€25m live entertainment grant programme opens for applications

A €25 million scheme to support live performance opens for applications today, part of €50 million announced in the budget last October, to help producers, promoters, venues and musicians whose work and livelihoods have been wiped out by Covid-19 restrictions.

Minister for Arts and Culture Catherine Martin said the Live Performance Support Scheme 2021, for events before September 30th, had been welcomed by the sector and “will provide vital support and opportunities for continued activity in the sector and much-needed entertainment that we all have enjoyed so much recently”.

The scheme, which closes to applications on April 14th, would “help venues, promoters and producers to plan events. The benefits will be shared widely, assisting promoters and venues to employ artists, musicians, performers, technicians and other support staff in live performances.”

The funding will be awarded as grants towards production costs for those with proven records in any type of live performance, from commercial producers and promoters to emerging and established artists, as well as venues that have employed local bands.

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The grants, which will range from €10,000 to €800,000, are designed to be paid in arrears, with recipients claiming back costs after they have staged their events. Only one application will initially be considered from each promoter. If Covid restrictions mean a performance can’t go ahead, a recording or livestream must be made available instead.

The €25 million scheme builds on a €5 million pilot for commercial promoters late last year, which awarded 58 grants, creating thousands of days of work for hundreds of musicians, actors, crew and technicians when no other opportunities were available.

Recipients under the first round included the Gleneagle INEC Arena, in Co Kerry, which was given €400,000 to employ performers, artists, technicians and creative and performance support staff. The 12 performances provided 1,590 days of work for more than 300 people, according to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

On March 9th the Minister announced how half of the €50 million fund announced in the budget would be distributed. This included €14 million in support for live entertainment businesses, contributing to business overheads of those who don’t qualify for other business supports; €5 million for local authorities for outdoor live performances; €5 million in capital supports for the live-entertainment sector; and €1 million for St Patrick’s Festival.

The Minister is also is establishing a return-to-live-entertainment working group to develop guidance for the sector.

The Event Industry Association of Ireland will host a webinar on the Live Performance Support Scheme at noon on Tuesday, March 23rd.