In this month's issue the Arts Council in partnership with Create presents Vital Signs, an Arts and Health Programme. The programme, which will be rolled-out this Autumn, will include an  arts and health conference to be held on 15 October and an exhibition taking place at a number of Dublin 8 venues from 14-21 October.

We encourage the arts sector to submit events for inclusion in the new 'what's on calendar'.  This free on-line guide aims to showcase the arts right across the country, encourage more people to attend or participate in more events, and demonstrate the enormous dividends that flow to society and the economy from public investment in the arts.

In conjunction with the Irish Film Board and RTÉ, we announce the successful recipients of FRAMEWORKS.  This scheme is aimed exclusively at the production of animated short films up to six minutes in duration; the projects selected for funding will combine creative exploration with an ability to appeal to a broad audience.

Also in the newsletter, we remind you of upcoming deadlines for Annual Funding and Annual Programming Grants. We include details of the upcoming deadlines for the Small Arts Festival Scheme, the Music Recording Scheme and the Performance and Touring Award  and we also provide information on funding opportunities for artists with disabilities. We also give another reminder that the deadline for applying for a Bursary Award has been extended to 21 January 2010.

This newsletter also has some useful information on how the arts sector can deal with the swine flu pandemic and we also include a notice to Arts Council funded organisations on maximising tax take from donations/gifts.

The newsletter rounds off with our regular articles on news from the arts community and international opportunities from the Cultural Contact Point.

Mary Cloake

Director

The Arts Council is working with Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts, to present Vital Signs, an Arts and Health Programme this autumn.

The Arts Council is reminding all funded organisations and individuals to submit public events for inclusion in a new online guide.

The Arts Council, the Irish Film Board, and RTÉ are delighted to announce the successful new FRAMEWORKS projects.

The closing date for receipt of applications for Annual Funding is 5.30 p.m., Thursday, 17 September, 2009. This deadline is for organisations seeking funding for activities happening in 2010.

The closing date for receipt of applications for Annual Programming Grants is Thursday 22 October 2009. This deadline is for organisations seeking funding through this programme for activities happening in 2010.

Reminder: Small Arts Festivals Scheme 2009 first closing date - 25 September 2009.

Music Network has announced the closing date for applications to two award schemes: The Arts Council's Music Recording Scheme and the Music Network Performance and Touring Award. Closing date for receipt of applications for both award schemes is 5:30 p.m. Monday; 5 October.

The deadline for the next round of the Arts and Disability Awards is 2 November at 4 p.m.

The deadline for the next round of Bursary awards (originally 5 November 2009) has been extended and the new deadline is 21 January 2010.

The Arts Council encourages organistions to consider the implications of H1N1 swine flu for their own operations and events.

Arts Council funded organisations who qualify as 'eligible charities' or 'approved bodies' are entitled to tax relief on all donations/gifts over €250.

Opportunities from the arts community in August includes: a call for scripts from Galway Theatre Festival; an invitation to apply for studio space from Fire Station Artists’ Studios; details of a website called fundingpoint.ie, a resource which helps the voluntary and community sector in Ireland fundraise and finally information on creative writing workshops for young people from Ealaín na Gaeltachta.

News from the CCP in August includes: information on the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion; a downloadable application form for Culture Programme strands 1.1 and 1.2.1; a call for expressions of interest in assisting the Executive Agency Education, Audiovisual and Culture; an update on the European Union Prize for Literature 2009; an announcement on the third edition of the European Atelier for Young Festival Managers and finally a reminder of the EACEA website.