The Arts Council has announced round one of the Festivals Investment Scheme (FIS) for festivals that commence between 1st of January 2024 and 30th of June 2024. The Festivals Investment Scheme offers financial support to small-to-mid-scale festivals that deliver high-quality arts experiences for audiences and prioritise programmes engaged with local communities or communities of interest. The scheme is competitive and offers funding to support the staging of festivals on a non-recurring basis.

The Arts Council welcomes applications from voluntary and professional organisations operating annual, biennial, or triennial festival programmes. The Festivals Investment Scheme supports both multi-disciplinary arts festivals as well as those in a single artform discipline through this award. Collaborative applications are also possible.

The Festivals Investment Scheme offers three bands of funding: Band A for awards up to €10,000, Band B for awards of €10,001–€25,000, and Band C for awards of €25,001–€45,000. Interested organisations can contact Regina O’Shea, Festivals Team, via telephone at 6180260 or email at smallfestivals [at] artscouncil.ie for more information on the application process.

It is important to note that funding under this programme is offered on a once-off basis. Therefore, those offered awards in previous funding rounds of the Festival Investment Scheme should not assume that funding will be provided. The closing date for the Festivals Investment Scheme is 17:30, Thursday 01 June 2023. Apply now for a chance to receive funding of up to €45,000 and bring high-quality arts experiences to your community.

See further details at the link below.