Commissioning
What is commissioning?
Having access to public money to commission an artist is a unique and exciting opportunity. Commissioning means selecting and contracting an artist who has proposed a new and unique art work for your building or community. We are here to support the best use of this funding, especially for first-time and once-off commissioners
What is the Per Cent for Art Scheme?
The Per Cent for Art Scheme is an Irish government initiative and has existed since the late 1970s. Many Irish government departments who fund infrastructure such as schools, healthcare buildings, housing, roads etc. ring fence money to commission an artist. The applicants for this funding become the commissioners (school boards, local authorities, healthcare organisations).
A new work of art can be in architecture, circus, dance, film, literature, music, opera, street arts and spectacle, theatre, traditional arts and visual arts or any combination of these. including all types of contemporary arts practice such as performance, installation, live art, multimedia, video art, sound art, etc. Art work developed through the Per Cent for Art Scheme can be project based, temporary or permanent.
It is important to remember that the scheme is for the creation of new art work by professional artists. It cannot be used for projects in the areas of craft, design or heritage, or for any other purpose such as architectural improvements, design features or landscaping etc. You can download the Per Cent for Art National Guidelines for more information: Per Cent for Art National Guidelines (PDF)
Do you need more advice?
If you are managing a Per Cent for Art project for the first time, and require advice you can email us editor@publicart.ie.Your Local Authority Arts Office is also a good source of expertise. Before we can guide you, you need to establish that a Per Cent for Art budget has been allocated to your project. Contact the relevant Government department to make sure that the scheme is available for your capital project or those who made the capital application for your project.
