New Night-Time Economy Support Scheme announced for Grassroots Music Venues

Great news for music venues in Galway, as a total of €500,000 worth of funding has been announced as part of the Night-Time Economy scheme. Find out more here...

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The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, last week announced a new phase of the Night-Time Economy support scheme to support established grassroots music venues. The scheme was developed following a recommendation in the revised Night-Time Economy Action Plan in recognition of the contribution that grassroots music venues make to the music industry by nurturing emerging acts, and the challenges these venues face.

A total fund of €500,000 has been allocated to the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme (GMVSS) which aims to support small established venues that promote themselves and are known in the community as live music venues or dance venues, with grassroots music performance forming a core part of their programming.

Funding of up to €15,000 will be made available for programming events that showcase the talent of emerging, grassroots artists performing live or electronic music that they have written or created themselves. Under the scheme, venues are required to ensure that all artists and freelance crew are paid. Venues may also apply for funding towards production and crew costs, PR, advertising, ticketing, the hire of equipment, the hiring of security staff and event insurance costs.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme last week at Cleary’s, Newcastle West, Minister Patrick O'Donovan said; "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 Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme has been developed in consultation with representatives from the Live Venue Collective, grassroots music industry, Give Us The Night and the NTE Advisors.

Applications can be made for the new scheme HERE from noon today. The Scheme will remain open until noon on 15 May 2025 or until the fund is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Applications will be assessed on a first come first served basis. Guidelines for the new scheme can be viewed here.

Pictured above are Kate Howard, Galway City NTE Advisor, with Minister Patrick O’Donovan and some of Ireland's NTE Advisors at the launch of the Grassroots Music Venue Scheme.