Minister O’Donovan announces recipients of the 2026 Grassroots Venues Support Scheme
- Published on: 25 May 2026
- Last updated on: 25 May 2026
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, T.D. today announced the recipients of the 2026 Grassroots Venues Support Scheme. Following a pilot scheme in 2025, an increased fund of €1 million has been provided in funding in 2026 to both support grassroots music venues and to showcase the talent of emerging artists across Ireland.
Sixty venues have been offered funding of up to €20,000 from the Scheme, an increase from the 34 venues supported in 2025. In addition, grant recipients include venues platforming Irish comedy and comedians.
Minister O’Donovan said:
Our grassroots venues are central to nurturing emerging artists and providing them with an opportunity to hone their talent, and it is very important that we recognise their contribution to the live performance industry, particularly given the challenges these venues face.
I look forward to seeing the diversity of genre and talent that will reach new audiences as a result of this funding over the months ahead. I’d also encourage audiences from across the country to embrace the resource of their local venue and support artists in the early stages of their careers.
Welcoming the announcement of today’s grantees, Edel Curtin, Coughlan’s Cork, speaking on behalf of the Live Venue Collective said:
We greatly welcome the announcement of the grantees under the Grassroots Venue Support Scheme 2026. This is not just vital financial help for our venues; it is also an acknowledgement of the essential role our stages play in the development of Irish artists. There is a long challenging road ahead in keeping our grassroots venues open and functioning and this support is a step in the right direction. We want to thank Minister O’Donovan for his continued commitment to support these culturally vital spaces.
The 2026 scheme offered grants under two separate Streams to support venues at various levels of development. Grants of up to €20k were available under Stream A to established grassroots venues with a proven track record in programming emerging Irish artists. Stream B offered grants of up to €8k to venues who have previously programmed Irish artists and will use funding under this scheme to programme emerging artists performing live music or comedy.
Applications were received from a wide range of late-night venues including pubs, nightclubs and theatres. Venues in many rural towns and villages are being supported, with funding awarded to 28 venues outside of our major cities.
Applications were assessed by the NTE Unit with input from an independent expert panel in accordance with the guidelines for the scheme.
The Grassroots Venues Support Scheme is a Night-Time Economy initiative in support of the work of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce and following a recommendation emerging from Action 5 in the revised Night-Time Economy Action Plan.
This scheme will provide funding for a series of events showcasing grassroots artists performing material they have written/created themselves. It is envisaged that these events will also provide employment for crew, light and sound engineering, marketing and PR, as well as increasing footfall to grassroots venues and contributing to a thriving night-time economy.
ENDS