The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has designed this programme to provide support for the purchase of musical instruments by groups involved in the professional and non-professional performance of music and to respond to a broad range of capital needs within the music sector in Northern Ireland.

Funding is intended to increase the quality of music-making in the community by helping eligible groups purchase new instruments.

Particular priority will be given to applications which can clearly demonstrate:
– a commitment to training / tuition / education and performance
– a commitment to artistic development
– an ability to increase access to music provision in rural areas

Who can apply?
The Arts Council welcomes applications from the widest possible range of organisations and in particular from applicants whose projects benefit individuals categorised under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. In addition, in order to be eligible to apply to this programme, please note the following:
– This scheme is open to professional and non-professional performing groups, involved in regular performance in any genre, who are based in and will make regular use of the instruments in Northern Ireland.
– Community, youth, resource organisations and schools who regularly oversee / are regularly involved in music performance in the non-professional sector.
– All applicant groups must be formally constituted and must operate as not-for-profit, a voluntary organisation or a charitable body. Purchased instruments will then be owned by the constituted group (as opposed to any individual within the group). The organisation/group must have its own separate bank account ie a non-personal account. (Personal bank accounts will not be accepted in relation to payment of an award.)
– The following types of groups are eligible for this scheme:
• Amateur / Youth Orchestras and Ensembles
• Choirs and Orchestras
• Classical Ensembles
• Community Music Groups
• Musical Societies
• Percussion / Samba Bands
• Pop / Rock Ensembles
• Traditional Ensembles
In addition, the following organisations, if they regularly oversee / are regularly involved in music performance by groups in the non-professional sector, are eligible to apply:
– Community organisations
– Music schools
– Resource organisations
– Venues
– Youth groups
– Primary / post-primary schools

See link below for further details.