PROPEL AWARD 2025 CALL OUT

PROPEL is an artist development and mentorship programme for independent theatre makers living and working in Ireland. This programme is designed and delivered by the Strollers Network, Irelands largest consortium of Arts Centres of which Belltable is a member.

2025 will see the delivery of cycle 5 of the PROPEL Artist Development Programme. An established artist support initiative that utilizes the network’s existing infrastructure, resources, and wider network partnerships to support the sustainable development of independent theatre makers working within the Irish theatre sector. The programme is delivered over three years, in three graduating cycles (early, mid, final). Supporting a maximum of three artists per year, over a three-year period. The aim of this programme is to strengthen the ecology of the Irish theatre sector by firstly supporting the development of new work by independent theatre makers, and secondly by supporting the long-term sustainable development of artists through capacity building and strategic professional development.

What the programme offers – 

• Year 1  – €20,000 bursary to support the ‘early stage’ of development of artistic practice and professional strategic development.
• Year 2 – €10,000 bursary to support the ‘mid stage’ development of artistic practice and professional strategic development.
• Year 3  – €5,000 bursary to support the ‘final stage’ of development of artistic practice and professional strategic development.
•   Access to development and rehearsal spaces in 10 Arts Centres across the country.   
• Support and mentorship from a panel of experts in producing, fundraising, technical production, marketing, finance, cultural entrepreneurship, audience development and engagement, and strategic business development and management. 
• An opportunity to present a work-in-progress performance or showing as part of a major festival.

HOW TO APPLY

The application process for the programme has been divided into two stages: 

Stage 1: A short form application process (Closing date Friday 2nd May 2025, 5pm) 

Stage 2: Long form application process for artists that have been shortlisted during stage 1 and have been requested by the selection panel to submit a more detailed proposal. Artists who are not strategically funded will be paid a fee of €100 to complete the stage two application.

The following application is for stage one of this process only. 

The closing date for receipt of stage 1 applications is Friday 2nd May 2025, 5pm. Those who have been selected to submit a long form application will be requested to do so on or before Friday the 30th of May 2025.

Please note in order to complete this application you will need to attach the following documentation in one PDF document (max. 6 pages, no more than 10MB in size) which should include: 

 – Artist CV, BIO and/or Statement 

 – Examples of previous work (images and/or links to examples of previous work) 

We hope that by offering two different options for completing the main section of this application, via both text and video, that we have managed to make this application process as accessible as possible (see section 2.1 & 2.2). If you require further reasonable adjustment or additional support in completing this application please contact strollersnetwork@gmail.com.

>>APPLY HERE<<

ABOUT THE NETWORK 

The Strollers Network is Irelands the largest consortium of Arts Centres. It‘s partnership is made up of ten venues from across four regions of the country. The network represents one fifth of all publicly funded Arts Centres Nationally. Partner organisations include Belltable (Limerick), Draíocht (Dublin), Watergate (Kilkenny), Solstice (Navan), Visual (Carlow), Linenhall (Mayo), Hawkswell (Sligo), Riverbank (Kildare), Source (Tipperary) and Siamsa Tire (Kerry).

Since its establishment in 2010 the network has supported the production and dissemination of new staged works by some of Irelands leading theatre artists, companies and musicians including; Julie Feeney (2011), Fishamble: The New Play Company (2013 & 2018), Theatre Lovett (2012), Moonfish Theatre Company (2014/15), Duke Special (2017), Monkeyshine Theatre Company (2016) and most recently Joanne Ryan’s national tour of ‘Eggsistentialism’ (2019).

Historically the network has supported artists in two distinct ways, firstly through our annual touring award of €10,000 and secondly by providing artists and companies access to a touring platform which utilised the network’s existing touring infrastructure.

Since 2020 the network has embarked on the development and delivery of a new strategic plan which aims to strengthen the ecology of the Irish arts sector by utilising the network’s existing infrastructures, resources, and wider network partnerships to support the sustainable development of independent artists working within the Irish theatre sector. 2021 will see the launch of PROPEL, a newly established artist development and mentorship programme supporting the early stage research and development of new work by independent theatre artists living and working in Ireland.