€1,066,940 awarded to performing groups and musicians through Music Capital Scheme Awards 1, 2 and 3.

Music Network has today announced the results of the latest round of the Music Capital Scheme. A total of €1,066,940 in funding from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport has been granted to 191 awardees which will potentially benefit over 10,000 musicians based throughout Ireland, through Awards 1, 2 & 3 of the scheme.

Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and managed by Music Network. The Scheme has enabled many thousands of musicians across Ireland to develop their musical potential and participate in the performance of live music, in all genres.

The scheme comprises five distinct awards and provides vital funding for the purchase and restoration of musical instruments and selected equipment. Todays’ announcement relates to Awards 1, 2 and 3, which support non-professional performing groups and individual professional musicians.

Since it was established, the scheme’s impact has increased significantly and it was expanded in 2024 to include two new awards that benefit both emerging professional musicians and arts venues. Award 4, which provides high quality string instruments on loan to exceptional emerging classical players will open later this year, while Award 5, supporting arts venues and music presenters to purchase or refurbish concert standard grand pianos, is currently accepting applications.

Commenting on the initiative, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan T.D. said: “I would like to sincerely thank Music Network for once again managing the Music Capital Scheme. This funding allows so many deserving organisations and individuals to receive the support they need to purchase musical instruments.

I am really happy that my Department was able to confirm record funding for the Music Capital Scheme in 2025. The Scheme has benefited 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 Music Capital Scheme is one of my Department’s key funding initiatives and I am so happy that we are in a position to financially support the growth of the scheme. I have no doubt the benefits of the Musical Capital Scheme funding to the 79 organisations and 112 individual musicians in receipt of these awards will be felt for many years to come.”

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.”

Music Network’s CEO Sharon Rollston commented: “Music Network has been working to make high quality live music accessible to everyone in Ireland and to support professional musicians to excel in the performance and creation of music, for the past 40 years. Schemes such as this play a crucial role in making that vision achievable.

The organisations supported through this latest funding round reflect the diversity of Ireland’s music community. They include a homelessness service, a community centre supporting older adults to live independently, a queer-led artist support group, youth services, music schools offering inclusive programmes, organisations supporting migrant communities, and choral and instrumental groups with members of all ages.

The number and range of instruments provided through the Music Capital Scheme year-on-year continue to make a significant impact on the quality of, and access to, music making and live music performance across Ireland.”

This year’s beneficiaries include non-professional performing groups with members ranging from early years to mature players including musicians with physical and intellectual disabilities, and a further 112 individual professional established and emerging musicians who will be able to advance their performance careers with instruments enabled by the scheme. Awardees include Bluebell Community Development Project, Letterkenny and District Pipe Band, Limerick School of Music, Galway Simon Community's Music Project, harper Séamus Ó Flatharta, viola player Andreea Banciu, drummer Sean Carpio, sound artist Jürgen Simpson and composer and keyboard player Alma Kelliher.

In this round of the scheme these three awards provide funding for the purchase of musical instruments across a number of categories. Award 1 provides funding to non-professional performing groups, Award 2 supports individual established professional musicians and Award 3 is for individual emerging professional musicians.