Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme for Young Children (Ireland)

Deadline: 02-Apr-2026

The Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme 2026 supports artists and arts organisations to collaborate with early learning and childcare services, creating opportunities for babies and young children to explore and engage with the arts. Grants of up to €40,000 are available for projects promoting inclusion, collaborative practice, and creative learning.

Overview of the Scheme

The Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme enables individual artists and arts organisations to partner with early learning and childcare services to deliver creative experiences for babies and young children. The programme aims to strengthen collaboration between artists, educators, families, and carers while promoting early childhood creative development. Projects are encouraged to include evaluation, documentation, and reflection to share learning outcomes with the wider sector.

Key Focus Areas

• Early Childhood Arts Engagement: Provide meaningful opportunities for babies and young children to explore and enjoy the arts.

• Collaborative Practice: Foster partnerships between artists, educators, school-age practitioners, families, and carers.

• Inclusion and Accessibility: Prioritise projects that engage children experiencing disadvantage or limited access to the arts.

• Diverse Artforms: Support a wide range of artistic disciplines and creative practices.

Eligible Activities

• Creative experiences and workshops for babies and young children in early learning settings.

• Arts activities for older children attending school-age childcare services.

• Multi-service projects combining different types of early learning and childcare services.

• Initiatives that demonstrate collaborative planning, engagement, and knowledge-sharing.

Funding and Budget

• Maximum grant: €40,000

• Eligible costs include:

  • Artist fees funded by the Arts Council

  • Technical support, administration, documentation

  • Promotion, publicity, performance, or exhibition expenses

• Applicants must submit a detailed budget showing all income and expenditure, including:

  • Funding from other organisations

  • In-kind contributions from partner services or collaborators

Who Can Apply

• Professional practising artists and arts organisations working with professional artists.

• Must collaborate with one or more eligible early learning or childcare services.

• Include a draft memorandum of understanding with participating partners or local City/County Childcare Committees.

• Primarily open to artists and organisations based in the Republic of Ireland, though applications from elsewhere may be considered if they clearly benefit the Irish arts sector.

How to Apply

1. Confirm eligibility as a professional artist or arts organisation.

2. Identify one or more early learning or childcare service partners.

3. Draft a memorandum of understanding with each partner service.

4. Prepare a detailed project proposal outlining activities, collaborative engagement, and learning objectives.

5. Submit a full budget showing all income sources and expenditure related to the project.

6. Submit the application before the deadline according to Arts Council guidelines.

Key Tips for Applicants

• Demonstrate clear collaborative planning and engagement with partner services.

• Include evaluation, documentation, and reflection to share learning with the wider arts sector.

• Prioritise inclusion and participation for disadvantaged or underrepresented children.

• Ensure all project costs are justified and included in the budget.

• Clearly show the impact on early childhood arts learning and potential sector-wide benefits.

Why This Scheme Matters

• Introduces young children to arts exploration and creative learning.

• Strengthens the role of arts in early childhood education environments.

• Builds capacity among educators, artists, and childcare practitioners.

• Promotes inclusion and equal access to arts opportunities for all children.

FAQs

1. Who can apply? Professional practising artists and arts organisations working with professional artists.
2. What services must be involved? Eligible early learning or childcare services; draft memorandum of understanding required.
3. Where is the scheme open to applicants? Primarily the Republic of Ireland; applicants based elsewhere may be considered if the project benefits Ireland.
4. What is the maximum funding available? Up to €40,000.
5. What can the funding be used for? Artist fees, technical support, administration, documentation, promotion, performance, or exhibition costs.
6. Are in-kind contributions considered? Yes, all partner contributions should be included in the budget.
7. What types of projects are prioritised? Inclusive, collaborative, and innovative projects that strengthen early childhood creative learning.

Conclusion

The Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme 2026 provides a platform for artists and arts organisations to collaborate with early learning services, enriching creative experiences for young children and building capacity across the sector. By funding inclusive and collaborative projects, the scheme strengthens early childhood arts engagement and promotes lasting impact in Ireland’s creative and educational landscape.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.