Community Development Arts Grant 2026

Community Development Arts Grant 2026

Following on from the 2 year pilot scheme of Community Development Grants in 2024 and 2025, Dublin City Arts Office are delighted to announce that Community Development Arts Grants will now be a permanent award.  

DCC Arts Office invites Community Development practitioners, community development groups and organisations as well as Artists and Arts Organisations to collaborate in joint applications to this fund.

For the purposes of this grant:

Artistic activity can be any of the artistic disciplines listed in the Arts Act 2003: Visual Arts, Theatre, Literature, Music, Dance, Opera, Film, Circus, Architecture or Multidisciplinary.

Community Development refers to the process of empowering and improving the quality of life within a specific group or neighbourhood. It aims to enhance well-being, resilience and self sufficiency of the community by promoting social cohesion, economic opportunities, sustainable infrastructure and access to essential services.

Community development arts activities are characterised by a sustained process of meaningful engagement with a community over time, in which both the artist and participants have clear, active roles in shaping the project’s development and delivery.

€30k will be allocated to each of the five administrative areas of Dublin City Council (see Map) and applicants may apply for a minimum for €5k and a maximum of €15k.

The Criteria on which application will be assessed are:

1. Artistic Ambition (40%)
2. Engagement (20%)
3. Feasibility and Delivery (40%)

We have created an Applicant Guidance document which explains the application questions in greater detail. We recommend printing this and keeping it beside you through the process.

We are holding an online Information Session on Tuesday 19th May at 11:30am to provide help and guidance with all aspects of the application process.