€180,000 funding available through the newly established Music Capital Scheme 2024 Piano Award

Music Network with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media launches the new Music Capital Scheme Piano Award which will provide up to €180,000 for the purchase or refurbishment of concert standard grand pianos for arts venues and music presenters across the country.

Earlier this year, Minister Martin confirmed a total investment of €1,090,700 in the Music Capital Scheme, which has been supporting the purchase of musical instruments for both individual professional musicians and non-professional performing groups for the past 16 years. This year marks a significant expansion of the scheme, with the establishment of two new awards - The Music Network National Musical Instrument Collection (Award 4) which provides exceptional emerging classical string players with access to high-quality instruments, and The Piano Award (Award 5) which will support arts venues and music presenters across the country.

The Piano Award is open to organisations that provide a year–round, high quality music programme, support the work of professional musicians and have a strong track record in audience and community engagement. A total fund of €180,000 is available through the award, and applications to purchase new or second-hand pianos in addition to refurbishment of pianos can be supported through the scheme.

Applicants wishing to acquire a concert standard grand piano can apply for up to 75% of the purchase cost. Any refurbishment costs required to bring a second hand instrument up to concert standard can be included in addition to the instrument purchase price. Applicants wishing to refurbish a grand piano to bring it up to concert standard can apply for up to 70% of the cost of refurbishment, unless the refurbishment cost is €15,000 or less, in which case the percentage will reduce to 50%.

Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston commented: “We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for its ongoing commitment to providing vital funding for musical instruments to both groups and individual musicians working in any genre. This investment is having a transformative effect on Ireland’s musical landscape, in many different settings.

We are particularly excited about the opportunity the funding has provided to enable two new awards this year, through the establishment of The Music Network National Instrument Collection earlier in 2024 and now The Piano Award. These new supports are a significant step forward in addressing the barriers encountered by emerging professional musicians, venues and music promoters across the country.”

Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and managed by Music Network. Since it was established the scheme has made 652 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to instruments for over 59,000 people across the country. 227 performing groups have been able to purchase instruments and expand their memberships, and 258 professional established and emerging musicians have advanced their performance careers with new instruments enabled by the scheme. Beneficiaries range from early years to mature players, including musicians with physical and intellectual disabilities. Even more musicians will be supported this year, with the introduction of two new awards.