Bank of Ireland: Begin Together Arts Fund (Managed by Arts & Business NI & Business to Arts in Ireland)

Overview

The second round of the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund, in partnership with Business to Arts (The Fund) is an all-island Fund which will make a total of €1 million in arts funding available over three years, awarded to projects that are adapting due to the pandemic, or are inspired by and responding to our recovery.

The Fund supports or commissions artists and arts organisations to develop arts projects that engage the individuals, audiences and communities involved. All art forms are eligible to apply to The Fund. With this second round, Bank of Ireland and Business to Arts are encouraging more applications from artists who specialise in fine-art film and craft-related disciplines and from community arts organisations, who were under-represented in round one.

For this second round, only projects that plan to take place between December 2021 and December 2022 are eligible. The above criteria are applicable for this round and may change in round three.

Size of Grants

Applicants can request funds between €3,000 – €10,000 / (STG equivalent).

Average grants will be €5,000 / (STG equivalent), with maximum grants of €10,000 / (STG equivalent).

Artwork(s) / arts project(s) with larger budgets that have secured funds elsewhere are encouraged to apply. With each grant round the Fund aims to provide funding to an artwork / art project in each county on the island of Ireland.

Application Requirements

Applications are encouraged for artwork(s) / arts project(s) across all artforms, which take place on the island of Ireland, and enhance the wellbeing of the communities and audiences involved.

The creation, enjoyment and engagement with arts and culture has been particularly challenging throughout COVID-19. As we continue to live through the pandemic and look forward to a time when society will reopen, they are seeking to fund artwork(s) / art project(s) that align with one of these two criteria:

1) Have been adapted due to COVID-19 (criteria one)

For example, this may include projects that require funding to help with the costs, equipment or expertise related to:

i. technology and distribution of artwork(s) / arts project(s) online (e.g. professional filming, equipment, and skills required)

ii. adapting venues, exhibition spaces or spaces for performances for sociallydistant audiences etc.

iii. adapting models for the delivery of learning and public engagement programmes to reach their audiences

iv. adapting artwork(s) / arts project(s) so they can be realised in the public realm or outdoors

2) Are inspired by/respond to COVID-19 (criteria two)

With this criteria, they are seeking to support the creation of new artwork(s) / arts project(s) based on themes, narratives, or ideas which have been prompted due to living through the pandemic and our current environment.

For example, this may include helping to realise new artwork(s) / arts project(s) created specifically:

i. for digital and online audiences

ii. for the public realm or outdoors

iii. hybrid models of delivery (e.g. online and in-venue)

iv. to respond to themes of people impacted by COVID-19, lockdown, reopening of society, etc

Artists are encouraged to work in partnership with an artistic or community organisation to develop and realise their artwork(s) / arts project(s). By working together, the artist and partner organisation should aim to enhance the wellbeing of the communities and audiences involved in the project, form new connections, and increase their audience reach. Successful projects should be realised between December 2021 and December 2022.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications to the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund in partnership with Business to Arts (The Fund) can be from any artform
Only applications with projects occurring on the island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) are eligible. Applicants must select the county where the project takes place or has the greatest impact (e.g. applicant’s county of residence, county where the artwork / project will take place, or the county most relevant to the project)
Projects with a global audience are eligible, provided that the majority of the project team (artists / partner organisation / project participants) are based on the island of Ireland
Applicants must be aged 18 or older. Audiences / participants can be any age
The second round of applications will be open from Wednesday 5 th May – Wednesday 23rd June 2021, at 5:00pm. For this second round, only projects that plan to take place between December 1 st 2021 and December 31st 2022 are eligible
Applications must involve an artist or a group of artists working with a partner organisation (e.g. a venue or event, arts organisation, community organisation or another funding agency)
An application can be submitted by either the artist or the partner organisation, provided there is a commitment to the project from the other partner
Within the application the artist and partner organisation must agree to a statement of commitment to the project. If a project is selected for funding, at that point the artist and partner organisation will be required to submit a signed letter of commitment
Only one application can be submitted by an individual artist, but an artist can be associated with a second application if they are part of a group of artists / collective. An artist associated with more than two applications is subject to disqualification
Partner organisations are permitted to submit a maximum of one application. A partner organisation associated with more than one application is subject to disqualification
Applications that involve working with vulnerable audiences/participants must have up-to-date Garda vetting / valid AccessNI certificate
Appropriate public liability insurance (and any other insurance required) must be secured
Grants made to successful applicants will be paid to the lead applicant, who must have a bank account in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland