Open Call | Creative Communities Grant Scheme from Cork City Council

Applications are welcome from community groups across Cork City – including schools, youth clubs, neighbourhood associations, and cultural or environmental groups. Artists and creative practitioners may also apply, provided they have the active support of a community group. All projects must demonstrate collaboration and align with at least two priorities from the Cork City Culture & Creativity Strategy 2023–2027.

– The target community, Lead Applicant, and funded activities must all be located in Cork
City Council’s administrative area.
– All funded activities must be FREE for participants and must take place in 2026.
– Groups formed around a shared creative practice only are not eligible. Projects must involve
a broader community connection beyond the art form itself.
– Applicants proposing murals must supply details of the chosen wall and photographs to help
the assessment panel evaluate feasibility.
– School-based projects must go beyond the regular curriculum. Activities limited to art
students and led solely by the school’s art teacher are not eligible. Proposals should involve
the wider school community and include collaboration with an external creative practitioner.
– This scheme is designed to support new creative initiatives, not ongoing or routine
programmes. Applications for activities that are part of an organisation’s existing
programme, or intended to replace funding from other sources, will not be considered.
– National organisations, including charities, are not considered community groups for the
purposes of this scheme. They may apply only as the creative partner for a new project
designed specifically for a named community and supported by a letter from that
community. Ongoing programmes of national organisations are not eligible.
– Funding decisions will consider a fair spread across local electoral areas and diverse target
communities.