- Music
- 16 Oct 25
Minister for Culture announces almost €2 million in funding for Music Network's Music Capital Scheme
Previous award recipients have included singer-songwriter Niall McCabe, The Saw Doctors drummer Éimhín Cradock, cellist Yseult Cooper Stockdale and bouzouki player Libby McCrohan.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan has announced an allocation of €1,939,700 for the Music Capital Scheme.
The scheme, which was established in 2008 by The Arts Council, provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments and equipment by artists and venues.
"I am really, really happy that my Department is able to fund the Music Capital Scheme again this year with a substantial 78% increase in funding," O'Donovan said.
"The Scheme has benefitted thousands of people since its inception and this additional investment means that even more musicians, groups, and communities will now be able to access the instruments they need."
The scheme operates under five distinct awards. Awards one, two and three, which support non-professional performing groups and individual professional musicians, open for applications today, October 16.
The scheme was expanded in 2024 to include two additional awards: award four, which provides string instruments on loan to emerging classical musicians, and award five, which supports the purchase or refurbishment of concert standard grand pianos for arts venues and presenters. Awards four and five will open for applications next year.
The scheme is funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and managed by Music Network, Ireland’s national music touring and development organisation.

"We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for its ongoing commitment to providing vital funding for musical instruments to groups, individual musicians and most recently, arts venues and music presenters," said Music Network Chair Pat Moylan.
"This investment continues to make a significant impact on the quality of, and access to, music-making and live performance throughout Ireland."
Since it was launched, the scheme has issued over 650 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to instruments for over 59,000 people across the country.
Beneficiaries have ranged from those in the early stages of their music careers to veterans of the industry, including musicians with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Previous award recipients have included The Saw Doctors drummer Éimhín Cradock, guitarist and singer-songwriter Niall McCabe, cellist Yseult Cooper Stockdale and bouzouki player Libby McCrohan.
Cradock, who received a grant in 2024 to support the purchase of a Ludwig drum kit, appeared in a video promoting the scheme.
Watch the video featuring drummer and Music Capital Scheme Awardee Éimhín Cradock below:
Organisations who have recieved awards through the scheme include the Bluebell Community Development Project, Taisce an Oileáin (Arranmore Island), Portlaoise Men's Shed and various school programs.

A range of applicant support programs, including online and in-person information and consultation sessions, has been rolled out by Music Network ahead of the scheme deadline. The support will be free of charge and open to all, with a focus on supporting first-time and previously unsuccessful applicants.
"We will have a wide range of capacity building supports available for applicants, and our aim in providing these is to help people make a strong case for funding and achieve positive results which benefit the music sector as widely as possible," said Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston of this year's scheme.
"Music Network has been working to make live music accessible to communities across the country and supporting musicians to develop fulfilling careers for close to 40 years. Schemes such as this play a crucial role in making that vision achievable, ensuring that an ever increasing number of musicians and communities can share in the magic of live music."
Music Capital Scheme awards one, two and three are open for applications via the Music Network website until November 27 at 2:00 p.m..
To apply for the scheme or register for the applicant support programs, visit the Music Network website.