Skip to main content
Department for Communities Department for Communities An Roinn Pobal Depairtment fur Commonities

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Communities Minister Launches £1.5m Support Fund for Arts Sector

    Topics:
    • Arts and culture

    Date published: 27 April 2020

    Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has announced funding of £1.5m to support individuals and organisations in the Arts Sector in response to COVID-19.

    Communities Minister Launches £1.5m Support Fund for Arts Sector
    Communities Minister Launches £1.5m Support Fund for Arts Sector

    ‘The Creative Support Fund’, has been created to provide financial support for a diverse range of performing artists and community art organisations.

    Individual artists and creative practitioners, who have lost their work as a result of COVID-19, can apply for funding of up to £5,000 to take new and innovative approaches in continuing to provide their talents and services to audiences, particularly those facing barriers to the arts.

    Small and medium sized organisations will be able to apply for maximum funding of £25,000 to help them develop new projects or programmes or re-arrange events which have had to be cancelled during the COVID-19 period.

    Minister Hargey said:

    “These two programmes will provide a significant and welcome source of assistance to individuals and organisations in the Arts Sector, which plays a crucial role in our economy and contributes greatly to the mental wellbeing of our communities.

    “As a result of this pandemic they do not have opportunities to work in their usual way that is why I am pleased to be able to support them through this ‘Creative Support Fund’. It will provide them with the means to find different ways of engaging with audiences across a range of platforms and ensure arts services are not withdrawn from the public at this crucial time.”

    The Creative Support Fund will be administered by the Arts Council NI who are contributing £500k of Lottery Funding to the initiative. The Individual Artists and Creative Practitioners Programme will be available immediately. To find out more about the criteria and to apply visit www.artscouncil-ni.org

    The Minister concluded:

    “The Arts Sector is facing many barriers, this fund will offer equality of opportunity and access for a broad range of people. I have asked my Department to continue to do everything possible to provide support and assistance to individuals and groups in the Arts Sector at this time. I am also grateful to the Arts Council for working with my Department in responding to the needs of the Arts Sector.”

    Latest news

    • Lyons welcomes opening of Carnagat Community House Extension

      8 July 2025

    • Community service order for benefit fraud

      7 July 2025

    • Fine imposed for benefit fraud

      7 July 2025

    • Lyons welcomes opportunity to secure share of benefit fraud savings

      7 July 2025

    More news …
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens