Ulster-Scots Music & Dance Tuition Programme Opens

09 June 2025

The Ulster-Scots Agency has opened its annual Ulster-Scots Music and Dance Tuition programme for voluntary and community organisations.

The funding streams will support music and dance tuition from 1 September 2025 to 31 May 2026.

Please note: There are TWO separate applications for funding – one for Dance Tuition and one for Music Tuition.

Dance Tuition

This grant supports up to 30 weeks of Highland or Scottish Country Dance with an option which supports accreditation.

Groups wishing to apply for a Dance Tuition project should register HERE.

Music Tuition

This grant supports up to 20 weeks of tuition across a range of Ulster-Scots musical traditions – including drum major tuition – and offers support for accreditation.

Groups wishing to apply for a Music Tuition project should register HERE.

Following a successful registration, a link to an application form, guidelines, and a Scheme of Work template will be automatically emailed to the group.  

Groups must ensure that they have submitted all the listed supporting and, for groups based in Northern Ireland, uploaded the required documents to the Government Funders Database. We would encourage groups to submit their applications as soon as possible in advance of the deadline.

We anticipate this programme will be significantly oversubscribed; therefore, incomplete applications, or applications which fail to submit all the required supporting documents, will be rejected.

The maximum funding available for groups is 75% of eligible costs. All eligible and capped costs are listed in the guidelines.

Applications close on Thursday 17 July at 3pm.

Groups are encouraged to read the guidelines carefully and attend an information workshop (further details are below).

Information Workshops

Information workshops will be held on the following dates and locations:

Monday 16 June (commencing at 7.30pm)
Somme Memorial Hall, 3 Douglas Road Newtownstewart BT78 4NE

Monday 16 June (commencing at 7.30pm)
Roughan Orange Hall, Annaghilla Road, Augher BT77 0BS

Wednesday 18 June (commencing at 7.30pm)
Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, 24 Main Street, Limavady

Wednesday 18 June (commencing at 7.30pm)                                                                                       
Schomberg Society, 8-12 Newcastle Street, Kilkeel

Tuesday 24 June (commencing at 7.30pm)
Ballymarlow Orange Hall, Moorfields Road, Ballymena, BT42 3BT

Tuesday 24 June (commencing at 7.30pm)
Bannville House Hotel, 174 Lurgan Road, Banbridge, BT32 4NR.

Groups can also contact the Ulster-Scots Community Network for advice and support on 028 9043 6710.

For further information, contact the Ulster-Scots Agency’s Community Development Officer, Derek Reaney, on reaneyd@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk or 07843 279 912.