The Irish Arts Council has announced a new, earlier deadline for applications to its annual music commissions scheme. Applications can now made from 3 February until 3 March 2011 at 5.30pm. The earlier date is in response to requests from the arts communities to offer commissions funding well in advance of the major grants programmes. According to the Arts Council, the purpose of the award is to facilitate creative partnerships between a range of commissioners and artists and could be a public performance a process of engagement with a community of place or interest or some other form of dissemination or presentation of the commissioned work in Ireland or abroad.

www.artscouncil.ie