Funding Opportunity For Creative Businesses

Innovation funding is now available for local creative businesses – apply before 13 February deadline.

Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF 2) has opened for its fifth and final round of funding.

The scheme, administered by the Arts Council Northern Ireland with funding from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, provides up to £10,000 to creative businesses and up to £20,000 to sectoral development bodies to help them develop new products and services. Over 300 projects have been supported to date with a £5.1 million CIIF funding investment.

Who can apply?

All creative businesses based in Northern Ireland, including sectoral development bodies, working within the creative industries are eligible to apply in this round of CIIF 2. Support is available for projects which will develop commercially viable content, products, services and experiences. Digital content themes projects from any area of the creative industries are particularly encouraged.

Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received any CIIF funding.

How to apply?

You can apply online on the Arts Council NI website or in hard copy. You will have to support your application with certain documentation, so read the CIIF guidance notes carefully and prepare in advance of applying. You can find guidance notes and application forms on the Arts Council NI website.

Deadline for applications for the final round of funding is Thursday 13 February 2014 at 16.00.

Pre-application workshops

To learn more about the CIIF programme and how to apply, the Arts Council will facilitate one-to-one workshops during January and February. The following dates are currently available:

  • Wednesday 22 January
  • Monday 27 January
  • Friday 31 January
  • Tuesday 4 February

Attendance at a workshop is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended and booking is essential. To secure your place at a workshop, contact Beverly Coomber on tel 028 9038 5271 or email bcoomber@artscouncil-ni.org.