Arts Council Awards
What is the Arts Council?
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Statutory Agency
Arts Act 2003
Department of Art, Heritage and Gaeltacht
Council
Staff
What does the Arts Council do?
Our role is to:
• stimulate public interest in the arts;
• promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the
arts;
• assist in improving standards in the arts;
• advise the Minister and other public bodies on the arts.
What does the Arts Council do?
In practice this means • providing financial assistance, mainly, but not
exclusively, to artists and arts organisations; we also
support others who develop and promote the arts;
• offering advice and information on the arts to
Government and to others;
• publishing research and information as an advocate for
the arts and artists;
• undertaking a range of projects to promote and develop
the arts, often in partnership with others.
Arts Council role in Literature
• Through direct support to writers and illustrators and
through partnerships with libraries and others, the Arts
Council works to create opportunities for people across
the country to engage with writing from Ireland and
around the world.
• Children’s Literature policy in 2009:
– Children’s literature writers and illustrators included in funding
programmes
– Laureate na nÓg initiative
Funding for Illustrators
• Bursary Award
• Travel and Training Award
• Others – through partnerships with key organisations
Bursary Award
Purpose
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Research
Thinking
Development of practice
Buying time
Priorities
Quality
Value to individual
For what and how much can you apply?
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Up to €15,000 per year
€3,000 bursaries for emerging illustrators and authors
Costs associated with living, materials, equipment, third-party expertise,
hiring of services, production, dissemination
Additional costs relating to a disability
In the last round 3 out of the 13 successful applications were from
illustrators: Sheena Dempsey, Adrienne Geoghegan and PJ Lynch
Travel and Training
Purpose
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Travel
Training
Come see
Priorities
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Networking
Professional Development
In literature, priority is given to emerging authors and illustrators
For what and how much can you apply?
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Up to €1,500
Travel, subsistence, fees
Additional costs relating to a disability
Other schemes
• Artist in the Community – Create
• Writers in Schools – Poetry Ireland
• Writers in Prisons – Department of Justice
Application Process
• Online Services System
• Application form & budget
• Supporting materials
• Check list
• Common mistakes
The application form
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The basics
Short and detailed description
Budgets
Checklist
Signature
Detailed Description
• The artistic goals and ambitions
• An expanded and detailed description of your idea
• Any additional and relevant financial details
Budgets
• Be realistic
• Budgets include things like:
– Living costs
– Your time
– Taking time out from paid employment
Support Material
• Current CV(s)
• 10 pages of a work in progress
• Previously published work
Common Mistakes
• No supporting materials
• Not meeting the award criteria
• Leaving it too late
Assessment Process
• Eligibility checked
• Designated to team
• Assessment and recommendation (by Adviser or
Head of Team)
• Peer panel assessment and recommendation –
delegated authority to make decisions
• Council (notes decisions)
Assessment Criteria
• Quality of the idea presented
• Track record (or potential) of the applicant
• Feasibility of the entire proposal, including
financial feasibility
• Competitive context and available resources
• Specific priorities of the award for which you are
applying
• Specific art form/art practice priorities or criteria
Timeframe
• From the closing date it’s:
– 12 to 16 weeks for decisions for Bursaries
– 4 to 6 weeks for decisions for Travel and Training
FAQs
• Support about 2 in 10 applications per round
• Awards are often made for less than the amount
requested
• Work in progress: a very important piece of
application…
Closing Dates
• Bursaries: 16th of January 2014, 5.30pm
(second closing date in June/July 2014, including Irish language)
• Travel and training: Ongoing
(at least six weeks before travel)
Further Information
• www.artscouncil.ie
• Please sign up to the monthly Arts Council newsletter!
• Literature contact details:
– Sarah Bannan, Head of Literature
• [email protected] / 01 618 0296
– Mathilde Veldt, Literature Officer
• [email protected] / 01 619 7807
– Jennifer Lawless, Literature Assistant
• [email protected] / 01 618 0250