Clare Arts Office is committed to supporting artists in their professional development by offering numerous opportunities for upskilling and professional development.
We work with local, regional and national partners to assess needs and deliver supports that are relevant and current. In recent times all supports and training has been delivered online but we aim to move towards a more blended approach for 2025.
We also provide studio spaces for artists at our EASI Studios facility in Ennis and our Tulla Stables Studios. There are a number of shared space vacancies in EASI and the closing date for applications for the Tulla Studios is January 31st, 2025.
For current funding and opportunities click here
2024 Supports and Opportunities
Levelling Access Artists Practice Bursary Award
The Arts Services of Clare County Council, Galway City Council and Mayo County Council initiated the Levelling Access Artists Practice Bursary in 2024 with the support of the Arts Council of Ireland.
The bursary was open to professional artists with disabilities working in any artform and at any stage of their career resident in Counties Clare, Mayo or Galway city.
The Clare recipient of the Bursary is Graham Bulger, a musician from Miltown Malbay who will use the bursary to help complete his debut album.
Graham will have access to additional supports including a number of online meetups. These meetings will be facilitated and will provide an opportunity for networking and peer-to-peer learning. Alongside this, there will be a suite of soft supports available including information, advice, and signposting. This support, if required, can be availed of throughout the period covered by the bursary.
Graham Bulger
VAI webinars 2024
In 2024 we once again worked 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.
Events included
- Webinar: Writing Creative Proposal January 18th 2024
- Webinar: An Artist’s Guide to Accessing Funding January 25th 2024
- Webinar: Setting up Studio Space, May 2nd, 2024
- Artists Networking Event, March 14th, 2024
- Artists in Schools, 6 October, 2024
- Being an ethical artist in a challanging world , 6 November, 2024
Places for artists from Clare are provided for free on these webinars by Clare Arts Office.
Call for applications: Artists in Schools 2024-2025
Clare Arts Office invited Primary and Secondary schools to submit their applications for the Artist in Schools Residencies Scheme 2024-2025.
Schools could select artists from the Artists in Schools Panel database for the purpose of making the application.
Clare County Arts Office Panel of Artists 2024 – 2026
Call for applications for Music, Dance and Drama/Theatre artists/facilitators
Following a review of our artists panel, Clare Arts Office is seeking applications from artists (Clare based and national) who are interested in delivering and facilitating projects as part of our:
• Artists in Schools Residency programme
• Embrace for Arts and People with a Disability Residency programme
• Youth Theatre
• Creative Places Shannon (and other socially engaged arts programmes that may arise over this period)
To this end Clare Arts Office is seeking applications from artists under the following categories only:
• Music (singer/musician/song writing/choir leader)
• Drama/theatre
• Dance
Applications can be found on our Clare County Council Your Say Website (External link) from July 12th. Deadline for applications is Friday August 9 at 5pm
Visual Arts Co-ordinator Post
To support our expanding portfolio of exhibition spaces, studio spaces and visual arts partnerships and programmes, the Arts Office is now recruiting a Visual Arts Co-ordinator. Full details on the position and how to make an application can be found here. The closing date is June 10th, 2024 for applications.
Culture Night 2024
Clare Arts Office are delighted to issue the call out for Culture Night 2024 which has opened May 1st with the support of the Arts Council. Culture night 2024 is taking place on Friday, September 20th and the closing date for online applications is Friday, June 7th.
PRISM 2024
In 2022 Clare Arts Office initiated PRISM to create new artworks throughout Clare. The closing date for applications was May 31st, 2024
Arts Participation Scheme
The Arts Participation Scheme, derived from the 2023 Pilot Bursary Scheme and provides opportunities for those involved in the arts in Clare to attend summer schools, training courses or once off events.
We welcome applications from participants across all artforms and all ages.
The closing date for applications was May 24th, 2024.
Artist Development Scheme
The Artist Development Scheme intends to provide opportunities for artists living in Clare to attend publicly funded summer schools, publicly funded artists retreats eg Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, professional development events run by arts resource organisations eg. Theatre Forum Conference etc.
We welcome applications from established and emerging artists across all artforms.
The closing date for applications is May 24th, 2024.
Creative Places Shannon Seeks a Researcher
Following the success of Creative Places Shannon the Arts Office sought a part-time researcher on a short term contract for services basis for a period of 10 months to support and develop the programme and to prepare applications for future / ancillary developments which may enhance the Creative Places Programme.
The closing date for applications was May 3rd, 2024.
Cruinniú na nÓg 2024
As part of Clare’s 2024 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 2024 on Saturday 15 June 2024.
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 and must take place on Cruinniú na nÓg 2024 on Saturday 15 June.
Projects must include active participation of children and young people, allowing their voice and influence to contribute to the creative work. Full details and guidelines on how to make an application are available here
Understanding AI and its Impact on the Creative Sector
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, staying ahead requires not just creativity, but also leveraging cutting-edge tools like AI. Participants were shown how to stay ahead in an ever-evolving creative landscape and assisted to understand how to streamline workflows, stay at the forefront of creative trends, adapt to industry changes, and future-proof your skills.
Held in April 2024, the course assisted participants to
- Understand the fundamentals of AI and its applications in the creative sector.
- Challenge misconceptions about AI replacing creativity and explore its role as an enhancer.
- Explore practical benefits of AI tools and methodologies in enhancing creativity.
This course was ran by the Local Enterprise Office and Creative Ireland Clare.
Closing date for applications is Friday, February 24th, 2024.
Assistance under the Arts Act Grants Scheme 2024
The Assistance under the Arts Act Grant Scheme is coordinated by the Rural Development Directorate through the Clare Local Area Grants Scheme. All inquiries to Kathy Coleman or (065) 6846358.
Under the scheme assistance is given to arts activities that
- stimulate public interest in the arts
- provide knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts
- improve the standard of the arts in Clare.
There are 3 categories of support:
- Artist Support – Support for individual artists / artists projects
- Organisational Support / Events & Projects Assistance – Support for arts organisations general activities and for once off or key events in the county
- Traditional Arts – Support specifically relating to the traditional arts e.g. music & dance
A fourth category for FESTIVALS is available to those festivals in receipt of Arts Council Festival Funding.
Applications can be made here.
A recorded step by step guide to making the online application is here.
A general Q & A on the scheme is available here.
The closing date for applications is February 2nd, 2024.
Ennis Municipal District Festival and Events / Community Projects Funding
The Members of the Municipal District of Ennis invite applications for grant assistance under the following schemes:
- Festival & Events Grant Scheme
- Community Projects Grant Scheme
The objective of these grant schemes is to encourage and support local organisations and groups who are active in community, cultural and artistic development within the Municipal District. Organisations and groups, and the projects for which they are applying, must be based within the Municipal District of Ennis.
Applications forms and full details are available here.
2023 Supports and Opportunities
First Music Contact Regional Development Project 2023
First Music Contact is the leading national music organisation for resourcing popular musicians and the independent music sector in Ireland. They deliver projects at key stages of an artists’ development, helping them develop real careers. This new project, in association with Clare Arts Office, aims to develop a way of offering equal access to professional development services to musicians in Clare as well as developing a framework for supporting artists locally.
This is a musician-first project in which we consulted with musicians locally as we wanted to find out what they need to get their music career off the ground or to take the next step – what are the practical things they need and what kind of advice they are after..
We held an initial session on “Introduction to the Music Industry and First Music Contact supports” and having analysed the results of this survey we designed professional development panels based on
- Online Marketing
- Gigging outside Ireland,
- Management
- Approaching Media
- How to reach your audience online as you develop your professional practice
Starting a Creative Business – 2023
Clare Arts Office ran three sessions to support artists looking to set up creative businesses in Clare. Our facilitator, Theresa Mulvihill from Smart Marketing looked at the following areas over three sessions.
- Module: Starting a business essential considerations
- Module 2: Getting sales and promoting your business
- Module 3: Managing your money
This programme was for creative artists who wanted to make money from their creations. Artists newly arrived in the country were particularly welcome and Ukranian language supports were provided. The course provided guideance on
- Understanding of setting up a business in Ireland
- What supports are available to you
- How to promote your business
- How to manage your money
- Network of like minded people in a similar business
