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Creative Arts: Grants and Funding - Previous Schemes
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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- 1. Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2022 (CECGS 2022): Guidelines
- 2. Events Sector Covid Support Scheme: Phase 2 Guidelines
- 3. Music Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS): PHASE 2
- 4. Live Performance Support Scheme 2021
- 5. Events Sector Covid Support Scheme
- 6. Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme
- 7. Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme II
- 8. Live Performance Support Scheme
- 9. Stream D of the Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022
- 10. Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022
- 11. Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016 - 2018
- 12. Arts and Culture Small Capital Grants Scheme 2015
- 13. Grants for Arts And Culture Infrastructure
- 14. Cultural Development Expenditure
The Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2021 (CECGS 2021) closed for applications in November 2021. Following the announcement by Minister Catherine Martin TD, the Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2022 (CECGS 2022) reopened on 1 March 2022 to support the commercial arts sector.
The scheme was a targeted support for commercial businesses operating from a premises in the arts, music and entertainment sector and, which have been significantly negatively impacted by restrictions introduced by the government under public health regulations to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grants were paid to successful applicants as a contribution to the capital costs associated with reopening after closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding of up to €25,000 was offered to facilitate capital works that assisted organisations in reopening and continuing to operate safely for staff, classes and audiences.
CECGS 2022 opened through an online portal on 1 March 2022 and closed for applications on 31 May 2022.
See the Guidelines for the Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2022 for full details.
EU State Aid
This grant was operated by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sports and Media (D/TCAGSM) under the EU’s COVID-19 Temporary Aid Framework (the ‘Temporary Framework’) and D/TCAGSM confirms that it will respect the monitoring and reporting obligations laid down in section 4 of the Temporary Framework.
Aid being provided towards this Scheme is subject to the provisions of the European Commission’s State Aid Temporary Framework as amended.
To fall within the Temporary Framework its provisions must be complied with in all cases and in all respects in so far as they apply to State Aid for a particular applicant. While D/TCAGSM has a primary responsibility to comply with those requirements and other State Aid rules, compliance also depends on the co-operation of grantees and their compliance with the terms and conditions attaching to the grant.
• A consolidated version of the Temporary Framework as of 28 January 2021 is available here.
Following the announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin a new support scheme was launched to help companies working in the events sector with their fixed costs.
The €11.5 million Events Sector Covid Support Scheme (ESCSS) was targeted at SMEs in that sector which have been affected significantly by the Covid-19 public health restrictions. A grant of up to €50,000 was available to successful applicants as a contribution to their fixed costs.
The scheme was run by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and was funded via a €11.5m transfer from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This scheme is in addition to the comprehensive package the Government has put in place to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS), the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
To be eligible for this scheme the business must have been ineligible for support under the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) operated by Revenue.
ESCSS opened through an online portal on 4 August and closed for applications on 31 August 2021.
See the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details. Guidelines for the Events Sector Covid Support Scheme
Please see here for a list of those funded under this scheme.
EU State Aid
This grant was operated by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sports and Media (D/TCAGSM) under the EU’s COVID-19 Temporary Aid Framework (the ‘Temporary Framework’) and D/TCAGSM confirms that it will respect the monitoring and reporting obligations laid down in section 4 of the Temporary Framework.
Aid being provided towards this Scheme is subject to the provisions of the European Commission’s State Aid Temporary Framework as amended.
To fall within the Temporary Framework its provisions must be complied with in all cases and in all respects in so far as they apply to State Aid for a particular applicant. While D/TCAGSM has a primary responsibility to comply with those requirements and other State Aid rules, compliance also depends on the co-operation of grantees and their compliance with the terms and conditions attaching to the grant.
• A consolidated version of the Temporary Framework as of 28 January 2021 is available here.
Following the announcement by Minister Catherine Martin TD the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS) opened for applications at 1pm on 9 June 2021.
MEBAS made a contribution to costs in businesses in the live entertainment sector that had been significantly negatively affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Businesses that are not eligible for other business supports such as the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) or the Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid (SBASC) were eligible to apply.
The features of the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS) were as follows;
Sole traders, partnerships or incorporated entities operating as a business exclusively within the live entertainment sector were eligible to apply. Businesses of musicians and singers of all genres are eligible as are sound engineers, lighting engineers, audio engineers, stage managers, stage technicians, sound and lighting equipment suppliers, live-streaming equipment suppliers, full-time disc jockeys.
Support was offered by way of a single once-off payment at three levels:
o €2,500 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €20,000 - €50,000 with minimum business costs of €3,000;
o €4,000 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €50,000 - €100,000 with minimum business costs of €6,000;
o €5,000 for businesses with VAT-exclusive turnover in excess of €100,000 with minimum business costs of €7,500;
Turnover of the business for 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 must be no more than 25% of the turnover of the business in the year for which accounts are submitted, and the business must intend to resume trading in full once government restrictions are eased.
MEBAS originally opened for applications from 9 June 2021 to 30 September 2021.
See the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details: Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme Guidelines
Following the announcement by Minister Catherine Martin TD a new strand of the MEBAS (Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme), MEBAS II was opened on 12 August 2021. The further extension of the closing date for MEBAS until September 30 was announced along with MEBAS II.
As part of a suite of supports for the live entertainment sector, the aim of this scheme was to make a contribution to the overheads of businesses, specifically musicians and related crew that had been significantly negatively affected by COVID-19, which did not qualify for other business supports.
The new scheme (MEBAS II) provided grants for smaller businesses, who did not have access to the original scheme, by lowering the turnover threshold to €15,000.
Under the scheme, self-employed businesses including musicians, singers, lighting and sound crew and audio equipment suppliers operating exclusively within the commercial live entertainment sector were eligible to apply.
The application window for this round of the scheme was from 12 August 2021 to 30 September 2021.
See the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details. Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme II - Guidelines
Following the announcement by Minister Catherine Martin TD, a new pilot “Live Performance Support Scheme” has been launched to assist commercial promoters and producers to employ artists, musicians, performers, technicians and other support staff in live performances, which may subsequently have to be curtailed, cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19. The key aim of “Live performance Support Scheme” is to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters of live performances to provide employment to workers in the creative industries while also producing high quality live performances for the public.
It is proving particularly challenging for project promoters currently to implement social distancing while also being commercially viable for live performances to take place. The sector is proactively working to implement measures to enable their industry to reopen as soon as it is safe, practicable and viable to do so; and this scheme aims to support the live performance sector in achieving this.
Conditions and aims of the scheme include:
- support established commercial venues, promoters and producers , who do not ordinarily receive public funding, to provide employment opportunities in the sector during COVID-19
- enable live performances to go ahead where ticketed capacity is restricted due to the COVID-19 and subsequently requires funding assistance in order to make live performances viable
- provide financial support to defray additional production costs that may be caused by COVID-19
- applicants can apply for a grant from €10,000 to a maximum of €800,000 on a matched funding basis which can be used to fund a percentage of eligible costs
- all grants will be paid out on the basis of paid invoices but the department may consider providing some advanced prepayment of the grant under certain conditions
- only one application per venue, producer and producer will be considered
- applications will only be accepted by email to liveperformance@chg.gov.ie until 1pm on 25 September 2020
- see the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details and Application Form below
EU State Aid
This grant was operated by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sports and Media (D/TCAGSM) under the EU’s COVID-19 Temporary Aid Framework (the ‘Temporary Framework’) and D/TCAGSM confirms that it will respect the monitoring and reporting obligations laid down in section 4 of the Temporary Framework.
Aid being provided towards this Scheme is subject to the provisions of the European Commission’s State Aid Temporary Framework as amended.
To fall within the Temporary Framework its provisions must be complied with in all cases and in all respects in so far as they apply to State Aid for a particular applicant. While D/TCAGSM has a primary responsibility to comply with those requirements and other State Aid rules, compliance also depends on the co-operation of grantees and their compliance with the terms and conditions attaching to the grant.
• A consolidated version of the Temporary Framework as of 28 January 2021 is available here.
It is a requirement of the Temporary Framework that the aid is granted no later than 31 December 2021 (subject to any extension by the EU Commission). Aid measures developed under the Temporary Framework are subject to the Standstill Obligation in compliance with Article 108(3) TFEU and no aid was paid out before notification and approval by the Commission.
Following the announcement by Minister Catherine Martin TD, a range of capital funding measures will be provided to assist in the re-opening of theatres, arts centres and culture venues under Stream D of the Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 as part of Project Ireland 2040 - Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage. The measures are designed to support arts and culture facilities in preparation for staff, artists and audiences returning to venues to reopen in line with the government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Return to Work Safety Protocols. There is a high degree of flexibility which will be matched by timely decision-making processes that will allow organisations to undertake immediately, necessary capital adaptations to their buildings so that they comply with the HSE COVID-19 related public health protection measures.
Organisations that hold existing capital grants may immediately request by email to artscapitalunit@chg.gov.ie the re-purposing of all or part of the grant towards necessary works and equipment to allow reopening. Organisations can apply to re-purpose up to €10,000 of their grant which can be used to fund eligible costs at a 90% funding rate or up to €5,000 which will not require match funding. Repurposed funding required for the original purpose of the grant will be restored when required at a later date.
Organisations that do not hold a capital grant, will be able to apply for funding from Tuesday 14 July 2020 the under Stream D Cultural Capital Scheme with conditions are as follows:
- funding will be available to not-for-profit organisations with a clearly defined arts and cultural remit
- eligible facilities include galleries, professionally-managed arts centres, museums, heritage centres, studios, archives, performance and creative spaces
- organisations can apply for a grant of €10,000 which can be used to fund eligible costs at a 90% funding rate
- alternatively organisations can apply for a grant of €5,000 which will not require match funding
- all grants will be paid out on the basis of paid invoices
- in exceptional circumstances, the upper limit of €10,000 may be exceeded where a compelling case can be made for a higher grant and these will be dealt with on a case by case basis
- the scheme will apply for the period of the COVID-19 crisis, commencing 12 March 2020 and applications can be made by organisations at any point throughout the crisis, that is, there will be no closing date
- applications will be assessed and decisions made as they are received by the Arts, Film and Investment Unit of the department. The target turnaround time to repurpose grants will be 3 days and a target of 14 days for new grants
- applications will not be accepted from commercial organisations, local authorities, schools, colleges or ETBs
- applications will only be accepted by email to artscapitalunit@chg.gov.ie
See the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details and Application Form below, available from 14 July 2020.
Guidelines to Stream D of the Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022
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In October 2019 the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD announced the opening of a new €4.7m Capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres with effect from 25 October 2019. This new capital investment scheme focused on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres that operated as not-for-profit organisations throughout the country and had a clearly defined arts and culture focus.
This funding was made available under the department’s capital plan – Project Ireland 2040 - Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018 – 2027 and applications were invited under three separate Streams as set out below:
• Stream A offered grants up to €50,000 for small enhancement/expansion/ refurbishment projects which may have involved construction works to arts and culture facilities and/or upgrading of equipment
• Stream B offered grants from €50,000 up to €300,000 for larger enhancement/expansion/refurbishment projects involving construction works to arts and culture facilities
• Stream C was aimed at the upgrading of visual artists’ workspaces and was run by the Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) on behalf of the Department and offered grants up to €15,000.
Applications for Streams A and B were open from 25 October 2019 until 7 January 2020. See the Guidelines for the Scheme for full details.
In January 2016, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, announced a new €9m Capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres. The scheme was focused on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres that operate as not-for-profit organisations throughout the country that had a clearly defined arts and culture focus. The funding was made available as part of the Capital Investment Framework 2016-2021.
Stream 1 offered grants from €20,000 up to €300,000;
Stream 2 offered grants from €300,000 up to €1,000,000.
Stream 3 offered grants up to €20,000 to not-for-profit organisations with a clearly defined arts and culture remit.
Streams 1 and 2 closed for applications on 16 September 2016, and awards were announced in February 2017.
Stream 3 closed for applications on 16 June 2017, and awards were announced in August 2017.
Application Form: Stream 3 of the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018
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Further information on Stream 3 of the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018
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The Minister for Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Ms Heather Humphreys TD, launched details of the Arts and Culture Small Capital Grants Scheme on 2015 in August 2015.
The Arts and Culture Small Capital Grants Scheme was designed to support arts and culture organisations that operate as not-for-profit institutions across the country. Applications for dedicated arts or culture projects from other not-for-profit organisations were also accepted. The scheme allowed for the funding of small capital projects of up to €10,000, to meet up to 70% of costs of capital projects.
Projects funded under the Scheme must seek to meet a specific cultural need to support the Department of Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the delivery of its objective to nurture and develop Irish artistic and creative talent and enhance access to the arts.
The closing date for receipt of applications was 2 September 2015.
The first and second Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme – ACCESS and ACCESS 11 – were administered by the department from 2000 and 2006 respectively. They were designed to assist the provision of high standard arts and culture ACCESS II is designed to assist the provision of high standard arts and culture infrastructure and enhanced access to the arts throughout the country. The schemes prioritised the enhancement and maintenance of existing facilities, and accordingly 70% of the funds available were directed towards the enhancement and/or refurbishment of existing facilities, with 30% for new facilities.there is also provision under the terms of the scheme to support new build projects. Projects supported included the provision of new integrated art centres, theatres and studio space and the refurbishment of existing performance spaces. It has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of quality cultural space throughout the regions.