The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, through the Creative Ireland Programme, has launched Creative Climate Action Fund III (2026–2029), a €6.5 million competitive fund supporting ambitious, large-scale creative projects that drive real climate action.

For the Irish events, festivals and cultural sector, this is not just a funding call — it is a significant strategic opportunity.

Why This Matters to EIAI Members

This fund is explicitly designed to support creative, participatory, community-based projects that move beyond awareness into measurable behavioural and cultural change.

The programme recognises that:

• The arts and creative sectors are central to enabling climate literacy and public engagement
• Cultural participation can drive behavioural shifts
• Cross-sector collaboration is essential to climate adaptation and mitigation

For event organisers, producers, venues, creative agencies and cultural institutions, this aligns directly with:

• Festival programming
• Public engagement initiatives
• Sustainable event innovation
• Place-based cultural development
• Cross-border and Shared Island collaborations
• Audience behaviour change campaigns

In short: this is funding that places live engagement and cultural experience at the centre of national climate policy.

Scale of Funding

• Total Fund: €6.5 million
• Per Project: €400,000 – €750,000
• Duration: 3 years (2026–2029)

This is large-scale funding aimed at ambitious, partnership-led projects.

Importantly, €1 million of the fund is allocated under the Shared Island initiative, supporting cross-border climate action projects involving partners in Northern Ireland.

What Type of Projects Are Eligible?

The fund welcomes proposals from across:

• Arts and cultural organisations
• Festivals and cultural venues
• Creative industries (including design, AV, digital, AR/VR, music, fashion, comedy)
• Local authorities
• Community groups
• Social enterprises
• Universities and research institutions
• Climate organisations
• Commercial companies (in partnership structures)

Projects must demonstrate:

• Conceptual Shifts – Changing how people think about climate
• Behavioural or Cultural Shifts – Tangible change in actions
• Organisational Change – New policies or practices emerging
• Enduring Connectivity – Sustainable collaboration beyond the project lifecycle

This focus on measurable transformation is critical.

Key Climate Themes

Projects should align with national climate priorities including:

• Climate adaptation and mitigation
• Renewable energy and energy use
• Sustainable transport
• Just transition and inclusivity
• Agriculture and land use
• Biodiversity and nature restoration
• Circular economy

For the events industry, this opens opportunities around:

• Sustainable touring models
• Green production innovation
• Circular event systems
• Audience travel behaviour change
• Climate-themed cultural programming
• Place-based regeneration initiatives

Governance & Requirements

This is a serious public fund with robust governance requirements:

• Independent evaluation is mandatory
• Multi-disciplinary project teams required (artist, climate expert, project manager, evaluator, communications, financial oversight, etc.)
• Funding is paid retrospectively on vouched expenditure
• Service Level Agreement required
• Strict compliance with Circular 13/2014
• Projects must be of sufficient organisational scale, and budgets must be between €400,000 and €750,000.

Important Dates

• Applications Open: 16 February 2026
• Information Webinar: 25 February 2026
• Networking Session: 6 March 2026
• Closing Date: 3pm, 15 April 2026

Strategic View for the Event Industry

This fund reflects a growing policy shift:

Climate action is now seen as a cultural challenge, not just a scientific or regulatory one.

For our sector, this presents three key opportunities:

1. Positioning events as climate engagement platforms
2. Embedding sustainability innovation into funded programming
3. Strengthening cross-sector partnerships with climate experts and local authorities

It also aligns strongly with ongoing national discussions around live music, cultural infrastructure, and sustainable delivery frameworks.

Should EIAI Members Consider Applying?

If your organisation:

• Has experience delivering public-facing cultural projects at scale
• Can build strong partnerships (creative & climate expertise)
• Has financial governance capacity
• Is interested in embedding long-term sustainability change

Then this call warrants serious consideration.

The scale of funding means this is not suitable for small standalone projects, but it is highly relevant for:

• Major festivals
• Multi-venue collaborations
• Local authority-led cultural partnerships
• Cross-border event initiatives
• Creative industry consortia

Next Steps

EIAI encourages members interested in exploring this opportunity to:

• View further information here
• Review the full briefing document here
• Attend the official information webinar, register here
• Begin identifying potential climate and research partners
• Consider Shared Island opportunities where relevant

If members would find it useful, EIAI can explore facilitating:

• A sector briefing session
• Partner matchmaking discussions
• Collaborative concept scoping

Email us at hello@eiai.ie if the above is if interest.