Antrim Re-opens Festival Fund

• Community Festivals fund

Antrim Borough Council has reopened is Festivals and Events fund to give organisations another chance to bid for support. The scheme first opened in February when many projects may have missed the opportunity to apply.

The funding scheme has now re-opened to cater for events or festivals running between 1 October 2008 and 31 March 2009.

Rhoda Gray, Community Services Manager, says,

If you would like to organise a one-day event or perhaps you have an idea for a longer festival then funding may be available to your organisation from the Council's Events and Festival Fund, if the following criteria can be met. The event must contribute to civic pride and identity, be open to all Borough residents/visitors and involve the local community and be non-political and non-sectarian.

Rhoda continues,

'If your festival consists of a series of events with a common theme, is delivered within a defined time period and, most importantly, is about celebrating and positively promoting what your community represents, you may be interested in applying to the Community Festival Fund.

This fund was established by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and is jointly funded by DCAL and Antrim Borough Council.

The Community Festival Fund is available to community groups to improve the capacity of community festivals and make them less reliant on public funding. This fund is unusual in that it also providing support and training, in addition to funding towards the cost of event activities. 

Antrim Borough Council will be happy to speak to anyone with questions about this funding.

Simply contact David Jordan on 9446 3113 or email david.jordan@antrim.gov.uk for more details or an application form and full criteria.

www.antrim.gov.uk