Call for Children and Young People’s Arts Project Award Grant (Ireland)

Deadline: 23-Jul-2026

The Children and Young People’s Arts Project Funding Award 2027 is an Arts Council of Ireland funding scheme that supports professional, high-quality artistic projects created with and for children and young people.

It enables artists and organisations to develop innovative arts experiences across multiple age groups and creative disciplines.

Core Purpose

The programme aims to:

• Support high-quality arts for children and young people
• Encourage youth participation in artistic development
• Promote inclusion and diversity in the arts
• Enable ambitious, original creative projects
• Strengthen professional practice in youth arts

Funding Overview

• Maximum award: €100,000 per project
• Duration: One-year projects
• Supports individual artists, groups, and organisations

Project Strands (Age-Based Focus Areas)

Early Childhood Project Award

• Target group: Children aged 0–6
• Focus:
  • Early creative engagement
  • Sensory and developmental arts experiences
  • Play-based artistic exploration

Childhood Project Award

• Target group: Children aged 7–12
• Focus:
  • Creative learning and participation
  • Artistic skill development
  • Collaborative and exploratory projects

Transitions Project Award

• Target group: Young people at key transition stages
• Focus:
  • Supporting change (school, life stages, identity development)
  • Creative expression during transitions
  • Youth empowerment through arts

Connections Project Award

• Target group: Young artists and graduates aged 18+
• Focus:
  • Emerging artist development
  • Professional pathways in the arts
  • Mentorship and collaborative creation

Strategic Priorities

Youth Participation and Voice

• Children and young people actively involved in:
  • Project design
  • Creative development
  • Delivery and evaluation

Inclusion and Diversity

• Engagement with:
  • Disabled children and young people
  • Diverse cultural communities
  • Socio-economically diverse groups
• Equal access to arts participation

Artist and Sector Leadership

• Projects led by experienced artists and arts workers
• Collaboration between artists and organisations
• Strong professional practice standards

Artistic Quality

• High-quality, ambitious artistic outcomes
• Innovation across artforms
• Strong conceptual and production value

Eligible Applicants

Who Can Apply

• Professional artists
• Arts practitioners
• Groups of artists
• Arts organisations

Geographic Eligibility

• Based in the Republic of Ireland
• Applicants outside Ireland may apply if:
  • They clearly demonstrate benefit to Irish arts sector

Experience Requirements

Applicants must:

• Demonstrate a professional track record in arts practice
• Show capacity to deliver high-quality projects

Ineligible Applicants and Activities

The programme does NOT support:

• Organisations already receiving certain Arts Council funding streams
• Full-time undergraduate students
• Postgraduate study or academic coursework
• Formal training programmes
• Internships or volunteer-based projects

Project Requirements

Artistic Scope

• Can focus on a single artform
• Can combine multiple disciplines (multi-artform projects)

Application Restriction

• Applicants may apply under only one strand per project

Core Expectations

Projects must:

• Be ambitious and original
• Engage children or young people directly
• Ensure meaningful participation
• Deliver professional artistic outcomes

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

The programme strongly promotes inclusion across:

• Gender identity and sexual orientation
• Family status
• Religion
• Age
• Disability
• Race and ethnicity
• Traveller community membership
• Socio-economic background

Why This Programme Matters

• Expands access to high-quality arts for young audiences
• Strengthens youth voice in cultural creation
• Supports emerging artists and creative pathways
• Promotes inclusion across Irish society
• Develops long-term engagement with the arts
• Encourages innovation in youth-focused artistic practice

How It Works

Step 1: Choose Strand

• Select appropriate age-based category:
  • 0–6, 7–12, transitions, or 18+ emerging artists

Step 2: Develop Project Concept

• Define artistic vision
• Identify target group
• Plan engagement and participation model

Step 3: Build Partnerships

• Collaborate with schools, communities, or organisations
• Ensure access to target participants

Step 4: Prepare Application

• Provide project description
• Demonstrate artistic track record
• Include budget and timeline
• Outline youth participation approach

Step 5: Submit Application

• Apply under only one strand
• Ensure eligibility compliance

Step 6: Assessment

Applications are evaluated on:

• Artistic quality and ambition
• Engagement with children/young people
• Inclusion and accessibility
• Feasibility and delivery plan
• Artist experience and track record

Step 7: Delivery

• One-year implementation period
• Active participation from young audiences
• Evaluation and reporting

Common Mistakes

• Applying under multiple strands
• Weak youth participation design
• Treating project as education rather than arts practice
• Lack of inclusion strategy
• Insufficient professional artistic track record

Tips for a Strong Application

• Clearly define how young people shape the project
• Focus on high artistic quality, not just participation
• Choose the correct age strand carefully
• Build strong community or institutional partnerships
• Ensure inclusion and accessibility are central

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is this funding award?

• An Arts Council Ireland programme supporting arts projects for children and young people
  • Focuses on creative participation and professional artistic work

How much funding is available?

• Up to €100,000 per project

Who can apply?

• Eligible applicants include:
  • Professional artists
  • Arts groups
  • Arts organisations
• Must be based in Ireland (or benefit Irish arts if international)

What age groups are supported?

• 0–6 years (Early Childhood)
• 7–12 years (Childhood)
• Transition-age youth
• Young artists aged 18+

Can I apply to multiple strands?

• No
  • Only one strand per application is allowed

What is not funded?

• Academic study or courses
• Student projects
• Internships or volunteer-only work
• Certain existing Arts Council-funded organisations

What is the main focus of the programme?

• High-quality arts creation with and for young people
  • Strong emphasis on participation, inclusion, and youth voice

Conclusion

The Children and Young People’s Arts Project Funding Award 2027 supports ambitious, inclusive, and high-quality arts projects across Ireland that actively involve children and young people in creative processes. With funding of up to €100,000, it strengthens youth participation, artistic innovation, and equitable access to the arts across all communities.

For more information, visit The Arts Council.