Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 November 2025
342. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to list all funding schemes, grant programmes and any other financial supports that are currently administered by his Department and its agencies; the expected launch and closing dates for applications for each scheme in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66939/25]
View answerAcross its broad remit of responsibilities, my Department directly administers a range of funding schemes, grant programmes and financial supports. The information sought by the Deputy in respect of those currently administered by my Department as well as the expected launch and closing dates for applications for those schemes planned for 2026, are set out in the table below.
Details of all expenditure by my Department is contained in the Annual Appropriation Accounts which are published by the Comptroller and Auditors and are available using the following link: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/appropriation%20accounts/ .
Regarding bodies and agencies under my Department’s remit, these are operational matters for the agencies themselves.
|
Funding Scheme / Grant programme / Other financial support |
Details of Scheme / Programme / Financial support |
2026 Launch Date |
2026 Closing Date |
|
Stream E of the Culture Capital Scheme |
Stream E was launched on the 14 June 2023 with a fund of €1.4m. Grants of up to €50,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations with a defined arts & culture remit. |
N/A |
The scheme has no closing date and will remain open until the fund has been exhausted. |
|
Artist Workspaces Scheme |
Under this €6m funding scheme, Local Authorities are invited to propose projects which can accommodate and address the demand for artist workspaces in their regions. Each local authority can apply for up to €150,000 or €300,000 for Artist Workspaces under the scheme, with the higher rate available to the specified larger urban centres. |
N/A |
The scheme has no closing date and will remain open until the fund has been exhausted. |
|
Basic Income for the Arts (successor scheme to the Pilot) |
The successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) Pilot is currently being designed. It is expected the successor scheme will support the practices of at least 2,000 artists in 2026 at €325 per week, with payment beginning in Q4 2026. |
To be confirmed, as the scheme is not currently open for applications. |
To be confirmed |
|
Commemoration Community Grant |
An allocation has been provided annually to each local authority in grant funding for the development of community-led commemorative programme. |
Funding of €15,000 to be allocated to each local authority, subject to approval of the Commemorations 2026 Work Programme. |
N/A |
|
Creative Ireland Fulbright Professional Scholarship |
The Department is funding €100,000 in grant funding to the Fulbright Commission Ireland to fund an annual ‘Creative Ireland Fulbright Professional Scholarship’. The 4-year grant agreement was put in place in June 2024 and runs to December 2027. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Panikos Limited |
The Department is funding €30,000 in grant funding to Panikos Limited to fund the curation of a book on the subject of creativity. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Climate Action Fund II (2023-2025) |
More than €6 million has been provided in funding to 42 projects, with projects either one or two years in duration. Applications for this fund closed in March 2023. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
UCC(MaREI) (2024-2026) |
Research on the Creative Climate Action Fund II (2023-2025) |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) |
Funding to build professional representative capacity necessary to enable the sector to fully participate in Digital Creative Industries Forum under the Digital Creative Industries Roadmap 2024-26. Funding awarded in 2025 was €309,467.40 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Eirmersive |
Funding to build professional representative capacity necessary to enable the sector to fully participate in Digital Creative Industries Forum under the Digital Creative Industries Roadmap 2024-26. Funding awarded in 2025 was €153,886.66 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Health & Wellbeing in the Community Scheme 2024-25 |
Creative Ireland funding in 2024-25 was provided for partnerships of at least two Local Authorities (aligned with Regional Health Authority) to deliver Arts and Health projects in the community and HSE community and hospital settings of €1,503,800 from 2024-25. Additionally, Arts and Health Projects with a clear North/South or East/West basis, aligned to the objectives of the Shared Island initiative were awarded a maximum of a further €667,756 for the two years 2024-25. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Live Music Performances in Residential Healthcare Settings |
Live Music Performances in Residential Healthcare Settings 2025 is funded by Creative Ireland and a contribution from the Department of Health through the Creative Arts and Health Working Group. The funding awarded for this scheme in 2025 was €200,000. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
TILDA Programme |
Grant funding of €238,792 was awarded to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) beginning in 2025. TILDA is a large-scale, nationally representative, longitudinal study on ageing in Ireland. This funding supports the analysis of data in order to gain insights into the wellbeing potential of cultural participation. €111,411 was allocated in 2025 and €127,381 is allocated in 2026. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Youth Nurture Fund 2023-2025 |
The Creative Youth Nurture Fund is a pilot scheme to support youth-led creative engagement, for projects specifically targeting seldom heard cohorts of children and young people. In 2023, 9 projects were awarded €727,234 in total grant funding to deliver projects that will end in 2025. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Local Creative Youth Partnerships |
In partnership with the Department of Education and Youth and the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality, support for 8 Local Creative Youth Partnerships (LCYPs) based in Education and Training Boards (ETBs). They deliver creative programmes for young people in their communities, prioritising those that are seldom heard or at risk of disadvantage. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Youth on a Shared Island 2024-2025 |
Funding of €1m for 6 collaborations bringing children and young people from across the island of Ireland together for creative projects that aim to create connections, promote understanding and build meaningful friendships, delivered until 2025. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Teacher Artist Partnership (TAP+) Programme |
In collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth, TAP+ is a collaboration with the network of Education Centres across the country which provides a model of CPD in Teacher Artist Partnership training to support and enhance Arts in Education in school communities. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Oide Creativity |
Support for Oide Creativity, a Continuing Professional Development programme for post-primary teachers. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Arts-in-Education portal |
In collaboration with Department of Education and Youth, the Arts in Education Portal provides a portal and community where creatives and teachers can be supported to share good collaboration practice. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Careers |
Initiative in 2025 with Skillnet Ireland to provide resources and raise awareness for 16–19-year-olds on careers in the cultural and creative industries. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Spaces Design in School |
With the Irish Architecture Foundation, Creative Ireland is consulting with architects on designing schools as creative, collaborative learning spaces in 2025. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Engagement Programme |
In collaboration with Department of Education and Youth and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, this programme encourages post-primary students to engage with the arts. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Cruinniú na nÓg |
Cruinniú na nÓg is delivered through the network of Local Authority Culture and Creativity Teams in each of the 31 Local Authorities. It is a national day of free creativity for children and young people up to the age of 18. An annual allocation is made available to each local authority to deliver an annual programme of events and initiatives during Cruinniú na nÓg representing an investment of €1.3 million. An additional €150,000 is provided to three Strategic Partners to complement local programming. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Creative Communities |
Creative Communities supports the partnership between the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local Authorities to deliver Culture and Creativity Strategies (2023-2027). In 2025 an investment of €3.8 million continues to embed creativity in public policy. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Culture Ireland Regular Grant Rounds |
Grant funding is available for Irish artists and organisations towards costs which relate directly to the international presentation of an event. |
Ongoing throughout 2026 |
N/A |
|
Culture Ireland Showcase Scheme |
The Showcase Scheme supports Irish artists to participate at industry showcase events, facilitating artists to present their work to international delegates, including programmers and presenters. Scheme also supports artists to attend international showcase events as delegates. |
Ongoing throughout 2026 |
N/A |
|
Culture Ireland See Here Scheme |
Supports direct engagement by international promoters and programmers with Irish artists’ work in Ireland with a view to securing future presentation opportunities abroad. |
Ongoing throughout 2026 |
N/A |
|
EU Presidency Culture Programme 2026 Call |
This scheme invites expressions of interest from artists and touring companies to participate in a cultural programme marking Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. |
Opened in November 2025 |
16 January 2026 |
|
Shared Island Touring, Production and Platforms Fund |
This scheme will support an enhanced all-Island approach to showcasing cultural talent from the island of Ireland internationally; All-island cross-border touring and cross-border productions; and All-Island support for international co-productions and international touring involving at least one partner from Ireland and Northern Ireland. |
Opened in December 2025 |
To be confirmed |
|
UK-Ireland Cultural Co-operation |
Funding of €6m is available during the period 2026-2030 for projects which involve a partnership between a National Cultural Institution in Ireland and a comparable cultural organisation in the UK. |
Opened in November 2025. |
8 January 2026 |
|
Small-Scale Local Festivals & Summer Schools Scheme |
Supports small local cultural festivals and summer schools which are not in receipt of other central Government monies and which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger-scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council, and similar bodies. |
To be confirmed |
To be confirmed |
|
Co-Operation Northern Ireland Scheme |
Funding support for small self-contained projects which seek to enhance, celebrate, or commemorate the arts, culture, music, film or heritage of the Island of Ireland on a North/South basis. |
To be confirmed |
To be confirmed |
|
Mobility of Collections Scheme |
Funding support to provide greater regional and local access to material held in the National Collections. The Scheme is designed to fund the transport, cost of insurance and exhibiting costs for pieces from the National Collections to appropriate institutions around the country. |
To be confirmed |
To be confirmed |
|
Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme |
Fund to assist local, regional, and specialised museums to contribute to the fabric and meaning of national and local culture through an exhibition programme for locals and visitors alike. |
To be confirmed |
To be confirmed |
|
Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme 2026 |
Scheme to support small independent live performance venues. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Local Authority Funding Scheme |
The Local Authority Funding Scheme will provide resources to local authorities and the road management office. The total of the Scheme will be €2 million.
Details of how the Funding Scheme will be administered for 2026 are to be confirmed. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Community Sport Facilities Fund |
Provides grants to assist in the development or refurbishment of sports facilities and the provision of sports equipment. |
To be confirmed |
To be confirmed |
|
Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund |
The purpose of the scheme is to provide capital funding for larger capital sporting projects. |
N/A |
N/A |
