Ards & North Down Borough Council: Community Festivals Fund

Overview

Background

Ards and North Down Borough Council supports community festivals financially via its grants programme.

Previously, Council tested the amalgamation of the Tourism Events Grants Scheme with the Community Festivals Fund but it has been determined that to ensure proportionate and relevant information is requested from applicants, the Fund will now be available as two separate funds: the Community Festival Fund and the Tourism Events Fund.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications will be accepted from appropriately constituted community and voluntary groups in the Ards and North Down Borough.

Only one application per group/organisation accepted.

To be eligible to apply, the applicant must meet the following minimum requirements

• A festival is defined as a one-off festival, or a series of related events that must take place over a maximum of a 12-week period and have a distinctive theme. A theme is defined as topic or subject that runs through the festival such as maritime, music or a specific commemoration.
• Provide appropriate governance, through regular public meetings, annual general meetings and management by a publicly elected committee.
• Demonstrates a fair and equitable ethos through the applicants aim and objectives, in accordance with Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75).
• Demonstrates how the festival will improve the quality and capacity of the community.

Applicants must deliver a Community Festival in the Borough of Ards and North Down, between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. 

Festival Type & Funding levels

Costs