The Arts Council regularly schedules information clinics for prospective festival applicants and reporting clinics for those in receipt of funding. Below is a list of the clinics that will take place in 2023. This list is refreshed regularly; therefore it is advised to check this page for any subsequent updates. All clinics are currently provided online.

If you require further information please contact Martin Rochford, Festivals Assistant

Festival Investment Scheme 2024 Round 2 – Application Clinic

(for festivals taking place July-Dec 2024)

Thursday 12 October 2pm

The purpose of the Festival Investment Scheme 2024 is to provide support for small-mid scale festivals to deliver festival programme activity. The scheme is open to multi-disciplinary festivals and single artform festivals that take place in the second half of 2024 (Festivals that commence 01 July- 31 December 2024).  Returning applicants to the scheme as well as new applicants should attend this application clinic which will set out changes to both the application form and applicant guidance. There will also be an opportunity for the clinic participants to ask questions.

Places for this clinic can be reserved here Festival Investment Scheme 2024 Round 2

Festival Investment Scheme - Reporting Clinic 

(for Round 2 2023 Award Recipients only)

Thursday 28 September 2023 2.30pm

Those festivals in receipt of a Festival Investment Scheme 2023 (Round 2) award are invited to attend a reporting clinic. This practical session will support and guide festivals on how to complete their 2023 festival report form, how to complete their Income and Expenditure reporting and the steps to schedule payments. The clinic will also be made available online later in the year for festival organisations.

Festivals are not required to book, an automatic invitation will be sent to award recipients inviting them to attend online.

Agility Award - Application Clinic

Wednesday 31 May 11am

Tuesday 6 June 1pm

Thursday 15 June 3pm

Monday 19 June 1pm

The purpose of the Award: For this award in Festivals, applicants must be festival-makers, festival curators or festival programmers seeking to develop their skills and festival-making practice. Proposals must have clear professional-development goals in areas complementary to festival practice – e.g. receiving mentorship from festival practitoners, curatorial development, producing. Artists seeking to develop work with the intention of presenting it in a festival programme should apply under the artform relevant to their practice.

The Agility award aims to support individual professional freelance artists and art workers at any stage of their careers.

The main points covered on the webinar will be:

• Changes to the Agility Award Guidelines for 2023.
• Main differences between the Agility Award and Bursary Award.
• The application process.
• The scoring process.
• Q & A session.

Click on your preferred date above and enter your details to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Festival Investment Scheme 2024 Round 1 - Application Clinic

(for festivals taking place Jan-June 2024)

Thursday 18 May 2pm

The purpose of the Festival Investment Scheme 2024 is to provide support for small-mid scale festivals to deliver festival programme activity. The scheme is open to multi-disciplinary festivals and single artform festivals that take place in the first half of 2024 (Festivals that commence 01 January- 30 June 2024).  Returning applicants to the scheme as well as new applicants should attend this application clinic which will set out changes to both the application form and applicant guidance. There will also be an opportunity for the clinic participants to ask questions.

Slides from the Festival Investment Scheme 2024 Round 1 Application Clinic can be found here

Capacity Building Support Scheme for Festivals - Application Clinic

Thursday 6 April 2pm

The purpose of the Capacity Building Support Scheme is to support festivals to review and adapt their organisational and/or business models and develop their strategic development in the medium to long term. The scheme supports activities that will assist in building organisational capacity, in developing inclusivity, professional development and/or in growing peer support and collaborations.

Slides from the Capacity Building Support Scheme Application Clinic can be found here

Festival Investment Scheme - Reporting Clinic

(for Round 1 2023 Award Recipients only)

Thursday 23 February 2.30pm

Those festivals in receipt of a Festival Investment Scheme 2023 (Round 1) award are invited to attend a reporting clinic. This practical session will support and guide festivals on how to complete their 2023 festival report form, how to complete their Income and Expenditure reporting and the steps to schedule payments. The clinic will also be made available online later in the year for festival organisations.

Festivals are not required to book, an automatic invitation will be sent to award recipients inviting them to attend online.

Commissions Award for Festivals – Application Clinic

Thursday 9 February 3.15pm

The purpose of the Commissions Award is to enable the commissioning of new work from freelance artists.

The Commissions Award is available in Dance, Music, Opera, Traditional Arts, Festivals and Young People, Children and Education. The clinic will cover the application process, purpose and priorities of the award and assessment process. This clinic is suitable festivals seeking to commission.

Slides from the Commissions Award for Festivals – Application Clinic can be found here

Festival Funding - Information Clinic

(all available schemes) 

Thursday 9 February 2pm

The Festival Funding Information clinic will provide an overview of current schemes which are available to festivals in 2023.

The clinic will include a brief overview of the Arts Council’s funding framework along with a brief introduction of the following schemes where festivals can apply as lead applicants.

The funding schemes covered will include:

• Arts Grant Funding
• Capacity Building Support Scheme
• Commissions Award
• Festivals Investment Scheme
• Open Call*
• Strategic Funding
• Engaging with Architecture

Slides from the Festival Funding - Information Clinic can be found here