Louth 2023 Creative Ireland Community Grant Fund
What is the Creative Ireland Programme?
Creative Ireland is a culture based programme designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. The core proposition is that participation in cultural activity drives personal collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal well being and achievement.
We are delighted to be in a position again this year to invite applications from eligible groups/individuals for support for creative projects. This scheme has been put in place to support Louth County Councils role in implementing the Creative Ireland Louth Programme 2023-2027. Please read the guidelines below carefully, prior to filling out an application form.
Applicants must demonstrate the benefit of the proposed activity for which they are seeking funding to
County Louth and
Yourself/your group.
Louth County Council is committed to fair pay and a policy to pay the Artist. Please refer to the Arts Council’s policy on Paying the Artist when valuing your time as an artist and those collaborating with you. Your attention is also drawn to Safe to Create where you will find more information about the Safe to Create Dignity at Work programme which aims to impact change on the culture and practices of the arts sector in Ireland to provide safer working conditions for artists and arts workers.
Who can apply?
The grant scheme is open to community groups and not for profit organisations, arts, heritage and cultural groups, venues and societies. Applications by individuals must be in partnership with a community, cultural or heritage group. We welcome applicants who represent the diversity of Irish society.
Eligibility
Applicants must be aged 18 years or older.
All recipients of grant assistance under Louths’ Creative Ireland Scheme for projects involving children or young people must have appropriate policies in place as regards Child Protection and must have up to date Garda Vetting.
It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to follow government public health recommendations and guidelines in relation to COVID19
Ineligible applications:
Applications from individuals aged under 18 years of age, or individuals in second level education.
Proposals for activities in retrospect
For this grant fund applicants should focus on at least 1 of the following pillars:
Creative Youth
Creative Communities
Creative Industries
Creative Health and Wellbeing
Creative Climate Action and Sustainability
What funding is available?
The level of grant assistance for any one project will range from €500 to €4,000.
To be eligible for funding, projects/events must:
Take place in County Louth
be organised by an individual/community/voluntary group based in Louth
encourage or benefit participation in the Creative Ireland programme and enhance the awareness of culture and creativity in the local area
be accessible to diverse audiences and participants and will be inclusive in theme and approach
be designed on a realistic financial basis and provide good value for money.
be completed and payment claimed before 31st October 2023. This deadline is to facilitate our drawdown from the Creative Ireland programme and unfortunately is not negotiable.
In addition the following details must be supplied
A full breakdown of costs for undertaking the project including copies of quotations
A timeline for completion of project
The anticipated target audience
CV of artist/practitioner where relevant
Any additional supports and funding that may be required and have been secured
Items that are excluded from the fund include:
Capital projects and infrastructural projects
Purchase of Equipment
Fuel Costs
Spends on alcoholic beverages, food, fines, legal costs, penalty payments, prizes
Wages and salaries relating to administration costs
Generally the cost of items for resale are ineligible
Items of expenditure incurred prior to the approval of grant funding is not eligible for recoupment
Assessment process:
All events and projects will be assessed on their own merit by an independent panel.
Funding will be allocated based on the recommendations of this panel
All applicants will be advised of the decision by email.
Successful applicants will receive a letter of offer which will detail all conditions and requirements. This must be signed and returned by the date specified on the letter. Failure to do so may result in funding being withdrawn and reallocated to another project.
Due to resource constraints it may not be possible to allocate funding to all projects and eligibility and compliance with these criteria does not guarantee a grant offer.
A list of successful projects will be published on the Creative Ireland website.
Supporting Material
It is advantageous to include links to supporting material that enhances your application. Applicants should not assume that the independent assessment panel are familiar with your work or your previous funding history. The panel will use the supporting material to get a better understanding of both your track record and that of your creative collaborators, and the feasibility of your proposal.
Terms and Conditions
Payment will be 60% upfront following the signing of the Letter of Offer outlining all requirements. The remaining 40% will be paid out on completion of the event/project. If you receive a grant you will be required to provide the following once the event/project has taken place in order to draw down your final payment:
Evidence that the event/project has taken place (photographs/newspaper reports) in jpg format
Proof of payment for all items including payment to creative’s/artists/practitioners
A fully completed event report form
Louth County Council and the Creative Ireland logos must be used and both Louth County Council and Creative Ireland must be acknowledged in all publications and media activity. Logos for both entities will be provided on grant approval and must be visible on any and all posters and publications. Proof of this will be required to drawdown final payment.
Details of any event carried out connected with the funded project must be submitted to Louth County Councils Arts Office, for promotion and publication on their website and social media accounts.
The payment of a grant is not taken as an indication that the equivalent of any grant will be made to the organiser on another occasion.
Applicants intending to work with or provide programmes for children or young people must provide an up to date child protection policy as a supporting document and all facilitators must have up to date Garda Vetting in place.
**Failure to comply with any of the above may result in the grant being withdrawn.
Please note:
Where a grant is allocated to support a particular event or project, Louth County Council and Creative Ireland will not be responsible for the insurance of that event or project. Louth County Council and Creative Ireland recommend that event and project organisers ensure that adequate insurance is in place prior to the commencement of the project.
Louth County Council and Creative Ireland will not be responsible for any approvals, planning permissions, licences or consents needed for the project; it is the responsibility of the applicant/organiser to ensure these are in place.
Applications must be received by Thursday 2nd March 2023 at 5.p.m
Email applications only will be accepted. Applications should be emailed to creativeirelandlouth@gmail.com
