Deadline: 01-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Exploring and Thinking Bursary Award to develop their practice in 2026.
The Exploring & Thinking Bursary Award will grant one bursary valued at €4,000-€5,000 for each of the four local authority areas in Dublin, supporting individual professional artists in early childhood arts.
Objectives: To support artistic ambition in cross-artform collaborations, professional development and the research and development of new work in early childhood arts. To reach new early childhood arts audiences in under-served communities and neighbourhoods. To stimulate dialogue between the Dublin local authorities, Dublin Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSCs), artists, early childhood educators and organisations. To build on current research investigating practice across artforms, professional disciplines and context. To generate advocacy in early childhood arts. Priorities: Access with an emphasis on marginalised children. Quality of practice that is evidence and standards based. Positive impact on artistic practice and the wider early childhood sector. Focus on Artist that is responsive to emerging and established practitioners. Sustainability with actions that are achievable, realistic and measurable.
Early childhood arts encompasses a wide range of different arts practices and creative experiences with and for children aged 0-5 years. This award is intended to support professional artists in developing their practice in this field, with a particular focus on marginalised children. Proposals can cover a variety of activities, including professional development, travel, seeding new ideas and partnerships, mentorship, research and development of new work, and residencies.
The bursaries are open to applications from individual professional artists practicing in all art forms. Applicants must be resident in, or planning to deliver their work in, one of the four Dublin local authority administrative areas: Fingal, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dublin City, or South Dublin. Alternatively, they must demonstrate how the bursary will impact one or more of these areas. All successful bursary projects must be completed by the end of 2026.
Applications must be comprehensive and include a CV of the lead artist and any collaborators, a proposal of up to 1,500 words, three examples of relevant artistic projects, and a budget breakdown. If applicable, applicants must also provide official letters of support or acceptance for mentorships, masterclasses, collaborations, or residencies. The fund is limited, and all eligible applications will be evaluated on a competitive basis. Please note that incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. The deadline for applications is 1 October 2025.
For more information, visit Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
