Arts Project Awards 2026

Arts Project Awards 2026

Opens for applications: 14.10.25Closing date for applications: 02.12.25

County Longford Art Project Awards 2026 supports local artists and arts organisations in the development of their artistic practice by supporting art projects planned for the coming year that have significant artistic and cultural goals that culminate in some form of public engagement (event, exhibition, workshop, concert, presentation, festival, seminar, training delivery). This may include the development of:

  • Artists work, projects, art events or collaborations
  • Community development outcomes through quality arts.
  • Arts festivals.

Longford County Council has four separate sources of investment for public facing cultural events – Tourism, Arts, Community and Creative Ireland. Before applying to the Art Project Award please research all potential funding sources to decide which funding source is most relevant to your project. Longford Arts Service provides financial support to Art Projects that:

  • Provide opportunities for public access to high quality arts engagements
  • Develop the work of artists and/or the development of artforms
  • Have a long-term strategy that considers programme, audience and festival management

Festivals and events seeking funding under the Art Project Award should have a clear mission and purpose that can provide audiences in the county with access to innovative and high-quality arts programming. In particular, the council is looking to support a number of arts festivals that collectively address different artforms and locations across the county. Applicants may be single artform festivals (e.g., literature, music, theatre, visual arts, dance, film, traditional arts, performance art, street arts etc.) or multidisciplinary arts festivals that programme across different artforms and different areas of arts practice.

Applicants can come from a variety of artistic backgrounds and work in any artform. Applicants can apply for bursaries up to €5,000.  Before applying, please familiarise yourself with the Terms and Conditions, including the eligibility criteria. You may download a sample copy of the application HERE

Assessment process

Requirements and notes:

  • Applicant must be a professional artist or arts organisation ordinarily basing their practice in County Longford.
  • The activity for which the artist/organisations wishes to apply must be completed before 31 December 2026.

Completed application forms must be accompanied by the following:

Applications are assessed by members of the Longford County Council Culture Team using the following criteria:

  • Quality and artistic ambition of the project proposed
  • Feasibility of the project in confirmed and committed resources
  • Cultural benefit for County Longford
  • Any applications that fall outside the eligibility guidelines and criteria may be eliminated. Longford Council reserves the right to redirect applications for consideration to appropriate categories other than those applied for, should it be deemed beneficial to the applicant to so do. 

 

Conditions for successful applicants:

  • Drawdown of funding will be in two instalments paid by Electronic Funds Transfer. The first instalment of 80% will be paid on request approximately six weeks before work start date. The final instalment of 20% will be paid on receipt of an evaluation report completed by the Awardee.
  • First payment must be drawn down by May. Final instalment of the funding must be drawn down by beginning of November.

Apply Now

For further information contact – artsoffice@longfordcoco.ie