Unlock Your Creative Potential: £1 Million Funding for 162 Artists in Northern Ireland

Major Boost for Northern Ireland's Art Scene

More than 160 artists from across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from funding exceeding £1 million. This initiative is part of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s National Lottery Project Funding for Individual Artists (PFIA) scheme, designed to support artists at various career stages, including emerging artists.

How the Funding Will Be Used

The grants will be allocated towards innovation and experimentation in new artistic projects. Each grant can be worth up to £10,000, providing crucial financial support for artists to advance their professional careers.

Spotlight on Featured Artists

• Patricia Cowan, an aerialist artist, has been awarded £9,323 to create an acrobatic work titled Bound by Borders: A Northern Irish Rope Journey by ‘Woven’.
• Sheila Llewellyn, a writer from Fermanagh, received £6,000 to compose a new novel.
• Brona McVittie, a singer-songwriter and musician from Newry, will use £6,809 for a book called A Way With The Fairies (scheduled for release in spring 2026) and an accompanying album, Supernatural.
• Yaroslava Navrotska, a Belfast-based aerial artist, gets £3,623 to develop two new acts.
• Aoife Boyle (Reevah), a singer-songwriter from Londonderry, will apply her £9,000 towards her second album.
• Paul McVeigh, a writer from Belfast, is awarded £9,000 for a story collection named I Feel You.

Official Statement

Noirin McKinney, director of arts development at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, emphasized: "These grants provide artists with the financial means to take their professional, artistic careers to that all-important next level. The programme supports innovation and experimentation and addresses the need for on-going skills development and training in the arts sector. We are excited to see their projects develop in the year ahead."