Arts Council Northern Ireland have opened the 2025/26 Annual Funding Programme for Organisations.

The aim of the Annual Funding Programme (AFP) is to support Northern Ireland’s arts infrastructure through grants to organisations in all artforms and practices for their core and programming costs.

Who can apply?

  • Non-profit distributing organisations which can demonstrate they require a year-round resource to deliver arts programming.
  • Commercial organisations can only apply for support if the proposed programme is primarily for the benefit of the public and where there are plans to re-invest any surplus into a similar programme.
  • New applicants to the Annual Funding Programme must have been in receipt of a single award of at least ÂŁ10,001 from ACNI since 1 April 2022 in order to be eligible for the scheme and must contact the appropriate ACNI arts officer to discuss their application prior to submission and by 5pm on Monday 9 December 2024 at the latest. Failure to make prior contact with the Arts Council before submitting an application will render your application ineligible.

Who Cannot Apply?

  • Local Authorities
  • Statutory bodies for activities which fall within their statutory remit
  • Individuals
  • Broadcasters
  • Central Government Departments
  • Organisations which have not received at least ÂŁ10,001 from ACNI since 1 April 2022
  • Organisations who have broken the terms of a previous Arts Council letter of offer in the previous 4 years or who remain in breach of previous terms.

Read more and apply here

The deadline for applications is Friday 20 December 2024 at 12pm.