Exploring and Thinking Bursary Award now open for applications

Exploring and Thinking is a collaborative framework for early childhood arts in the Dublin region. It came about in 2016 when the four Dublin local authorities Fingal County, South Dublin County, Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County partnered for the first time to collectively consider early childhood arts provision in the Dublin region.

In 2016 the project partners received funding under the Arts Council’s Invitation to Collaboration Scheme to commission the research and creation of new artworks with local engagement programmes in arts and non-traditional arts venues.

In January 2019 the partnership hosted a public sharing event at the National Concert Hall to share the commissioned work and reflect on early childhood arts practice with artists, educators and policy makers. A publication documenting the commissioning process, creative outputs and impacts of the collaborative framework, alongside additional research conducted among the artists and key personnel was presented on the day. Informed by the review and feedback from the public sharing event, the Exploring & Thinking Bursary Awards aim to support emerging and established artists that wish to develop a practice in early childhood arts.

The first Exploring & Thinking Bursary Awards were allocated in 2019, funding a range of supports for artists. In 2023 a second public sharing event was held at Malahide Castle & Gardens, Fingal, where past recipients presented their experiences and insights to a wide audience. In 2024, the programme expanded to include a residential mentorship opportunity facilitated by Prof. Suzanne Zeedyk, at the Institute of Music & Song, Balbriggan.

In 2025, the partners began discussions with the Dublin Children and Young People’s Services Committee Coordinators (CYPSCs) to increase opportunities for children to access and benefit from arts engagement. Now we invite artists to apply for support through a new round of Bursary Awards to further develop their practice in 2026. One Bursary Award will be granted per local authority involved.

Bursary range €4,000 – €5,000

Please read full brief attached here

Electronic submissions via https://dlrcoco.submit.com/

Application Closing Date: 01.10.25

Applicants will be notified week of 20.10.25