Music Network’s Music Capital Scheme 2026 to receive €1,000,000 in funding

Music Network’s Music Capital Scheme 2026 is set to receive funding of €1,000,000 from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

Comprising five distinct awards, the scheme provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments and related equipment.

Awards 1, 2 and 3, which support non-professional performing groups and individual professional musicians, have opened their application processes.

A range of applicant support will be offered between now and the scheme deadline on December 15, including online information dessions for organisations considering applying to Award 1 and individuals considering applying to Awards 2 or 3, as well as online seminars, one-to-one consultation sessions on key topics, and a number of in person information sessions. Click here for more details.

Established in 2008 by The Arts Council, the Music Capital Scheme is funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and managed by Music Network.

Since its inception, it has made 850 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to instruments for over 70,000 people across the country, ranging from early years to mature players and including musicians with physical and intellectual disabilities.

In 2024, it was expanded to include an additional two wards benefiting emerging professional musicians and arts venues.

Previous awardees include Galway Simon Community's Music Project, Clogher Road Community College Band in Dublin, St. John's Pipe Band in Tralee, DJ John Gibbons, viola player Andreea Banciu and fiddle player Maeve Donnelly, who all received funding in the last round of the scheme.

Pat Moylan, Chair of Music Network commented: “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. This investment continues to make a significant impact on the quality of, and access to, music-making and live performance throughout Ireland.”

Speaking about the scheme, Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston said: “The Scheme has benefitted thousands of people since its inception and this year's investment means that even more musicians, groups and communities will now be able to access the instruments they need.

“A comprehensive range of capacity building supports will be available to applicants,” she added. “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. Music Network has been working to make live music accessible to people across the country and supporting musicians to develop fulfilling careers for 40 years. Schemes such as this play a crucial role in ensuring that an ever increasing number of musicians can excel and communities everywhere can share in the magic of live music.”

The Music Capital Scheme Awards 1, 2 and 3 are now open for applications here.

Applications close on Tuesday, December 15 at 2pm. A total of €235,000 in funding is available for Award 1, €175,000 for Award 2 and €90,000 for Award 3.