Funding FAQs

Tax clearance certificates are supplied by the Irish Revenue and confirm that a person's or organisation's tax affairs are in order at the date the certificate was issued. You do not need to be resident in Ireland to request a tax clearance certificate.

For instructions on requesting a certificate, please visit the Tax Clearance section on the Revenue website - http://www.revenue.ie/en/business/running/tax-clearance.html.

There is no limit to the number of applications that can be made under any of the awards for artists in any one year regardless of whether a grant has been awarded in a previous round. Applicants should note that the maximum amount that will be granted under the Bursary Award is €15,000 in any one year.

The Find Funding Tool helps you search through the different types of funding available from the Arts Council. You will be asked three questions to refine your search.

1. What best describes you? For example, are you an artist, an arts organisation, a local authority, or a small festival?

2. What artform or arts practice would you like funding for? Some funding is specific to an artform or arts practice while other funding can be applied for by any artform or arts practice. For example, Splanc! which provides funding for documentaries in Irish is for film only, while Projects: New Work can be applied for by practitioners in any artform or arts practice.

3. How much do you want to apply for?

Individual applicants must have been born in, or be resident in, the Republic of Ireland. ‘Residency’ is based upon the following definition used by the Revenue Commissioners (in which Ireland means the Republic of Ireland):

You will be considered resident in Ireland, in a given year, in either of the following circumstances:

• If you spend 183 days or more in Ireland in a calendar year (1 January - 31 December)
  OR
• If you spend 280 days or more in Ireland over two consecutive years. In this case you will be considered resident for the second year. However, for this condition to apply you must spend a minimum of 30 days in Ireland in both of the tax years.

Examples:

1. If you spend 140 days in the Republic of Ireland in year one and 150 days in year two, you are considered resident in year two. 
2.  If you spend 365 days in the Republic of Ireland in year one and 10 days in year two, you will not be considered resident in year two.

• For the Commissions Award, either the artist or the commissioner must fulfil this residency criterion.
• Residents of Northern Ireland are not eligible to apply for Arts Council awards unless born in the Republic of Ireland.

Yes, you can make an online application for funding at the Arts Council online services website: https://onlineservices.artscouncil.ie/.  Please make sure to read the guidelines for the relevant fund before you apply.  You can find details about available Arts Council funding in the financial support section of this website.

The Arts Council recommends that you consult with your accountant or seek advice from the Revenue Commissioner on any issues relating to tax.  The Revenue Commissioner has indicated that for those who have obtained artists exemption status under Section 195, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, Arts Council bursaries and cnuas payments are exempt from tax.

The primary purpose of Travel and Training Inbound is to support individuals or organisations who wish to invite specialists from abroad to deliver high-level training or mentoring for the professional development of artists and others working professionally in the arts in Ireland.

Where an individual or organisation wishes to bring in such specialists from abroad, the host individual or organisation may apply for the cost of travel and accommodation for the international guest(s). Payment will be made after the visit and only upon submission of receipts.

Applicants must state whom they wish to invite and provide details of the training or mentoring to be provided.

Your application will be considered ineligible, and returned to you, if:

• You do not fulfil the eligibility requirements;
• Your application or supporting documentation was late;
• You applied by sending an emailed or faxed application;
• You did not fully complete the application form;
• You did not include with your application all the required supporting material;
• You sent your supporting material by email, fax or in hard copy (other than specified exceptions listed in the funding guidelines);
• The proposed activity does not fit the purpose of the specific award for which you are applying;
• The proposed activity is more suitable to another award funded by the Arts Council or operated by other state agencies, including Culture Ireland, Irish Film Board, Crafts Council of Ireland;
• The artform/arts practice that is the main focus of your application is not provided for by the award and application round to which you are applying;
• The proposed activity has already taken place or will be completed before a decision is due to be made on yourapplication;
• The proposed activity is for charity fund-raising purposes, for participation in a competition, or for primarily profit-making purposes;
• The proposed activity focuses primarily on therapeutic outcomes (art therapy) as opposed to artistic outcomes that enhance health and well-being (arts and health);
• The project outlined has already been assessed by the Arts Council. An exception will be made if the Council has already advised you to redirect your application to another award. Please bear in mind that such advice is not an indication of a successful outcome.