Bursary Awards 2027

Overview

Bursary Awards support individual professional artists living within the Dublin City Council administrative area to develop their artistic practice. Bursaries support activities that contribute to the development of an artist's work and practice, providing time and resources to develop skills, explore new ideas, or deepen artistic practice. Bursaries support artistic development rather than the delivery of a finished public project.

Key Dates

• Information session: Wednesday 16 September at 10am
• Closing date for applications: 12 noon, Wednesday 28 October 2026
• Proposed bursary activity must take place in 2027

Who Should Apply

The Bursary Award is open to individual professional artists who live within the Dublin City Council administrative area working in any artform supported by Dublin City Council Arts Office. Dublin City Council Arts Office is committed to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work. Applications are welcome from artists of all backgrounds and experiences.

Eligibility

• Must live within Dublin City Council administrative area
• Must be a professional artist with an active artistic practice that is demonstrably engaged in and recognized within the professional field of their artform
• Cannot be in undergraduate education
• Work must come under art forms supported by Dublin City Council Arts Office
• Proposed activity must take place in 2027

Funding Available

Applicants may request up to €5,000 (excluding personal access costs). Applications that include ineligible costs will be deemed ineligible and will not be assessed.

Scoring Criteria

• Artistic Ambition (40%): quality and originality of existing work, clarity and ambition of proposed activity, how activity builds on artistic practice
• Relevance and Timeliness (30%): articulation of importance, relevance to practice development, potential impact on future work
• Feasibility and Development Plan (30%): clear and realistic plan, feasibility of research/training/mentorship, appropriate timeline and budget

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the online portal before the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline, by email or in hard copy, will not be accepted. A Bursary Award 2027 Guidance Document is available explaining the application questions in greater detail. If unsure about eligibility, contact the Arts Office before submitting an application.

Assessment and Notification

Applications are processed by the Arts Office team with support from independent external assessors. Applications are assessed competitively based on information provided in form and supporting material. An independent external assessor reviews the application and assessment process. All applications and recommendations are considered by a Strategic Policy Committee sub-committee of elected members of Dublin City Council, followed by consideration at a full meeting of Dublin City Council. Applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of their application.

Conditions for Successful Applicants

If your application is successful, you will be required to: use the award only for the purposes outlined in your application; maintain basic financial records and submit a brief activity report to the Arts Office on completion of the funded activity; return any unused funds to the Arts Office; notify the Arts Office as soon as possible if the proposed activity cannot proceed; comply with all relevant statutory requirements and local authority bylaws, including appropriate Child Protection policies where relevant; for grants of €10,000 or more, provide a current Tax Clearance Certificate or Tax Clearance Access Number before the first payment and before any subsequent payments.