Gap Day 2024 - Call for Applications

We are delighted to announce that we are now taking applications for Gap Day 2024. 

Gap Day gives professional freelance theatre practitioners across Ireland paid time to think, dream and plan. Gap Days are available to directors, theatre makers, writers, designers, dramaturgs, production managers and creative producers - essentially, anyone who has a prime creative role in the making of the work.

A Gap Day enables people to take time out and dedicate a day to the creative research and thinking they haven't be able to do lately. How they spend the day is up to them: reading, writing, thinking, drawing, walking, dreaming. Whatever they don’t normally have time to do; whatever they think is needed.

Forging local connections between artists and arts centres/cultural buildings is a key focus of Gap Day. We will help you connect with a Gap Day host local to you.

Participants get

• paid for their time taking Gap Days
• a workspace at an arts centre or cultural building local to them for their Gap Days
• an informal chat over a cup of tea with the director or senior member of staff in their host organisation
• lunch on each Gap Day
• access to monthly drop-in online gatherings
• a small stipend to pay an Artist's Friend for a creative conversation
• access to a fund to help people with additional needs get the most out of their Gap Day
• access to small creative thinking gatherings in person across the country

access to one-to-one coaching to help them make plans and put their plans in motion.

Gap Day was set up by Lian Bell and Mermaid in 2015 and to date has supported over 300 artists. This year, Julie Kelleher (former AD at Mermaid Arts Centre) will take over the producing of Gap Day alongside Founding Artist Lian Bell, and we’re aiming to support approximately 40 Gap Day artists.

For more information on the Gap Day programme, a FAQ document is available to download HERE

Applications can be made via the online form HERE

We welcome applications from across the island, and from people of all genders, nationalities, races, cultural backgrounds, ages, religions, languages, different abilities, sexual orientations or socio-economic statuses. We want to hear from artists who are parents and carers. We particularly encourage applications from members of groups who are underrepresented in the cultural sector.


Deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 14th October 2024 at 5pm.