Arts Council grants €91,350 in bursaries to Mayo artists

The Bursary Award is one of the Arts Council’s key funding schemes, supporting individual artists to concentrate on developing their practice, research, and new work. Each award, valued at up to €20,000, provides artists with the time and resources to focus on their creative process. Recipients represent the full diversity of Ireland’s arts sector, working across visual arts, theatre, dance, literature, music, film, opera, architecture, circus, street arts, and traditional arts. Awards have been made in every county, as well as to artists based in Northern Ireland and internationally.

Examples of bursary awards in Mayo include:

Anne Hamilton Literature (English language). Over one year the plan is to ‘flip’ freelance writing career, prioritise being an author over editor/tutor roles To write, from draft to submission stage, third novel (working title: The Fosterling) and to access ‘the writing world’ via membership of Dream Author and Writers coaching programmes (€20,000)

Alice Kinsella Literature (English language): To take a year to research and write a creative nonfiction book on the decline of native Irish predators through the lens of personal narrative (€20,000)

Patrick O’Laoghaire Music: Seek to substantially develop creative practice through phases of artistic engagement. Firstly, Self-directed research and development of seed ideas. Secondly, to work with expert mentors to interrogate and enhance the creative process using phase one seeds. Finally Reflection and application of learnings; lay foundations for new body of work (€19 000)

To view the full list of awardees please follow this link: https://artscouncil.ie/funding/funding-decisions/?_funding_decision_year=2025&_funding_decision_type=bursary-award