Ulster Scots Agency: Community Festivals Programme

Overview

Ulster-Scots Community Festivals provide people with opportunities to experience and learn about Ulster-Scots culture, heritage, and language; and have an important role to play in raising awareness of Ulster-Scots within the wider community. 

Who can apply?

Voluntary and community groups/organisations.

What is an Ulster-Scots Community Festival?

• A festival is a series of activities and events with a common theme, delivered within a defined time period. These activities will usually be different but related and developed from within a community and should celebrate and positively promote what that community represents.
• Community Festivals are about participation, involvement and the creation of a sense of identity and are important in contributing to the social wellbeing of a community
• Festivals must be initiated and led by a community organisation or a community partnership and should reflect the “cultural heritage and history of Ulster-Scots”.
• The Agency provides funding for Ulster-Scots Festivals within two streams, Minor Festivals and Major Festivals. This allows the Agency to make sure that the amount of information provided in the application is proportionate to the amount of money that is requested from the Agency.

The inclusion of Ulster-Scots content in other community festivals is also supported through the programme.

• The maximum grants available are: £20,000 for a major festival /  £8,000 for a minor festival.

Groups are required to provide match funding of at least 25%.

Groups interested in applying should follow the link to registration here.

Following a successful registration, a link to an application form, guidelines, and a festival plan template will be automatically emailed to the group.