Culture Night 2025 Applications
Clare Arts office are delighted to announce applications for Culture Night 2025 are now open.
Culture Night is an annual event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts that takes place on Friday 19th September, 2025 from 4pm till late. Arts and cultural organisations across the country open their doors until late with hundreds of free events, tours, talks & performances for you, your family and friends to enjoy. For guidelines and application visit here. Deadline for Applications is June 5th at 12pm
Per Cent for Art Scheme – Inis Cealtra (Holy Island) Visitor Experience at the Rectory
Clare County Council wishes to commission an artwork as part of the Mountshannon Rectory Development at the Inis Cealtra (Holy Island) Visitor Experience, to the value of €15,000, in the Rectory Gardens.
Artists are invited to submit proposals. The deadline for proposals is June 6th 2025 at 4pm.
For more information and application form please click here.
Regional Professional Development Series for Visual Artists
In 2025 we are once again working with Visual Artists Ireland in conjunction with our colleagues in Limerick Arts Office and Tipperary Arts Office on an annual Professional Development Series for visual artists.
Provisional dates for the 2025 webinars are
- Thursday June 5th
- Thursday October 2nd
- Thursday, November 6th
Topics will be announced in advance of these dates.
EXPIRED
Call Out For PRISM 2025 Street Art Scheme
Clare Arts Office looking to further the PRISM scheme countywide. SInce 2022 Clare Arts Office has supported the creaion of new street artworks throughout Clare. Details of these works can be seen at https://clarearts.ie/artworks/
Applications are now welcome for high quality proposals that feature partnerships with professional artists that will animate the county over the summer months.
The scheme is open to individuals, groups and communities countywide. Business premises may apply but must make a contribution to the costs. Individual artists / artist groups may apply on their own subject to certain conditions.
The scheme is supported by Creative Ireland Clare.
Find out more and apply here.
The deadline for applications is April 4th, 2025 at 4pm.
Artist Development Supports
Creative Bursaries Scheme
The Creative Bursaries Scheme aligns and streamlines the supports offered by Clare County Council to artists (established and emerging) and arts participants, across all artforms.
The scheme is offered by Clare County Council as it aligns to Flourish – Clare Arts Development Plan and our mission to
• Provide open and accessible opportunities for all
• Offer strategic support for artists
• Foster continued appreciation and development of the arts
In 2025 there were two strands to the scheme. Details of successful awardees are available here.
Details of the strands are available to view below:
- Creative Bursaries for Community Members
- Creative Bursaries for Arts Practitioners (artists and creatives earning income from their creative activities)
Cruinniú na nÓg Open Call 2025
As part of Clare’s 2025 Creative Ireland programme, Clare County Council invite applications for projects that focus on creative activities for children and young people to take place as part of the national day of creativity Cruinniú na nÓg 2025.
Finished projects can be in any format e.g. visual art, film, music, theatre, dance, STEAM, etc. Projects can occur on the day of Cruinniú na nÓg or occur in advance of the day as a longer-term programme or series of workshops, with a final event on the Cruinnú day such as an exhibition, performance or film screening. The final event must be open to the public, free of charge and must take place on Cruinniú day which is Saturday 7 June 2025.
Projects must include active participation of children and young people, allowing their voice and influence to contribute to the creative work.
Awards of €350 – €2,000 will be granted.
Find out more and apply here
The deadline for applications is March 7th, 2025 at 5pm.
Arts Act Grants 2025 – Clare Local Area Grants Scheme
Assistance under this scheme supports artists and organisations who stimulate public interest in, promote knowledge, appreciation, and practice of or improve standards in the arts (as per the 2003 Arts Act)
Due to the large interest in this scheme only one application per artist / organisation can be
considered. This is a highly competitive scheme and not all eligible applications will be funded.
Applicants will be assessed on the basis of:
a) The artistic merits of the proposal
b) Quality of community engagement / participation proposed
c) Experience /potential of artists involved
Specifically applications should seek to:
• Provide open and accessible opportunities for all
• Foster continued appreciation and development of the arts
There are 3 categories of support under the Arts Act Grants:
1. Events and Projects / Organisational Support: maximum grant award is €1,000
2. Traditional Arts (including recording of CD’s): Maximum grant award is €1,000
3. Arts festivals: Only for festivals in receipt of Arts Council funding. All other festivals should apply under the Events and Projects stand.
NB A new separate scheme to support individual artists will open in February 2025.
The following are not eligible for funding assistance under this specific category of the
Community Supports Scheme:
• Artists costs associated with exhibiting at Súil, the Clare Museum, Scariff Library or Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee.
• Studio rental.
• Provision of classes.
• Competitive or charity events and activities.
• Food and drink and refreshments served at events and launches.
• Projects funded through the Creative Ireland Project Awards
d) Successful organisers and organisations must be able to provide proof that artists are being paid for their work.
More information and application forms are available here including a list of last years successful applicants
A support video on how to make an application is available to applicants. Made for the 2024 scheme, most of the information (aside from Artists support) is still valid. If you still require support after viewing this please contact Clare County Council Arts Office (065 6899091) or arts@clarecoco.ie
The closing date for applications is Friday, February 7th, 2025.
Creative Communities Project Award
The Creative Communities Project Award is funded by Creative Ireland, an all-of-government culture and wellbeing programme with an ambition to inspire and transform people, places and communities through creativity. This project award is designed to enable creativity in every community.
An Online Clinic for the Creative Communities Project Award will take place on Thursday, January 16th, 2025 at 11.30am. Register to attend here
Deadline for applications is 5pm Friday, February 7th, 2025.
Open Call for the Tulla Stables Studios
Clare Arts Office invites applications from professional creative practitioners to avail of a studio space in the Tulla Artist Studios. Applications are welcome from practitioners across the spectrum of creativity
Find out more and start your application here.
Tulla Stables Composite Image by Patrick McHugh
Deadline for receipt of applications is 4pm Friday 7th February 2025.
3rd Engine Shorts
The renowned ENGINE Short Film Scheme is back for a 3rd Edition, with the call now open for emerging filmmakers based in Clare, Tipperary or Limerick to join the training programme, which will commission up to six new short films in the region in 2025.
Run by Innovate Limerick through Film in Limerick, Engine Shorts is a partnership between the Local Authorities in Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, and Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.
Deadline for applications is Monday, February 10th 2025.
Cupcakes still from Baps and Buns, commissioned through Engine Shorts 2. Photo Credit Charlotte Conway
