The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD has announced €500,000 in funding for small grassroots music venues.

The Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme (GMVSS) aims to support small established venues that promote themselves as live music venues or dance venues, with grassroots performers forming forming a core part of their programming.

Up to €15,000 will be made available for events that showcase emerging, grassroots artists performing live or electronic music that they have written or created themselves. Under the scheme, venues are required to ensure that all artists and freelance crew are paid.

Venues can also apply for funding towards production and crew costs, PR, advertising, ticketing, the hire of equipment, the hiring of security staff and event insurance costs.

“Grassroots music venues are an integral part of the music ecosystem in Ireland and are vital to our communities," said Minister O'Donovan.

"I want to support these venues so they can give opportunities to new and emerging artists and give them spaces to perform, develop their skills, and build their audiences. Many of the big acts that we see today in large arenas, started their careers performing in grassroots venues, so it is important that we support these venues to allow them to continue to provide these much needed opportunities for up and coming musicians and DJs.”

The Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme has been developed in consultation with representatives from the Live Venue Collective, grassroots music industry, Give Us The Night and the NTE Advisors.

Applications can be made for the new scheme from noon today.