- News
Irish Government Announces €500,000 Grassroots Fund
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By Ryan Moss
- 02 Apr 2025
- 4 min read
The Irish government has announced a new phase of the Night-Time Economy support scheme, providing financial aid to grassroots music venues across the country.
Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, revealed details of the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme (GMVSS) on Monday, highlighting its role in sustaining small, established venues that nurture emerging musical talent.
The initiative, which stems from the revised Night-Time Economy Action Plan, acknowledges the essential contribution of grassroots venues to the music industry. The Night-Time Economy Action Plan is a government strategy aimed at revitalising and diversifying Ireland’s nightlife, supporting cultural activities, and creating opportunities for artists and businesses. With a total fund of €500,000, the GMVSS aims to support venues that actively promote live or electronic music performances as a core part of their programming.
Under the scheme, venues can apply for up to €15,000 in funding to programme events showcasing emerging artists who perform original live or electronic music. The funding can also be used for production costs, crew wages, PR, advertising, ticketing, equipment hire, security staffing, and event insurance. A key requirement of the scheme is that all artists and freelance crew must be paid for their work.
Speaking at the launch event in Cleary’s, Newcastle West, Minister O’Donovan emphasised the importance of grassroots venues in Ireland’s cultural and musical landscape:
“Grassroots music venues are an integral part of the music ecosystem in Ireland and are vital to our communities. I want to support these venues so they can give opportunities to new and emerging artists and give them spaces to perform, develop their skills, and build their audiences. Many of the big acts that we see today in large arenas started their careers performing in grassroots venues, so it is important that we support these venues to allow them to continue to provide these much-needed opportunities for up-and-coming musicians and DJs.”
The scheme has been developed in collaboration with industry representatives, including the Live Venue Collective, grassroots music stakeholders, Give Us The Night, and the Night-Time Economy Advisors.
Applications for the GMVSS are open and will be assessed on a first come, first-served basis. The scheme will remain open until noon on 15 May 2025 or until the allocated fund is fully distributed. Apply for the scheme at https://artsandculture.submit.com/show/66
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