Guidelines for Applicants

Opening Date: Tuesday 9th June 2026

Closing Date:  Tuesday 30th June 2026 @ 5pm

Return completed applications to:

ntefund@kilkennycoco.ie

Application Form can be found  HERE

Queries to Feargus Dunne, Night Time Economy Advisor, Kilkenny County Council  

Telephone:  056 7794039 or Email: ntefund@kilkennycoco.ie

An independent assessment panel will award funding on a competitive basis; therefore, all applications submitted must be submitted in advance of the deadline and accompanied by comprehensive supporting information. If you do not provide the relevant documentation we will consider your application ineligible.

Kilkenny Night Time Economy Pilot is seeking proposals from local businesses, community groups, event organisers, collaborators and individuals to develop projects that will support the growth and diversity of the night time economy in Kilkenny City. This fund will support applicants who wish to pilot new, diverse and innovative concepts after 6pm between Sunday and Thursday which can support the diversification of our night time economy in the city.

Call 4 will support events taking place between Sunday 19th July and Thursday 5th November 2026 inclusive.

Note: If you have been a successful recipient of funding under Call 1, Call 2 or Call 3 previously, your proposal for Call 4 must be new and distinct from previous application(s).

Overview:

The Night Time Economy refers to the diverse social, cultural and economic activity occurring during specified evening and night time hours, typically after 6pm. It balances the needs of the inter-related communities that co-exist to bring it to life and create a special sense of shared place. Kilkenny City has been selected as one of nine pilot towns and cities that has prepared an action plan setting out a range of interventions to support the coordinated development of our night time economy. A key action under the Kilkenny City Night Time Economy Action Plan is the establishment of a grant funding scheme to support night time activities and events in the city. The purpose of this funding scheme is to encourage collaboration and facilitate a greater variety of offerings and experiences at night for residents, workers, and visitors.

Features of the scheme:

• A minimum grant of €500 and a maximum grant of €2,000 will be available to successful applicants. This is a competitive funding call with a limited budget. It may not be possible to offer funding to all applicants and it may also not be possible to offer the full amount requested to any individual applicant.
• Please note that if you have been a successful recipient of funding under Call 1, Call 2 or Call 3 previously, your proposal for Call 4 must be new and distinct from previous application(s).
• The proposed event/initiative must take place on a minimum of 2 different dates between Sunday and Thursday after 6pm in Kilkenny City during the period Sunday 19th July and Thursday 5th November 2026 inclusive.
• Events which can be funded include but not limited to, late evening or night tours, live music, live DJ, dancing (performative or participatory), exhibitions, poetry readings, comedy shows (stand up, sketch or improvisation), theatre, film, live podcasts, storytelling, classes, wellbeing initiatives, light shows and historical themed events
• Working with new partners is encouraged to attract new audiences and inspire new uses of existing spaces in the community for late night artists and cultural communities.
• Applications for amounts greater than €2,000 will be considered if a multi partner application is proposed that demonstrates a unique and collaborative approach that wishes to roll out a prolonged and/or more ambitious programme of events. These will be assessed on a case by case basis in the context of available funding; additional funding is not guaranteed and the above principles apply.
• Please note that a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 30% of funding awarded must be utilised for marketing/promotion.
• Grant payments will be made on the basis of paid invoices and proof of payment from your bank account and only for the proposed expenditure submitted on the original application form. Cash payments to suppliers are not permitted to be claimed under this scheme.
• All successful Grantees are also required to carry out a participant/ visitor survey.

This data will help Kilkenny County Council evaluate the success of the pilot and will assist in gaining valuable insights into who is attending the late night events, the number of attendees and their overall experience of the events/initiative.

• All successful Grantees will be required to fill out an evaluation questionnaire in relation to this scheme when drawing down funds. This will allow Kilkenny County Council to evaluate the effectiveness of the funding and also to gain learnings from the pilot.
• Programmes must be advertised locally through various channels to ensure maximum visibility. The support of Kilkenny Night Time Economy Pilot and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport must be acknowledged in public advertising. Logos for both will be provided to successful applicants.
• All applications must be made using the Kilkenny City NTE Fund Call 4 Application Form, and applications must be typed. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.

Timeline of the scheme:

Call 4 opens for applications on Tuesday 9th June and the closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 30th June. Successful applicants will be notified within two weeks of the closing date. All funds must be drawn down within two weeks of the event completion.

Who can apply?

Under Call 4, funding is being awarded under four distinct streams. You must apply for the stream that is most relevant to your proposal, and state this in your application.

Stream A:Licensed premises - Pubs, restaurants and wine bars, nightclubs and other suitable licensed premises that operate in the Evening and Night-Time Economy who want to trial an event or series of events/cultural activities during off peak times from Sunday to Thursday from 6pm onwards.

Stream B: Unlicensed premises – Cafés, including cafés that may have their premises in a retail outlet, dry bars, local galleries and visitor attractions and other suitable non-licensed premises, who want to trial an event or series of events/cultural activities during off peak times from Sunday to Thursday from 6pm onwards. This will be under a “Café Lates” initiative in the city.

Note: For Stream B only, events must take place on both Thursday 20th August and Thursday 17th September

See additional information for Stream B only on the final page.

Stream C:Night Tours – Businesses or community groups, who want to trial a night tour event or series of events/cultural activities during off peak times from Sunday to Thursday from 6pm onwards. Examples include (but not limited to) walking tours (food tours/ historical tours/ ghost tours), bicycle tours etc.

Stream D - General: Sporting, Recreational, Youth & Age Friendly groups - Groups in this category who want to trial an event or series of events/cultural activities during off peak times from Sunday to Thursday from 6pm onwards.

Eligible Funding:

• Venue hire (in instances where the applicant doesn’t have the use or ownership of their own venue)
• Artist’s, performers, guides fees/costs etc. (artists/performers must be paid)
• Security Costs
• Event insurance
• Set up/staging costs
• AV Costs and equipment hire
• Photography, Marketing and Advertising Costs
• Costs related to carrying out a visitor survey/exhibition survey
• Subsidised entrance fee or ticket fee (up to 50%) for the event or initiative (if the activity is of a commercial nature)

Ineligible funding:

• Cost incurred before the awarding of the grant
• Capital or construction costs
• Purchase of equipment/materials
• Purchase of musical instruments
• Local authority rates
• Staff costs or additional staffing costs for later openings

• Accommodation
• Legal and accountancy fees
• Annual insurance costs (with the exception of per event insurance)
• Food and beverages

Amount of Grant Available

The scheme will provide 100% of funding for the event(s) or initiative. The minimum grant award is €500 and the maximum grant award is €2,000.

How will the decision on funding be made?

Grant applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

Funding Conditions:

1. Grant payments will be made on the basis of invoices paid and proof of payment from your bank account and only for the proposed expenditure submitted on the original application form. Cash payments to suppliers are not permitted to be claimed under this scheme.

1. Only one application for this Scheme per individual/venue/business will be considered and the event must take place in Kilkenny City.

3. Grant funding should not be used as top-up or substitute funding for existing events. Groups & Organisations already in receipt of funding from Kilkenny County Council or other funding agencies will need to declare this and demonstrate that the activity proposed under this scheme is separate and distinct. Proposals that include activities that have already started or are completed outside of the timeframes specified are not eligible for funding.
4. Please note your project or event cannot commence until you have been notified as to whether you are successful. This should be factored into the timeline for your event(s). Kilkenny County Council will not retrospectively fund and take no responsibility for proposed projects that have not been awarded funding by due process.

1. The grant award must be drawn down no later than two weeks after the event has completed. The funding will only be paid to the applicant body (not a sub-contractor(s) of the applicant).
2. Where a grant is allocated for a specific event/ project, Kilkenny County Council will not be responsible for the insurance of that event/ project. The organisers must ensure that adequate insurance is in place prior to the commencement of any event/ project.

7. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all permissions, approvals, licenses or consents needed for your project are secured before the event(s) takes place.
8. If your application is successful, evidence of appropriate public liability must be provided. Organisers will also be asked to indemnify Kilkenny County Council on their public liability insurance.
9. If applicants intend to work with children and young people, evidence will be requested if successful of having an up to date child protection policy or the child protection policy of your partner organisation.
10. If the event or project is altered, postponed or cancelled – in whole or in part – the Kilkenny County Council Night Time Economy Advisor, Feargus Dunne, must be contacted to discuss the matter.
11. Kilkenny Night Time Economy Pilot and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport must be acknowledged on all publicity, press and marketing material, websites and social media outlets produced in connection with the undertaking or event. Logos will be sent to all successful applicants.
12. Copies of all such material produced must be sent to the Night Time Economy Advisor in advance of the event and included as part of the Evaluation Report.

1. Selection of projects/events will be made through the appointment of an independent assessment panel and scored on the criteria outlined in the guidance note.

Appeals:

An appeal may be made by an applicant to ntefund@kilkennycoco.ie if they are not satisfied with the outcome of their application. An appeal must be made within five working days of the date of the decision by letter/email. The appeal will be reviewed independently and on completion of the review, a decision will issue to the applicant.

Payment Conditions:

Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Offer along with an acceptance slip. This will form the contract between Kilkenny County Council and the organiser/lead applicant and will detail all conditions and requirements which will include all health and safety requirements by you if appropriate, guidance on GDPR imagery that identifies a person in your images and correct consent forms returned. 

Full details of all conditions will be emailed to successful applicants.

In order to receive payment, the successful applicant must provide the following:

• A completed Kilkenny County Council “supplier set up form” with tax registration certification and copy of your bank statement header.
• Evidence that project/initiative/event has taken place (e.g. photographic evidence, MAX 5, high quality jpeg images must be supplied, copies of press features) and evidence that ALL publicity material about your project acknowledge Kilkenny Night Time Economy Pilot and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport with the logos clearly visible. Acknowledgement also on all print materials, interviews, films produced and social media postings – (Logos will be supplied to you if successful).
• Grant payments will be made on the basis of invoices paid and proof of payment from your bank account and only for the proposed expenditure submitted on the original application form. Cash payments to suppliers are not permitted to be claimed under this scheme.
• Payment will be made by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) only.
• Failure to return the required report and related receipts will forfeit the grant.

Stream B: Unlicensed premises – Additional Information

*This section applies to applicants in Stream B only

Kilkenny Night Time Economy Pilot is pleased to announce a dedicated call for "Café Lates", a pilot grant initiative designed to foster a vibrant and diverse night time café culture. Under Call 4, we are again inviting local cafés located in Kilkenny city to apply for funding to introduce engaging cultural programming after 6pm on the two dates outlined below.

• Thursday 20th August
• Thursday 17th September

Successful applicants must commit to extending their opening hours past 6pm and enhancing their night time offering on both dates.

The Café Lates initiative is a direct response to our night time economy public consultation that aims to:

• Diversify Nightlife: Expand evening options offering an enhanced experience for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
• Stimulate the Economy: Increase dwell time in the city and encourage additional footfall and increase revenue streams for cafés during evening hours.

The types of programming we envisage and encourage are for example, live performances from local bands to intimate acoustic and DJ sets, spoken word and poetry, comedy, book clubs, live podcasts, workshops, and tastings, to themed nights. We also encourage programming that appeals to a youth audience, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all.

Please note:

Your planning permission and license arrangements should allow for staging any event you propose, and all events should comply with legislative requirements.

If you have been a successful recipient of funding under the previous Night Time Economy Café Lates scheme in 2025, your proposal for Call 4 must be new and distinct from previous application(s).

Why Participate?

Financial Support: Receive funding to offset the costs of hosting cultural events and experiment with new late-night offerings.

Increased Visibility: Benefit from promotional support, reaching new audiences and potentially attracting new customers to your café.

Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable feedback through participant surveys to understand your audience, refine your offerings, and determine the feasibility of extending your café's hours and programming in the future.

Who Can Apply:

Cafés located in Kilkenny City which can host events and are interested in piloting evening and night time events. Successful applicants must organise events that will extend their opening hours by at least two hours after 6pm, on both Thursday 20th August and Thursday 17th September.

Full Guidance Note for Applicants can also be found HERE