Session, one-on-one Applicant Support, and a recorded Information Session.

Round One of the Arts and Disability Connect Scheme is now open from 19 March until 7 May 2024 at 4pm. Arts and Disability Connect includes New Work, Research and Reflection, and Mentoring and Training awards for individual artists with disabilities.

The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to be ambitious, to develop their practice and to connect with arts organisations and arts professionals in the Republic of Ireland. Application forms, guidelines and other resources can be found at adiarts.ie/connect. If you have questions about the scheme, please email connect@adiarts.ie.

Come and Ask Questions Session

Join the ADI team and ask any questions you have about making an application to the Arts and Disability Connect scheme. The session will take place on Tuesday 9 April 12 to 1pm.

For one hour we’ll chat about your application ideas and answer questions you have about the awards. The Arts and Disability Connect information sessions are for artists with disabilities who are applying for funding and for people who are supporting them to apply.

Click here to register for the Come and Ask Questions session.

Speech to text will be provided by MyClearText, and ISL will be provided by Bridge Interpreting.

One-on-one Applicant Support
Artists and people supporting them to apply for Arts and Disability Connect funding can book in applicant support up until Thursday 2 May.

We recommend that you read the guidelines of the award you are applying for before attending the meeting. If you would like us to review a draft application, please send it at least two days in advance to connect@adiarts.ie.

You can have up to 1 hour of support either on the phone, Zoom or by email.
During this time, we can review a draft application, answer any queries, and give feedback.

Click here to book a one-to-one applicant support session.

Information Session

The latest Arts and Disability Connect Information Session is now available to watch on YouTube.

This is a recording of the Arts and Disability Connect information session for Round One 2024 with Róisín Power Hackett from Arts & Disability Ireland.

It was hosted on Zoom and featured image descriptions and captions. Irish Sign Language interpretation was provided by Michael Feeney. During the information session Róisín shared insights into Round One of the Arts and Disability Connect scheme in 2024.

Previous information sessions are also available on our YouTube and SoundCloud, including interviews with previous awarded artists for Training, Mentoring, Research and Reflection and New Work awards.The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is funded by the Arts Council and managed by Arts & Disability Ireland.

All application forms, guidelines, Easy Read information and FAQ’s are available at adiarts.ie/connect

If you have any queries about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme please email connect@adiarts.ie.

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Are you an artist who is Deaf and/or disabled, based in Europe, with a passion for dance, choreography, or movement? Do you have experience of leading an artistic process? Europe Beyond Access invites you to apply for co-production support to bring your artistic vision to life.

Applications are now open for European artists who are Deaf and/or disabled who are seeking co-producers for new artistic works based in dance practice, choreography or movement.

This Open Call is issued by Europe Beyond Access (EBA), a consortium of ten leading European dance and performing arts organisations. Europe Beyond Access supports artists who are disabled and/or Deaf to break the glass ceilings of the contemporary performing arts sector and to become Europe’s next artistic leaders. Europe Beyond Access want to support artists to make more ambitious and innovative work.

You can listen to the audio described open call announcement here.

This opportunity offers co-production support of between €15,000 and €40,000 for each project and opportunity for public presentation at two or more of their partners’ venues, companies or festivals.

The deadline for First Stage applications is the 19 May 2024.

If you self-define as Deaf or disabled, you are eligible to apply. EBA Co-productions must be led by one or more artist who is Deaf and/or disabled. Or, the productions may be led by collectives that include artists who are disabled in equal positions of leadership. The application itself must be made by the lead artist(s) who are Deaf and/or disabled, or those working collaboratively.

The lead artist(s) must have previous experience of making work, in either local, national or international contexts. Proposals can come from independent artists with or without a producer or production support or proposals can come from artists working with established companies.

The aim is to support artists to make more ambitious and innovative work. This could be a first international production and/or a project that includes more collaborators, for example. However, proposals should be achievable and be a logical next step in your practice or career.

They are searching for new works led artistically by artists who are Deaf and/or disabled that can be presented at two or more of their partners’ venues or festivals, they are flexible on how the works can be presented but they must be transferrable and flexible to be shown in different locations.

These projects could be based in dance practice, choreography or movement or that utilises different disciplines that explore body and motion, presented on stage or in an alternative format (for example film, installation, or site-specific work). Submitted ideas and projects can be at various stages of development, but must not yet be in production.

To view full guidelines and make an application, visit disabilityartsinternational.org

Image: ‘Fine Lines’ by Roser López Espinosa / Skånes Dansteater / Europe Beyond Access / Photo by Simone Cargnoni for Oriente Occidente.

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A huge congratulations to Arts and Disability Connect Training Awardee Cecilia Bullo, whose work ‘Being Haunted by the Breezes, Now How Will You Exist?’ has been acquired for the Arts Council Collection.

The Arts Council Collection dates back to 1962 and now comprises almost 1,400 works of art. Works from the Collection can be seen in public buildings, galleries and museums across Ireland and internationally. Works are acquired following a rigorous process, with the final decisions made by the Collection Acquisitions Committee, made up of Council members, independent artists and curators. In the most recent round of acquisitions, works by 24 artists were added to the Arts Council Collection.

Cecilia Bullo received an Arts and Disability Connect Training Award in 2020, and her recent work includes Rhizomatic at Endlessnessnessness at the LAB Gallery. In 2023, she exhibited ‘Being Haunted by the Breezes, Now How Will You Grow?’ at the Royal Hibernian Academy.

You can view more of Cecilia’s work at ceciliabullo.com

‘Being haunted by the breezes, now how do you exist? 2023 | polyurethane foam, latex, bronze, hardware, cement, jesmonite, pigments, stainless steel, porcelain, spray paint, mirrors | 180 X 80 X 80 cm. Photo by Ros Kavanagh, courtesy of Cecilia Bullo and RHA.

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Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is delighted to invite applications for dlr Creative Ireland Bursaries which focus on supporting arts and cultural organisations, collectives and groups in delivering new and existing programmes or initiatives that help create Creative Communities in dlr.

Applicants such as theatres, galleries, choirs, artist studios, artists collectives; theatre, music, dance, circus and spectacle companies; amateur dramatic and musical societies are eligible to apply.

Only not for profit organisations and groups are eligible to apply.

dlr County Council is also pleased to also welcome submissions from arts or cultural organisations and groups based outside the County for programmes or initiatives which will have a significant impact on our Creative Communities in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

This funding opportunity forms part of the Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown Culture and Creativity Strategy 2023 -2027 funded by Creative Ireland and delivered by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Empowering Creative Communities is a key strand of our new strategy which will enable people to work together to transform their communities, their lives and their environment through creativity.

Creative Ireland is a culture-based programme designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. The core proposition is that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal wellbeing and achievement.

dlr Creative Ireland Bursaries offer the opportunity to secure funding to support the development of our local creative communities though projects, events and capacity building.

The bursaries will support activity taking place from July to December 2024. Applicants will be informed of the outcome in early June.

The total fund is €25,000 and applications can be to a maximum of €5,000.

The closing date for applications is April 12 at 1pm.

To apply or for more information, visit dlrcoco.submit.com

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Birds Of Paradise have been leading the charge for people with a disability in Scottish theatre. Artistic Director and CEO Robert Softley Gale talks to The List about his pride in reaching this landmark anniversary and the company’s ambition to go global.

Birds Of Paradise (BOP) was formed out of an arts and disability-based community over 30 years ago. Robert Softley Gale talks to The List looking back on his time working with Birds of Paradise. Robert performed as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2014 with If These Spasms Could Speak.

With the company having already brought disabled theatre into the 21st century, Softley Gale’s sole stewardship began with My Left/Right Foot (2018), an irreverent musical which he wrote and directed, and was co-produced by BOP with the National Theatre Of Scotland.

Continuing to blaze a trail for disabled theatre with work that can sit alongside any other company on artistic merit alone, Softley Gale sees the future of BOP as global.

‘We already do a lot of work overseas, in Rwanda, Nepal and China. We engage with disabled artists all over the world and look at how we can help them to develop what they do. I think that’s really exciting in terms of what that lets us bring back to Scotland. We can all be quite guilty of telling our stories over and over again, and that’s great, but what I’ve been finding fascinating when I meet a disabled person in China is that we see how different their lives are, but also how similar they are to mine. So I think more international collaborations is something we definitely want to explore.’

As a demonstration of how far BOP have come over the last 30 years in terms of creative access, Don’t. Make. Tea. includes a description for people with a visual impairment, as well as a sign-language interpreter, and captions woven into the play’s story.

You can read more about Softley Gale and the history of Birds of Paradise at list.co.uk.

Images by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.

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Round One of the Arts and Disability Connect Scheme open from 19 March until 7 May 2024.

Arts and Disability Connect Round One
Opens: Tuesday 19 March
Closes: Tuesday 7 May, 4pm

Arts and Disability Connect Round Two
Opens: Monday 12 August
Closes: Tuesday 8 October, 4pm

There are several applicant support resources available, including a Come and Ask Questions Session, one-on-one Applicant Support, and a recorded Information Session, which you can find out more about here.

All application forms, guidelines, Easy Read information and FAQ’s are available at adiarts.ie/connect

If you have any queries about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme please email connect@adiarts.ie.

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Funding announced by Rethink Ireland and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is set to accelerate access and skills-building for people with disabilities, with a €3.5 million injection of funding for the sector to support projects.

Five high-performing projects that applied under the 2023 application process were awarded a share of €1.1 million. These include Project Arts Centre, SOS Kilkenny, Cumas New Ross, Paralympics Ireland, and No Barriers Foundation. Up 10 new projects will be eligible to share in funding worth a total of €2.4m available through application for the funding below.

The 2024 Disability Participation and Awareness Fund is now open for applications from change-making non-profit organisations focused on supporting people with disabilities to participate in community life. This includes social, cultural, arts and sports participation, as well as promoting disability awareness and training at a local level, and supporting pathways for young people transitioning through education.

The goal of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2024 is to support innovative projects or organisations across Ireland to:

Enhance community, social, cultural and physical participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.
Promote disability awareness and training for people with disabilities at the local level.
Promote innovation in supports and pathways for teenagers transitioning from secondary school through the use of innovative and meaningful services, products or programmes.

The Fund offers a package of cash grants and non-financial supports to the value of €200,000* for up to 10 projects, to help them expand and increase their social impact.

This includes:

Up to 10 awards of up to €200,000*
The non-financial supports will include:
- a place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme
- bespoke business and capacity building supports designed in consultation with the successful projects on topics such as strategic planning, maximising your impact, communications, storytelling and fundraising.
Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks.

You can apply to The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2024 via the online portal until 5th April 2024. For more information and to apply, visit rethinkireland.ie.

If you would like to access an Easy Read version of these Fund Guidelines, please click here.

Join Rethink Ireland for their application clinics to find out more and answer any questions that you have. The next application clinic will be held on Thursday, 20th March at 1 pm: Register here

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The Hunt Museum is delighted to announce the Inclusive Museums project, funded through Rethink Ireland’s Disability Awareness and Participation Fund and aimed at increasing access and inclusion for people with a disability.

The Inclusive Museums project builds on other positive developments in disability access and inclusion recently achieved at the Hunt Museum. In November 2023, AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, awarded Autism Friendly status to the Museum and in the coming weeks a Quiet Space for people with autism, will also be provided.

This exciting project is focused on facilitating change through positive activism. It places people with autism, and people with a visual impairment at its centre. Through two working groups, they will identify barriers to access and participation in the Museum but will also work with us to put solutions or accomodations in place, which will ultimately make it a more inclusive and equitable place for everyone.

– Maria Cagney, Curator of Education and Inclusive Museums project lead at the Hunt Museum

Training opportunities are being provided to people with autism through the project, including in digitisation. It consists of a series of digital processes including laser scanning, which has enabled the Museum to create and share online over 360 digital replicas of collection objects. Digitisation allows for 3D printed object replicas to be created and used for tactile learning in the museum, examples of which were presented in the museum’s award winning multi-sensory exhibition Seeing Without Sight, which was produced in collaboration with a group of co-creators who have a visual impairment.

An employment opportunity for a person with visual impairment or autism to work as the Inclusive Museums Project Assistant is also being provided. The Hunt Museum is working with a wide network of stakeholders from the disability sector to put this in place.

The museum’s work with persons with a visual impairment also continues through the Inclusive Museums project. New co-creators who have a visual impairment have joined the Seeing Without Sight team and have started producing new audio descriptions for museum objects.

The Hunt Museum would like to emphasise that they are still looking for more persons with a visual impairment and people with autism to get involved in the Inclusive Museums project. For further information, contact Maria Cagney by email at maria@huntmuseum.com or by calling 061 312 833.

For more information, visit huntmuseum.com.

“This Inclusive Museums employment opportunity will be transformational for the right person, building their confidence and employability skills, while also enabling them to advocate for other persons with disability. They will be supported in this role so that they can harness their lived experience of disability to help Hunt Museum staff to develop their knowledge, which they will then share with other museums around Ireland.”

– Cyril Killeen, Dóchas Midwest Autism Support

“Rethink Ireland is thrilled to be funding and supporting the Inclusive Museums project. It is truly innovative in terms of how it works with people with disabilities to create a more inclusive museum experience for all. From visiting the Hunt Museum recently and seeing first-hand the amazing detail in the 3D-printed replicas, I was blown away by the potential of this project. We look forward to supporting the project’s growth through this partnership.”

– Daragh Wallace, Fund Manager at Rethink Ireland

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The Catalyst Residency, offered in partnership between Create and Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS), offers a socially engaged artist from an under-represented ethnic background a one-month residency in Dublin 1 during June 2024.

The residency is intended as an artist-led incubation period which allows them to develop their practice and their networks with targeted support from the residency partners.

In 2018, Create and the Fire Station Artists’ Studios formed a unique partnership to offer the Catalyst Residency as part of the Artist in the Community Scheme, managed by Create, and the range of residencies offered by FSAS. The Catalyst Residency is aligned with both Create and FSAS’s longstanding commitment to collaborative, socially engaged arts practice; and to supporting communities and artists on the margins of society.

Since 2018, the Catalyst Residency has opened a dedicated space for Create and FSAS to work with and support artists from under-represented ethnic backgrounds. Each year, the Catalyst Residency responds to the specific needs of successful candidates, offering skills and opening relevant networks across the arts sector.

In 2024, the Catalyst Residency will offer artists the opportunity to be mentored by a range of practitioners, and enables the successful candidate to step away from their everyday responsibilities and immerse themselves in a dedicated period of reflection, mentoring, peer-to-peer conversation and strategic networking.

The Catalyst Residency invites expressions of interest from artists with a track record of collaborative socially engaged arts practice.

What the Catalyst Residency offers:

In 2024, the Catalyst Residency is artist-led, and it will offer a residential living space for up to one month in June 2024 at FSAS in Dublin to facilitate the following:

an experimental / developmental incubation 1 month period, based in an FSAS studio
time to network and engage with the wider field of collaborative socially engaged arts field in Dublin, as identified by the artist
time to schedule focused work (meetings, research, events) in Dublin
a space for reflection and planning for future project and partnership development
an opportunity to engage with Dublin’s vibrant art scene (should the successful candidate live outside Dublin)
A place on the Create and Counterpoints Arts Summer School on Collaborative Practice and Social Change from 10 to 15 June (The Summer School residential will include full board, travel and an appropriate participant allowance to cover additional costs incurred.)
Support from a dedicated Residency Coordinator who will engage with the successful candidate at critical points throughout the residency period, following a preparatory session with Create and FSAS.
A stipend of €1,200, with an additional budget for agreed expenses associated with the residency, for example travel to and from Residency or Create Summer School

For full guidelines, eligibility criteria, expectations, and more information about the residency partners and space, visit firestation.ie

The deadline is Monday, 8 April, all applications must be made using the online form, which you will find on the Create website.

FSAS and Create aim to make the application process accessible to all, providing supports to remove barriers for artist applicants to this residency. These may include translation from other languages or transcription of audio and video files. They will use all reasonable endeavours to assist applicants eligible under the conditions of the residency. To find out more, please contact Create by emailing info@create-ireland.ie at least 2 weeks in advance of the closing date. If you feel your needs are not outlined here, please contact Create and they will do their best to support you.

If you have any questions about the award, contact FSAS by emailing Julia Moustacchi at programme@firestation.ie, or to contact Create email Áine Crowley at support@create-ireland.ie.

Image by Silvina Sisterna, part of the Nos/Otras short-film, courtesy of Create, and Fire Station Artist Studios.

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Visual Artists Ireland operates a wide range of training and events throughout the year including workshops, peer discussion groups, seminars, and talks.

Visual Artists Help Desk with Brian Kielt (Advocacy & Advice NI)
Wednesday March 6, 2pm to 4.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Curator in Conversation: Clíodhna Shaffrey
Wednesday March 6, 6.30pm to 8pm

Clíodhna Shaffrey is Director of Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. She was previously the Visual Arts Advisor to the Arts Council of Ireland, and Arts Officer with two local authorities in Ireland. She has worked extensively as an independent curator producing exhibitions, festivals, public art commissions, collaborative research projects, and writing. Across a diverse range of creative work, policy, arts planning, and curation, she remains committed to nurturing artistic practices and advocates for the right conditions for artists to create and make work.

Book a Help Desk with Oona Hyland (Advocacy & Advice)
Thursday March 7, 2pm to 4.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Webinar: Writing about your Practice
Monday March 11, 11am

This webinar will focus on the written presentation of your work. It will discuss how best to frame your artist’s biography, Artist’s CV and artist statement. These are essential documents in representing your practice and should be of the highest quality possible to accompany your project proposals. A series of clinics will follow where artists can get one to one advice on how to best strengthen their CV, biography and statement.

Visual Artists Help Desk with Brian Kielt (Advocacy & Advice NI)
Wednesday March 13, 2pm to 4.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Book a Help Desk with Oona Hyland (Advocacy & Advice)
Thursday March 14, 2pm to 4.30pm

Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online or on the phone. Artists can book in for a one-to-one appointment to discuss any aspects of their professional careers, free of charge.

Webinar: Documenting your Work with Simon Mills
Tuesday March 19, 2pm to 3.30pm

This workshop aims to develop photography and video skills that artists need to present their work to curators, galleries, in applications and proposals, in marketing and to gain exposure online. Experienced photographer Simon Mills will lead this practical webinar.

Simon will look at techniques to photograph different types of work, including wall-based work and sculpture at a range of sizes. We will go through the most common pitfalls and mistakes and develop techniques to get the most out of your images.

Introducing Clare, Limerick and Tipperary: Artist’s Networking Event
Thursday 14 March, 11am at Limerick City Gallery

Limerick, Tipperary and Clare based visual artists are invited to come together for tea and a chat at Limerick City Gallery of Art with curators and programmers. This will be an opportunity to make connections with artists, curators and art organisations. Available for artists based in Counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. Curators joining on the day are Dermot Browne and Niamh Brown.

Curator In-Person Clinics – Co. Cork
Wednesday 20 March, 11am at Cork County Council HQ

Co Cork based artists are invited to join curator clinics with Caimin Walsh and Niamh Brown Ormston House Ann Davoren of West Cork Arts Centre and Jessica Bonenfant Coogan Artistic Director at Greywood Arts East Cork at the Cork County Council Offices.

On the day each of these guest specialists will speak about their own practice and how they work with artists. It will be an opportunity to get an insight into their thinking and increase your understanding. What ever stage you are at in your artist practice this will be and extremely valuable opportunity.

Tax Advice for Artists in Northern Ireland
Wednesday March 27, 3pm to 5pm

Louise Gorman from Balanced Business Solutions will present a webinar with tips and advice on tax for artists. Topics will range from advice on the self assessment forms, record keeping tips, deductible expenses and more. There will be a chance to ask questions at the end of the webinar presentation.

For more information on any of the upcoming events or for booking details, visit the visualartistsireland.ie website.

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Axis announce opening of Axis Assemble and Axis Playground Bursaries for 2024.

Axis Assemble: €2,000 / for artists at all stages of their career and from all backgrounds to explore and develop new ideas

Axis Play:Ground: €6,000 / for an artist with disabilities/disabled artist to explore and develop new ideas

Since 2004, Axis has worked to develop and produce new writing and theatre making locally, nationally and internationally, while also facilitating the growth of hundreds of artists through our many programmes and initiatives. Axis are proud to be a cultural hub on the Northside of Dublin, where artists and the public gather to encounter new work and new ideas.

The 2024 Axis Artist Bursary Programme is an eight-month opportunity for artists to grow their creative practice and develop new ideas, facilitated by:

financial support
development space
dramaturgical and creative mentorship
engagement with fellow artists
artist led sessions to support sustainability in practice

The 2024 Axis Artist Bursary Programme will run from April to November 2024 and is for artists who have at least some professional experience or training. This bursary is for practitioners based in the Greater Dublin area. While the programme is primarily focused on performing arts disciplines, there may be scope to support artists who wish to engage with other art forms.

For more detail on the Axis Assemble Bursaries & How to Apply: click here

For more detail on the Axis Play:Ground Bursary & How to Apply: click here

The deadline is Friday 22 March 2024 at 6pm.

Axis are especially keen to hear from:

Artists from communities who are underrepresented in Irish arts, or who face barriers to accessing opportunities to develop their practice and work, such as (but not limited to) people who identify as Minority Ethnic or identify with multiple ethnicities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, as having a disability/being disabled, members of Mincéir/Traveller and Roma Communities, and any intersection of these or other identities.
Artists who identify as having a disability/being disabled.
Please note: In addition to the Axis Assemble programme, a bursary will be specifically allocated to an artist with a disability under the Axis Playground scheme. Please see further information on the Axis Playground scheme here. There is an additional budget available to help meet access requirements.
Artists who work bi-lingually, or who work in/with languages other than English.
Artists with a connection to Ballymun and/or the Northside of the city (please note, you don’t have to be living in these areas to apply)
Parenting artists who may require a more flexible support structure:
While Axis regret that they cannot provide childcare, they do welcome parenting artists who may wish to bring their children to a workshop or development space/session with them. There is no age limit restriction on the age of the child/ren. Axis has child protection policies and procedures in place.
Should you wish to nominate someone to draft your application with or for you, please note the application should be in your name. Please tell us also who drafted it with or for you. Please let us know how best to communicate with you in relation to your application.

At least one bursary will be allocated to an artist who identifies as being from an underrepresented community with a commitment to support any additional needs or barriers to access that the artist may identify within the capacity of their resources. There is no expectation for you to draw on your life experience in the work that you make. Please feel encouraged to make the art you wish to make.

The aim is to support artists in the best way that Axis can within their resources to develop themselves and their practice. If Axis haven’t listed a barrier or support here to your application, they encourage you to get in touch and will do their best to see how they can accommodate you.

For any further queries or assistance, email axisplayground@gmail.com or call 01 883 2148.

The basement gallery space in An Táin. The walls are painted rough brick and host several paintings hanging lit by small spotlights.

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The Emerging Visual Artist Residency is a Summer Residency in the An Táin Basement Gallery and provides artists with studio space, a materials fee, a living stipend and the gallery for an exhibition of their work for the month of September.

The programme is open to recent graduates and artists at the start of their career looking to establish a collaborative practice in a community setting. The aim of the residency is to assist artists to research and develop new work and give them the time and space to develop their practice in a supportive and vibrant environment.

Part of the residency will include the mentoring of second level students on their portfolio for third level. Aside from this, an Táin are not prescriptive about the manner in which you work with, and in the community, but we would like to see applications that demonstrate a genuine interest in collaboration and public engagement. Applications from individual artists and/or arts collectives working in any visual arts form are welcome.

The resident artist will be provided with the studio space adjoining The Basement Gallery from July 1st to September 30th, administrative and outreach support, and the opportunity to use the main gallery space for the month of September. The value of the bursary is €2000, which breaks down as a living stipend of €1500 and a materials bursary of up to €500 (with receipts). The hours of the residency will be Tuesday to Saturday 10.00-16.00, with additional access available with prior agreement. Living accommodation is not included in the residency.

Access info: The Basement Gallery is accessed by stairs and a wheelchair accessible lift. There is also an accessible toilet on the same floor as the gallery / workshop space.

The successful artist or arts collective will be selected by a shortlisting and interview process, based on artist CV, proposal, portfolio, and references.

Please email paul@antain.ie with one pdf document including the following details:

• Artist or artists CV (max three pages)

• Proposal for residency (500-1000 words). Clear reference must be made to, proposed themes, outcomes, any communities the artist would like to work with, any outreach elements, workshops and/or talks, as applicable.

• Portfolio with samples of current and previous work (max three pages)

• Email and phone contact details for two professional / academic references

Application deadline: Thursday 29 of February 2024 at 5pm

Photos courtesy of An Táin.

Conserved medieval town walls of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary which were granted funding by the Heritage Council. The conserved walls are triangular to the left, creating a large A shape. Following on to the right is a smaller structure with three small arches like a bridge. A bright blue sky and lush green grass are in the background.

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The Community Heritage Grant Scheme supports projects that enhance the access and maintenance of heritage collections.

The Heritage Council is now accepting applications from community groups and not-for-profit non-governmental organisations around the country for its Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2024.

A broad range of project types are eligible for funding under the scheme including:

Workshops and training events that promote good heritage practice, in particular, we are interested in traditional building skills, craft skills, graveyard recording and biodiversity training.
Development of Digital Heritage Resources including digitisation, online exhibitions, oral history recordings, podcasts, and films. You need to make sure that the digital outputs you create
with grant funding are available, open, and accessible.
Conservation surveys, reports, plans, and audits that will inform the future management of buildings and monuments, habitats, collections, or objects.
Conservation works to buildings, monuments, habitats, collections, or objects.

This scheme is intended to enable communities and heritage non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to continue their work on existing projects or to start new initiatives.

Projects that can be commenced after an offer date in mid-April and completed before 15 November 2024 can be considered under this scheme.

A zoom information webinar about the scheme will be held on Monday 4 March at 12 noon, which you can register for here.

You must apply online through the Heritage Council’s online grants system. Please note that a new Online Grants System will be operating for 2024. You will have to register first before you can start your application.

To consider your application, we must receive your online application along with supporting documents by 25 March 2024 at 5pm.

Images courtesy of The Heritage Council.

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Mayo County Council’s Arts Service is now inviting applications for UPSTART 2024.

UPSTART is an initiative of Mayo County Council’s Arts Service which aims to incentivise quality artistic collaborations between groups/ people with disabilities, artists, arts venues and organisations within County Mayo. The award supports opportunities for people with disabilities to develop arts projects in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December.

If you would like to apply to the UPSTART programme, please download the guidelines and application form at www.mayo.ie/arts/funding/upstart, or visit mayo-upstart.ie.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 15 March 2024.

For further information on the UPSTART programme, contact Damien O’Connor, Arts and Disability Coordinator, Mayo County Council, by telephoning 094 906 4363, or by email at doconnor@mayococo.ie.

Images courtesy of UPSTART and Mayo County Council.

A woman with brown curly hair wearing a blue shirt sits at a laptop working. In the background is a white brick wall, a small plant, and various items for work like notepads and a phone on the desk.

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As part of our Flipping the Script programme, Cultural and Creative Industries Skillnet, The National Talent Academy for Animation, and Turnip + Duck are excited to announce two new free courses; Listen Hear and Evolve.

Listen Hear is an Introductory Writing for Animation Course and Shadow Writing Scheme for writers who are blind or have a visual impairment.

Over seven weeks you will explore the world of script-writing for children’s television animation. You’ll learn how to apply notes, squeeze in that extra giggle, and navigate the logistics of compliance all the way from pitch to first draft. Through a mix of online workshops and assignments, the course aims to encourage, support and prepare new writers who want to write for children’s animation (from preschool up). Some writing experience is useful, though not necessary. For more information, visit creativeskillnet.ie

Evolve is an Introductory Writing for Animation Course and Mentoring scheme aimed at diverse and under-represented writers.

Over 7 weeks you will explore the world of writing scripts for children’s television animation. From pitching a story idea, to elaborating an outline and crafting multiple drafts, you’ll learn how to receive notes, squeeze in that extra giggle, and navigate the logistics of compliance.

Through a mix of online workshops and assignments, the course aims to encourage, support and prepare new writers who want to write for children’s animation (from preschool up). Some writing experience is useful, though not necessary. For more information, visit creativeskillnet.ie

Both courses are free and the deadline to apply is this Friday February 20.

A bright painting featuring swirls of colour, a purple sky, and different shades of green for grass.

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Wexford County Council Arts Department and the Health Service Executive (HSE) invite applications from artists residing in County Wexford and working in visual arts, music, and creative writing.

The Art Ability programme provides access to high quality art experiences based on meaningful engagement between participants artists and professional artists in a variety of day care and residential settings countywide.

Running since 2003, the programme is underpinned by solid partnerships between Wexford County Council, the HSE and Wexford Mental Health Association, to ensure a sustainable infrastructure for long term access and participation to creative art experiences for people who experience long term mental health issues and/or intellectual disabilities and to support their professional development as artists. Art Ability currently employs five leads artists across visual arts, music and creative writing, to facilitate workshops year-round with our long-standing partners in the HSE and Wexford Mental Health Association. These workshops are delivered in a variety of day care and residential settings countywide.

For further information, visit artsability.ie.

The primary aim of the assistant artist’s strand is to provide an opportunity for artists to develop their skills and experience in arts and health and participatory arts practice through hands on experience working with the lead artists in a professional arts and health care environment. In addition, mentoring and training will be provided to the assistant artist.

A total of five assistant artist positions are available. The assistant artists will be paired with one of the lead artists and will agree a programme of work 3 to 4 hours per week to be delivered over approximately a 10 week period, and will receive a total fee of €1,200.00.

Each assistant artist will have the opportunity for mentoring as part of this programme. The mentor will be selected in consultation with the artist and the Arts Department. This will provide the assistant artist with an opportunity to develop their expertise in the area of arts and health/collaborative arts practice and gain informed advice on future career developments. In addition, training will be provided by Wexford Mental Health Services to the assistant artists at the start of the programme.

For more information and how to apply, visit wexfordcoco.ie. The closing date for applications is Monday 4 March at 5pm.

For further information please contact Úna Cahill, Assistant Arts Officer, by telephoning 053 919 65 64 or 053 919 63 69, or alternatively by emailing arts@wexfordcoco.ie.

Image by Marie Holohan, a founding member of the Arts Ability Studio group at CUMAS. ‘Airport’, acrylic on paper, 2010.

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In collaboration with Lámh, Sing Ireland presents this Lámh Information Session online via Zoom on 14 March.

This one-hour introductory session gives an overview of Lámh, a manual sign system used to communicate.

This event is free and takes place online via Zoom on 14 March from 1pm to 2pm. Register your place at singireland.ie

The information session will be delivered by Lámh Tutor Barbara Roche, supported by Sing Ireland team. Take a look here at how it can be included in singing, encouraging participation with a young audience.

This session is for anyone seeking to know more about Lámh as a communication method including teachers, support workers, facilitators, group music leaders, community arts programmers for people with additional/different communication needs, or simply anyone interested in finding out more about providing inclusive participatory spaces through this communication skillset.

For more information, visit singireland.ie.

A dance class in a large white studio. Eight people in pairs hold hands above their heads in movement.

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From exploratory sessions in February to dance workshops running from March to April, Fighting Blindness and Running Blind Dance Project are diving deep into the world of dance accessibility, specifically for those with vision loss.

Led by dance artist Laura Sarah Dowdall, founder of the Running Blind Dance project, in partnership with Fighting Blindness these workshops will explore contemporary dance, improvisation, choreographic composition, and social-haptic communication techniques.

Session 1 take place on March 13, from 11am to 1pm online via Zoom.

Sessions 2, 3, and 4 take place May 8, 15, and 22 (in person Dublin City Centre, time to be confirmed).

Telephone 01 674 6496 or email insight@fightingblindness.ie to get involved.

Images courtesy of Laura Sarah Dowdall and Steve Humphreys.

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Dublin Fringe Festival 2024 Curatorial Call is now live!

Dublin Fringe is calling all artists to submit an application to be a part of Dublin Fringe Festival 2024 which will turn the city of Dublin into a stage for some of the most jaw dropping performances and events of the year, for 16 days and nights from 7 to 22 September.

This September, we are asking you to blaze a trail! To remake the world in your vision, join shared futures and forge new paths.

The closing date for applications is 5pm, Thursday 29 February.

Read the curatorial call out and get more information on how to plan and give shape to your application now at fringefest.com.

Image courtesy of Dublin Fringe Festival.

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The Short Documentary Bursary Award is open to emerging filmmakers. The successful applicant will be awarded €10,000 to support the making of a short documentary.

The Short Documentary Bursary Award 2024 welcomes the proposal of short documentary films between 10 and 15 minutes in length. Catalyst welcomes both English and Irish language applications. The award is open to filmmakers from both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Crews must submit their first cut by 15 November 2024. It is a condition of the bursary that the completed film must be premiered at Catalyst International Film Festival 2025. The successful film will be premiered on a date between February and March 2025.

Filmmaking teams should incorporate people from diverse backgrounds and aim for a gender balance in the following three areas: on-screen representation, story content and diversity behind the camera. Thematically, we at Catalyst expect the film to creatively explore some aspect/aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion in Ireland.

At least one paid internship must be available for a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in the screen industries. This bursary is not open to applicants who are full time or part-time students.

Filmmakers must submit their application via the online form. Shortlisted applicants will be asked for additional information, the details of which will be outlined in an email from Catalyst and must be provided to Catalyst within a ten-day period.

Shortlisted applicants will be called for interview. Interviews will take place during Catalyst International Film Festival. The proposed date for interview is Saturday 20 April 2024 during the Catalyst International Film Festival in Limerick city.

The submission deadline is 12 March, Cataylst International Film Festival runs from 18 to 20 April 2024.

For more information and to submit a proposal, please visit

www.catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com

For any bursary award queries, please email info@catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com.

‘Catalyst is dedicated to supporting diverse filmmakers and getting their stories told – actions speak louder than words and this €10,000 Bursary will ensure the production of new work representing the under-represented in Ireland today.’

– Aoife O’Toole, Festival Manager

Catalyst International Film Festival is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the film industry, and this award is a key part of that mission. The festival is keen to engage with emerging filmmakers, ‘new’ rather than inevitably ‘young’, in order to broaden the horizons of potential future filmmakers and audience members.

Image courtesy of Catalyst International Film Festival.

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Firestation Artist Studios announces opportunities for artist studio spaces and residencies.

Practice Awards

Fire Station Artist Studios (FSAS) Practice Awards support artists to develop and refine their practice, experiment with new materials/equipment, and/or have access to the facilities of the sculpture workshop and digital media studio. Non-residential awards, Practice Awardees receive a €600 stipend and a dedicated workspace for 12 weeks at Fire Station Artists’ Studios. Applicants can nominate to be considered for the Practice Award in either the discipline of Sculpture or Digital Media.

The application deadline is 5pm Tuesday, 27 February 2024.
For details on eligibility and how to apply, visit firestation.ie

For any queries, email artadmin@firestation.ie or phone +353 1 8069010

FSAS 2024 Residential Award

Fire Station Artists’ Studios has provided live/work studios, sculpture and digital media production resources, as well as curatorial opportunities for Visual Artists in Dublin’s city centre for over 30 years.

Supported by the Arts Council and Dublin City Council, FSAS continues to offer highly subsidised live/work residential studios for professional Visual Artists in Dublin city centre, at a time when city living is challenging. Highly reduced rent includes utilities, waste disposal, parking, internet access, use of the digital media resources and curatorial support, as well as subsidised access to our workspaces and equipment means Ireland’s artists can focus on their work.

For details on eligibility and how to apply, visit firestation.ie

The closing date for applications is Friday, 22 March 2024 at 5pm.

For any queries, email artadmin@firestation.ie or phone +353 1 806 9010.

FSAS 2024 Day Studio Residencies

FSAS announces the availability of 2 x Day Studio spaces for short-term let in its Dublin City Centre location from June 2024. The Day Studios are available for a period of 1 year and are suitable for visual artists who have projects to complete and are working to deadlines. These studios offer artists a chance to have a city centre presence in a clean, warm and dry environment, and to be part of the dynamic FSAS environment.

For details on eligibility and how to apply, visit firestation.ie

The application deadline is 12 midnight on Friday, 22 March 2024.

For any queries, artadmin@firestation.ie or phone +353 1 806 9010.

Image courtesy of Fire Station Artist Studios.

Padraig Regan and Colm Tóbín in discussion at Bealtaine Festival 2022. Padraig has red shoulder length hair and wears black glasses. They wear a white shirt and hold a book, reading aloud. Colm wears a white shirt, grey suit jacket and black glasses, and sits opposite Padraig listening.

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Age & Opportunity’s Arts programme invites applications for three awards intended to support the development of older artists in Ireland and to increase the knowledge around the arts and ageing in general.

The Age & Opportunity Awards consist of the Creative Ageing Writing Bursary, Professional Development Artist Award and Emerging Artist Award. The deadline for all three awards is 5pm, Friday 22 March 2024.

To get a sense of the work these awards support, you can read about the 2023 award winners here.

Creative Ageing Writing Bursary 2024

Launched in 2021, the Age & Opportunity Creative Ageing Writing Bursary aims to generate discussion, debate and knowledge about the growing arts and ageing sector in Ireland. The recipient of this bursary is required to write an essay reflecting on their practice as an artist, writer, or arts worker, their experiences working with older people in the arts, or other ideas relating to the arts and ageing that influence their work, thinking and research.

This essay will be published on the Age & Opportunity and Bealtaine websites, and shared widely amongst the arts and ageing sector.

It is hoped that through offering time and space for an artist to reflect on these ideas, the resulting essay will become a useful resource for people who work with or are thinking of working with older people (including older artists), while generating discussion and debate about this area of work. In the coming years, we hope to contribute to this growing body of knowledge of the arts and ageing in Ireland as we continue to offer this award. One award of €1000 will be made to the successful applicant.

Creative Ageing Writing Bursary Application Form

Creative Ageing Writing Bursary Guidelines

Professional Development Artist Award 2024

Developing as an artist is a lifelong commitment, and Age & Opportunity Arts is particularly committed to supporting new opportunities for older artists as they continue to hone their creative practice or develop expertise in other artforms.

The Professional Development Artist Award was launched in 2022 in order to support the development needs of older artists. Through this award, older artists are encouraged to seek out further learning, training, research, or other activities that benefit their career and practice. One award of €1000 will be made to the successful applicant.

Professional Development Application Form

Professional Development Artist Award Guidelines

Emerging Artist Award

As part of continuing work to support older artists at every stage of their career, Age & Opportunity launched the Emerging Artist Bursary in 2022 to encourage those at an early stage in their career. There can be many barriers preventing people to take up artistic practice at a younger age, and Age & Opportunity recognises that there is no age limit on ‘emerging’. This award is also important in how it promotes the concept of lifelong learning and the ability we all have to grow at any age.

Through this award Age & Opportunity Arts would like to celebrate an exciting, up-and-coming artist aged 50+ who shows dedication and determination as they embark on a new path to becoming a professional artist. This award can be put towards activities that develop their practice further or the creation of new work. One award of €1000 will be made to the successful applicant.

Emerging Artist Application Form

Emerging Artist Award Guidelines

Please read the guidelines above before submitting your application form. The deadline for all three awards is 5pm, Friday 22 March 2024.

Age & Opportunity welcomes applications from all communities, and particularly encourages artists from underrepresented communities to apply.

Image: Bealtaine Festival and International Literature Festival Dublin 2022, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants with Padraig Regan and Colm Tóibín. Image courtesy of Bealtaine Festival.