The aim of the overall Support for Individual Artists Programme (SIAP) is to support artists across all disciplines to create work and develop their practice.
Broadly, awards can be for specific projects, specialised research or personal artistic development. These guidance notes provide information on how to apply to 2 SIAP schemes – others are also available:
- General Art Awards
- Artists Career Enhancement Scheme (ACES)
SIAP Schemes Covered by separate Guidance Notes also available:
- Minority Ethnic Artists’ Mentoring & Residency Scheme
- Major Individual Awards
- Artists International Development Fund (AIDF)
- Musical Instruments for Individuals
- Each of these has a different focus in terms of the proposal to be funded. You should read the scheme-specific details in the guidance below carefully before application.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants to SIAP are as follows:
- Artists of all disciplines and in all types of working practice (including DJs) In a limited number of cases, individual technical staff/administrators of professional artistic companies may also be eligible.
- Emerging Artists: The Arts Council particularly welcomes applications from emerging artists – an emerging artist is someone who is in the early stage of their career as a professional artist. They are developing their artist ‘voice’ and are in the process of establishing a reputation and recognition among critics, galleries, producers etc, and will have practised as a professional artist for less than 5 years.
- Employees of statutory bodies , undergraduates and postgraduates are eligible to apply but they must prove that the funds which they are seeking are for work/costs which are not properly the concern of their employer and/or are not related to their work or academic study. They must submit evidence of this in the form of a letter on headed paper from their Head of Department.
- In the case of post-graduate students, the letter must clearly state the title of the student’s PhD thesis and include a declaration by the Head of Department. This declaration must state “The project for which funds are being sought does not form part of any academic work undertaken in relation to the above-titled PhD nor will it be assessed as part of any academic course”.
- Applicants undertaking a Masters or a PhD must also include a separate statement which provides information on how the project applied for differs from their Masters or PhD work.
Please note: The Arts Council may use its own judgement in determining this matter.
Read more, and apply, via the Arts Council of Northern Ireland website here.