€500,000 grassroots music venue fund announced by Irish government

A €500,000 grassroots music venue fund has been announced by the Irish government. 

Grants of up to €15,000 are available for clubs and other performances spaces. The offer is part of a wider Night-Time Economy Support Scheme and was announced this week by Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan.

The Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme (GRMVSS) can be used by any operation with a capacity of 500 or less, providing they are known to their community as a platform for emerging and local artists, and grassroots performances form a core part of their regular programming. 

Bookings, PR, equipment hire, security and insurance can all be paid for with the money. However, the requirement that events should showcase artists performing live or electronic music they have made themselves has left some questioning if DJs who play records by other artists would be eligible. So far nothing has been confirmed on this. 

“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,” said O’Donovan.

“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 DJ,” he continued. 

The scheme is open for applications now, and will run until 15th May 2025, or when the allocated funds run out – whichever happens soonest. Allocation is on a first come, first serve basis. You can apply here.

A number of other criteria are specified for eligibility, including a clause that events must take place by 31st October 2025 with doors opening no earlier than 6PM. Funding must also be drawn down by 14th November 2025. 

Further to this, organisations can only apply for 75% of total funds necessary to run the event, up to the maximum grant value, meaning they will cover the remaining 25% of costs. Successful bids must be for ticketed dates, involving paid performers and freelance crew. 

Festivals — other than those held in established DIY venues — cannot apply, and access must be open to the everyone, rather than on private invitation. Finally, no other public funding source can be involved in the date, and charity fundraising cannot factor into the programme. 

You can read the full criteria here. 

“This scheme represents a significant investment in Ireland’s grassroots music venues, which play a crucial role in fostering new talent and sustaining the country’s musical heritage,” said Victor Finn, CEO of the Irish Music Rights Association. “Supporting these venues means supporting the next generation of Irish artists, providing them with essential performance opportunities and spaces to hone their craft”.

The Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme has been developed in consultation with representatives from the Live Venue Collective, grassroots music industry, NTE advisors and nightlife advocacy group Give Us The Night.

Like the UK and much of Europe, Ireland’s grassroots music venues and clubs are experiencing an unprecedented decline brought on by a change of societal habits, cost-of-living reducing consumer spending power, and rising energy and production costs.

According to The Music Venue Trust, 46 Irish music spaces closed doors in 2024, down from 125 during the previous year. Since 2005, there has been a 21% decline in the country’s pubs, many of which are also venues. A bill to extend operating hours for the country’s clubs was recently relegated from a list of priority legislation. Give Us The Night co-founder, spokesperson, DJ and producer Sunil Sharpe described the delay as “disappointing” but “partly expected”.