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Applications are open for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Small Capital Grants Programm. Click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
Opportunity Details
The Arts Council has designed this programme to enable organisations to purchase equipment and/or carry out minor works to their premises which will provide opportunities to upgrade equipment and carry out necessary works to ensure they maintain a presence in the arts sector.
We want to support organisations across Northern Ireland to maintain their creative spaces addressing any issues that may hinder the work to take place. We want to ensure that organisations have the necessary equipment in place to welcome their staff, artists and audiences. We also want to support organisations in their delivery of the arts.
The scheme aims to provide grants which will help to:
You should only apply to this programme if you will be able to complete the procurement, purchase and delivery of your requested items of equipment from notification of award (anticipated October 2025) and at the latest 31 March 2026. It is important that you consider delivery periods for your requested items of equipment, ie the time it takes between placing an order to receipt of equipment to ensure delivery can take place by 31 March 2026.
Similarly, if you are applying for minor works costs, all work must take place and be completed from notification of award and at the latest 31 March 2026.
Eligible expenditure can only be incurred within this timeframe. If you are unable to meet these conditions, you should NOT apply to this scheme as the Arts Council will not meet any costs incurred outside this perio
What you can apply for
You can apply for any equipment and / or minor works to help adapt your venue or working practice. This could be, but not limited to, the following:
* The following maximum contributions towards these particular items of IT equipment should be noted. Contributions above these limits will only be made in exceptional circumstances, where the applicant has presented a strong rationale justifying additional costs per item:
Who can apply?
The Arts Council welcomes applications from the widest possible range of organisations and in particular from applicants whose projects benefit individuals categorised under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. In addition, in order to be eligible to apply to this programme, please note the following:
Who Cannot Apply?
What you cannot apply for
Second-hand equipment without a warranty / guarantee
Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you have any queries about the eligibility of a proposal, you should contact and speak with the relevant art form officer before submitting an application.
You must apply using their online system.They will not accept applications in hard copy or by email. Click on the link to the application website to aoply.
Online applications may be edited, saved and returned up to the closing date.
You must submit all mandatory enclosures associated with the application at the same time as your application, i.e. they must be uploaded to your online application prior to its submission. These enclosures are listed on the attachments page within the online application and in the programme Guidance Notes.
Please ensure that you leave sufficient time to upload all documents to the system as there can be long delays as the closing deadline approaches and the system will shut down at 12pm precisely on the closing date, Thursday 28 August 2025. If your complete application is not fully uploaded when the system closes, your application will not be accepted.
If you submit your application by the closing deadline, you will receive an automated email advising that your application has been successfully submitted to the system. If you do not receive this email, your application has not been submitted.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that they receive the application form and uploaded enclosures by the closing time and date.
Apply for ACNI Small Capital Grants Programme