We’ve been building partnerships between cultural and commercial businesses through Investment Programme for over 35 years, bringing creativity into the heart of businesses and investment to arts organisations.
Investment Programme helps organisations ignite long-term partnerships, reach new audiences, connect with communities, support business solutions, and deliver world-class arts and culture. Through Investment Programme we make amazing happen.
What is Investment Programme?
The Arts & Business NI Investment Programme is a competitive match-fund, which supports partnerships between arts organisations and commercial businesses in Northern Ireland.
Who can Apply?
All applications must be new or existing partnerships between an arts/cultural organisation and a business in Northern Ireland. This fund is open to both A&BNI members and non-members. Please refer to our supporting guidelines for full eligibility criteria before completing an application.
What do we Fund?
We help partners build sustainable long-term relationships and achieve more. An investment from this programme should allow the partnership to develop, undertake additional activity or push their project to another level. We can award up to £15,000 match-funding to the lead arts partner in a financial year; a partnership can receive investment a maximum of 2 times. A full breakdown of eligibility, investment limits and exclusions can be found in our guidelines below.
How to Apply?
Both partners should complete the application and budget form. We open submissions for this fund 5 times a year and the deadlines are as follows;
- 28 March 2025
- 30 May 2025
- 29 August 2025
- 7 November 2025
- 30 January 2026
This is a competitive application process, assessed by a panel of judges convened by Arts & Business NI. We will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of the outcomes. Arts & Business NI Investment Programme is funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland. For more info contact info@artsandbusinessni.org.uk.
How does the programme work? Click play to find out
Investment Programme - Guidelines
Investment Programme - Application Form
Investment Programme - Budget Form
Investment Programme - Evaluation Form
Investment Programme - Budget Variance (Evaluation)
“The opportunity that the Investment Programme offers is invaluable as it promotes a culture of arts sponsorship within the business community and acts as a vehicle for support for arts organisations to enable aspirations around special projects and bespoke programmes to come to life.”
COMING SOON: A&BNI FUSE FUND - OPENING IN FEB 2026
Arts & Business NI is launching a brand-new match fund designed especially for small and micro business owners who want to connect with the arts for the first time and make a positive impact in their local area. Opening in February 2026, the fund will match up to £2,000 of a small business’s sponsorship towards an upcoming creative project delivered by an arts organisation.
Partnerships could include - but aren’t limited to, sponsoring a local theatre production, visual arts exhibition, creative workshop series, or community festival. The matched funding can help bring the collaboration to life through marketing, community engagement, and creative activity. With up to 10 awards available, the A&BNI Fuse Fund aims to inspire first-time sponsors, ignite meaningful partnerships, and support creativity in communities across Northern Ireland.
Our Funders & Partners
Arts & Business NI is generously supported by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
