The Arts Office’s ambition and focus is to develop and deliver artistic programmes in the county by supporting artists at all stages of their career as well as building an inspiring and thriving arts scene, promoting the arts for everyone, working to further strengthen Kilkenny’s position as a centre of excellence for the arts to ensure a successful and prosperous arts environment in the region.
Kilkenny Arts Office manages diverse and expansive programmes including professional and practice development, community arts engagement, youth projects, and public arts, while also designing and rolling out substantive bursaries and grants and contributing to policy and strategy development.
ARTISTS CONNECT BURSARY
The importance and benefits of connecting with others within the arts community cannot be underestimated and is a matter that has been highlighted by artists, across art forms, in the various needs analysis that have been undertaken by the Arts Office in recent years. In response to this Kilkenny County Council Arts Office has developed the Artists Connect Bursary which will support artists in building community and supportive structures that will facilitate greater connections within Kilkenny’s artistic community. The aim of the bursary is to enable artists to create opportunities for themselves and other artists across art forms to come together to network, build relationships, share knowledge and skills.
Kilkenny Arts Office values the potential of networking understanding that it as an important element in nurturing a dynamic, thriving art community. This bursary is chance for artists to tailor networking events to the needs of artists in their community. Through greater connection with others, artists will feel supported and connected. These events also have the potential to develop partnerships, collaborations and new opportunities.
Bursary value
Between €500-€1,000
Who Can Apply?
- Artists based in Kilkenny for a minimum of 2 years
- Artists can apply as individuals, or as group/collective
- Artists over 18 years old
- Artists of any art form and any stage of their career
What Can the Bursary be Used for?
The bursary is intended to support artists by providing financial assistance to allow artists to:
- Actively expand and strengthen professional networks and build community.
- This could be through gatherings and events for artists that aim to make new connections.
- Develop skills and gain knowledge that will benefit Kilkenny based artists professionally and personally in the short and long term.
What is Funded:
- The organisation of social group gatherings with other artists or other groups of interest. In person or online.
- The organisation of skill sharing sessions with other artists. In person or online.
- Fees for invited visiting experts / arts professionals to attend and facilitate an event or critique, including travel and accommodation.
- Gatherings and events can be a one-off or a short series of events.
What the Bursary will fund:
- Fees for artists/ experts/speakers/facilitators for the events
- Travel, accommodation, subsistence costs for visiting speaker/artist/facilitator where required.
- Administrative and coordination costs associated with planning and managing the event / project
- Room / Venue hire
- Refreshments if required
- Equipment hire
- Marketing & social media
What the Bursary will not fund:
- Art exhibitions or art markets
- Courses, workshops or mentoring for individuals or groups of artists
- Purchasing of equipment or software etc for individuals or groups
- Gifts for participants or speakers/facilitators.
- Charity events or fundraising events
- Retrospective projects or projects that have already commenced
Bursary conditions:
- The funding offered must only be used for the purposes specified in your application.
- Kilkenny County Council will not be responsible for the insurance of any events.
- Organisers must ensure that adequate insurance is in place prior to the commencement of any event.
- If the event or project is altered, postponed or cancelled – in whole or in part – the Kilkenny County Councils Arts Officer, Mary Butler or Assistant Arts Officer Kathy Conlan must be contacted in order to discuss the matter. mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie / kathy.conlan@kilkennycoco.ie
- Kilkenny County Council must be acknowledged on all publicity, press and marketing material, websites and social media outlets produced in connection with the undertaking or event. i.e. Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Arts Office must be tagged on all social media. Logos will be sent to all successful applicants
- Copies of all such material produced must be sent to the Arts Office prior to the event. The Arts Office will therefore help with the publicity of the event / project
- Copies of all such material produced must also be included as part of the Evaluation Report.
- The Evaluation Report must be completed and returned to the Arts Office within two weeks of the project(s) completion. A report template will be provided to successful applicants.
- Events must be completed and funding spent by December 2025.
How to apply
- Complete the application form providing:
-A short description on your proposed activity (e.g. include details on venue, speakers/facilitators, proposed dates for events, etc. max 300 words) N.B Please be aware that the that all events must be scheduled to take place between October and December 2025. It is essential that core elements of your activity are already provisionally secured place at the time of submission.
-Outline how your proposed activity will create opportunities for artists to come together to share knowledge, skills and build relationships (max 150 words):
-An outline of your artistic practice (max 200 words)
-Evidence of the applicant’s organisational skills, including any relevant previous experience.
- NB if an artist has an idea for an event but does not consider that they have the time or expertise to organise the event an administrator / coordinator can be brought in to support the organization of the event
- Events must take place between October – December 2025
- A copy of your CV. Include website details and social media handles if available.
- A budget breakdown (template provided)
- Include a letter of confirmation of the securing of the venue for the event
- Include CVs / Bios of any guest speakers / artists / experts that will be in attendances / facilitating the event
Deadline for Bursary Application:
Thursday October 2nd at 4pm. Please download your application here
Applications to be emailed to:
Kathy.conlan@kilkennycoco.ie
Please note the following:
- This is an online process only and the sole address for applications is kathy.conlan@kilkennycoco.ie.
- One PDF document under 10MB is eligible to be submitted
- Emails larger than 10MB will be rejected by our Firewall.
- On receipt of your application we will only acknowledge receipt.
As we have very strict security, we cannot download from external portals i.e. Google docs.
LATE AND INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE DEEMED INELLIGIBLE
