The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is pleased to announce the Organisations Digital Evolution Awards.
For this programme digital art is artwork that is created exclusively in the digital space; it can either exist in the digital space or be translated into a physical object or tangible experience through technology. Work that exists only in the digital space can be artwork that is consumed online or offline; the latter having some form of installation in a venue.
This grant programme does not cover the simple digitisation of art (in any artform) or performance and must relate to the development of your artistic practice and digital capability. Filmed performances, audio recordings or video capture of material that would be intended for in-person performance is not suitable as the output of a project proposal, and applications applying for such output activity will be rejected as ineligible. Such filmed or recorded elements can be used as assets within a piece of digital art, for example within animation, virtual experiences, or app development.
Programme Objectives
Upskilling NI arts organisations in the use of new, emerging and immersive Technology
Creation of excellent Digital Art
Programme Priorities
Creation of digital arts
Supporting artists/arts organisations to make digital art for the first time or working with digital technology which they have not used before
Encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration
Funding Information
The budget for the programme is £80,000.
The maximum award value will be £10,000.
This programme only relates to those proposals that will take place between 1 February 2024 and 31 January 2025.
Eligible Projects
Here are some examples of the type of project they are aiming to support through this scheme, this list is far from exhaustive.
Creation of a virtual environment or augmented reality environment, such as augmented reality visual arts or sound overlay on venues or geographical spaces.
Using technology, such as 3D rendering and printing, to create artwork digitally which can either exist digitally or be manufactured into 3D physical objects.
Using technology to translate data into artistic content; for example, algorithms/Artificial Intelligence that create music or visual content from data input
App development for the delivery of artistic content; this could include gamification or making an artistic experience for consumption on digital devices. (Note: this does not include streaming of filmed/recorded performances)
Piloting new forms of support to individual artists or organisations that results in the creation of digital art.
Essential digital equipment and software up to a max 20% of Total Request Value (i.e. 20% of the total amount you are requesting from them in the application). All requests for hardware or software must be integral to project delivery and will be reviewed on a case by case basis by assessors.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants to this scheme are as follows:
Arts organisations, registered charities and other organisations which cannot distribute profits
Groups of organisations working together to deliver specific projects
Organisations currently in receipt of an Arts Council Annual funding Programme award may apply for:
projects of an exceptional nature which were not anticipated at the time of their AFP application
Ineligible
For-profit organisations
Individuals or sole traders
Broadcasters (excluding community service broadcasters)
Central Government Departments
Umbrella organisations not previously funded by the Arts Council
Organisations who are in breach of the terms of previous ACNI grant awards
