This £25k funding award is eligible for partnerships that use the arts within new and emerging technologies. With the continuing evolution of immersive technology, it has the potential to expand the possibilities of how the arts can be distributed and utilised in new and innovate ways.

Programme Objectives:

  • Encourage Cross-Sectoral Collaboration;
  • Drive innovation in technologies; and
  • Creating new content, products, services and experiences.

The aim of this project is to assist arts organisations, entrepreneurs, and creative businesses to undertake projects that:

  • Contribute to the growth of the creative industries; and
  • Unlock future income generation.

All applications must be partnerships between an arts organisation or artist and a creative business or academia.

Who can apply?
All applications must be a collaboration between two or more applicants. The lead applicant – that is, the applicant in whose name the application is submitted and who, in the event of an award, will be the group or individual responsible for managing the grant, and monitoring and reporting on the project – must be based in Northern Ireland.

Eligible lead applicants to this scheme are as follows:

  • Arts organisations
  • Individual Artists registered as sole traders
  • Creative Businesses

In order for your application to be eligible your project must meet the following criteria:

  • Involve a partnership between an artist or arts organisations with a creative business and/or academia
  • Use new and emerging technology to advance artistic practice to enhance the experience of arts audiences, create new digital artistic products, or allow for digital distribution of existing arts products or services

You will be required to provide confirmation that all project partners are legally constituted:

  • All sole traders must be registered with Revenue and Customs and provide a copy of their Unique Taxpayer Reference along with evidence of a business bank account.
  • Limited companies and Partnerships must also be fully constituted.
  • Start-up businesses can apply but must be fully constituted and registered prior to applying for an award.

What costs can be covered by a CISF award?

  • Content/product development costs, including reasonable material costs
  • Freelance/short-term contracts
  • Existing staff costs, positions or roles as they relate to the proposed activity
  • Essential digital equipment and software up to a max 20% of Total Request
  • Amount (ie. 20% of the total amount you are requesting from us in the application). All requests for hardware or software must be integral to project delivery and will be reviewed on a case by case basis by assessors.
  • Reasonable travel and subsistence costs
  • Reasonable advertising and PR costs
  • Networking and cooperation costs associated with collaborative activity
  • Export advice and assistance
  • Appropriate and reasonable market research costs

To apply
To read the full guidelines and apply here.