Creative Heartlands Short Film Bursary Scheme – 2026 Call

The 2026 Creative Heartlands (SLR) Short Film Bursary Scheme is now open and will run for six weeks, closing on Monday 23rd March 2026 (midnight) . Three bursaries are available to film teams, each to the value of €6,000.

The Creative Heartlands Film Bursary is an annual award by Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon Arts Office and Creative Ireland Programmes. The award is open to both established and emerging filmmakers and production companies, living/working in the SLR region, and designed to support collaboration among filmmaking teams in the development of an original Short Film.

Films are to be delivered by Sunday 2nd August 2026 (midnight) for presentation at the Strandhill Film and Folk Festival (August 2026), Adaptation Film Festival (September 2026) and Roscommon International Film Festival (October 2026).

One film will be commissioned from a filmmaking team based in each of the counties that are part of Creative Heartlands project – Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon. The address of the Lead Applicant will determine the county of origin of the application.

Each application must be led by a professional practicing film artist/producer/director based in either Sligo, Leitrim or Roscommon.

The scheme is open to short films - drama, animation, documentary and more - to be delivered in HD 1080p - and should be no longer than 12mins (we can be flexible with the running time on a documentary).

Team applications (writers, directors, producers) are encouraged.