Revenue Arts Grants 2027
Revenue Grants support arts organisations working in the Dublin City Council administrative area that contribute to the priorities and goals of the Arts Office through their programmes of artistic activity.
Funded organisations play an important role in supporting artists, engaging audiences and promoting the arts across the city.
For the purposes of this grant, a professional arts organisation is an entity with a defined governance structure, legal status, and a track record of delivering arts activity. Individual artists and sole traders are not eligible for this grant.
This is an annual grant and is offered once per year, subject to available funding.
Decisions are made on a competitive basis within the funding available.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon, Wednesday 28 October 2026
Professional arts organisations working in the Dublin City Council administrative area. Organisations do not need to be based in Dublin, but they must show the work they are applying for takes place in the Dublin City Council administrative area.
Dublin City Council Arts Office is committed to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work. Applications are welcome from organisations that show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in their programme of activity and organisational practices.
The standard Revenue Grant award is €10,000. Applications above €10,000 (to a maximum of €40,000) will only be considered in exceptional cases of scale or quality.
The grant may cover up to 50% of the total proposed activity cost (excluding personal access costs). Applications must show that at least 50% of activity income will come from sources other than this grant (confirmed or anticipated).
The 50% limit is calculated based on the total activity cost (not the total annual organisational budget), excluding personal access costs.
Example calculation:
- Total activity cost: €20,000
- Maximum grant (50%): €10,000
- Minimum income from other sources (50%): €10,000
Applying to multiple funding strands
Organisations may apply to more than one Arts Office grant but may receive funding from a maximum of two grants, to a combined total of €40,000.
Applicants who have previously received a Revenue Grant are not guaranteed funding in subsequent years.
This section outlines the eligibility requirements that all applications must meet to be considered.
Funding is awarded on a competitive basis, and meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee that an application will be successful.
Location
- The activities for which funding is sought must take place in the Dublin City Council administrative area. See map here.
Organisation
- The organisation must have been in continuous operation for a minimum of three years.
Funding Limits
- The amount requested must be within the funding limits for this scheme (excluding personal access costs) ,which is: €10,000 to 40,000
- The maximum grant may cover up to 50% of the total activity cost (excluding personal access costs). Applications must show that at least 50% of income comes from sources other than this grant.
Costs
- Applications that include ineligible costs will be deemed ineligible and will not be assessed. See Eligible Costs section below.
- Applications must show equitable payment of artists and arts workers.
Timeline
- All proposed activities must take place in 2027.
- Applications must be submitted through the online portal before the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline, by email or in hard copy will not be accepted.
Completed information
- All application questions must be completed.
- All mandatory supporting material must be uploaded. See list of mandatory supporting material under the Supporting Material section below.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, contact the Arts Office before applying.
Applications are assessed competitively against the criteria below, with each section weighted as indicated. Assessors will consider the information provided across the application form and supporting material when scoring each section.
Governance and Management (20%)
- clear organisational purpose and alignment between purpose and activities
- appropriate governance and management structures that support the organisation’s activities and responsible oversight
- commitment equitable payment of artists and arts workers, aligned where possible with recognised sector benchmarks
- sound financial management and organisational capacity (see Financial information section)
Artistic Ambition (30%)
- artistic quality, ambition and innovation in the proposed activities
- meaningful contribution to the professional development and employment of artists
Engagement (30%)
- clear audience development and communication strategies
- commitment to equality of opportunity for diverse artists, arts workers, audiences and participants.
- providing opportunities for the city’s diverse communities to engage with and participate in the arts
- collaboration with partners to expand access to the arts, particularly in areas of the City with lower levels of provision
Strategic Leadership (20%)
- contribution to the development and sustainability of the arts sector in Dublin
- collaboration with other organisations, including those outside the arts sector
- sharing knowledge, expertise and good practice with the wider cultural sector
- advocacy for the value of the arts and increasing public understanding of art forms and artistic practice
Download our Revenue Award 2027 Submittable Guidance Document below which explains the application questions in greater detail. We recommend printing this and keeping it beside you through the process.
Download the Revenue Guidance Document here PDF Version
Our team of Arts Officers offer information sessions ahead of the Arts Grants deadline each year. The aim of our information sessions is to provide help and guidance with all aspects of the online application process.
The information session was led by Arts Officer Sinead Connolly. The session consisted of a walk-through of the application form, followed by questions and answers.
The Revenue Arts Grants information session took place on Wednesday, 16 September at 9am.
To watch the information session, please click the image below:
Assessment
- All applications are processed by the Arts Office team reporting to the City Arts Officer.
- Applications that are deemed ineligible will not proceed to assessment.
- Applications considered more suitable for a different grant may be redirected where this would benefit the applicant.
- Applications are assessed by the Arts Office team with support of independent external assessors with relevant experience and expertise. Applications are assessed competitively based on the information provided in form and supporting material.
- An independent external assessor also reviews the application and assessment process.
- All applications, funding recommendations and the external assessor’s report are considered by a Strategic Policy Committee sub-committee of the elected members of Dublin City Council.
- Following consideration by the sub-committee, final approval is sought at a full meeting of the elected members of Dublin City Council.
- Applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of their application.
Outcome of your application
If your application is successful, you will be required to:
- comply with all relevant statutory requirements and local authority byelaws, including adherence to appropriate Child Protection policies where relevant
- comply with the five key principles of the Governance Code for Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations (see https://app.governancecode.ie/)
- for grants of €10,000 or more, provide a current tax clearance certificate or tax clearance access number prior to the first payment and for any subsequent payments
If your application is not successful
Applicants may request brief feedback on your application by emailing artsoffice@dublincity.ie within twenty days of notification of the outcome. Due to the volume of applications received, it may not be possible to provide detailed feedback.
All applications must be made through Submittable.
