Eligibility & Conditions

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The purpose of the competition is to provide students registered at Irish (including Northern Ireland) educational institutions, and practitioners of the visual arts and design, with financial assistance to complete a project in the area of visual culture, visual arts and/or design, which, in the opinion of the Trustees is interesting, novel, important and/or will contribute significantly to the applicant’s intellectual and personal development. The Trustees will not consider applications for funding for conference attendances, or courses. The closing date for applications is Friday 2nd March 2012 (1800hrs GMT). The Trust will endeavour to notify successful applicants by the end of April, 2012.  Payments will be sent to the winning applicants soon after. The decision of the Trustees is final and no correspondence shall be entered into.

Conditions

1. The Trustees may at their discretion make one or more award in every year, or may make no award where the applications are in their opinion of insufficient merit.
   
   
2. Student applicants must be registered at an Irish (Northern or Southern) university, college or other third level educational institution.
   
   
3. All applications must be made exclusively by website application form. Each applicant may make only one application for each competition. The application form must be completed in full.
   
   
4. The Trustees will not generally entertain group applications for e.g. class projects.
   
   
5. The Trustees do not accept applications or references by post or by email: only those made through the website will be considered.
   
   
6. Applications will be accepted from those who applied to the Trust in previous years.
   
   
7. Applications will not be accepted after 18.00 hrs GMT on 2nd March 2012.
   
   
8. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain prior permission to nominate a person as referee. The applicant has to provide all required details of the proposed referee including a correct and appropriate email address. On receipt of the completed application, an automatically generated email containing a webform link is sent to the email address provided by the applicant for his or her referee.  This email asks the referee to submit a reference by completing and submitting the webform.  The Trust will not consider applications where the application or reference arrives after the closing date and time of the competition.
   
   
9. As indicated on the application form, applicants must state clearly the total foreseeable costs of the project in euro, the amount being sought from the Trust and where relevant, details of applications made elsewhere for financial support for the project.
   
   
10. The Trustees will not consider applications involving requests for support for, or paying fees for courses, or attending conferences.
    
    
11. The Trustees may at their discretion consider funding either projects in their entirety costing up to €5,000 or partly funding projects costing more. Where the project costs are in excess of €5,000, applicants must state to which body or person they have made formal application for the additional funds.
    
    
12. The Trust will endeavour to notify successful applicants by the end of April, 2012.
    
    
13. Each successful applicant must submit a short report on the project carried out. This will define what the applicant considers to be the benefits the applicant has gained from completing the project, the project’s contribution to knowledge or state of the art, the research findings, where relevant, where the research is to be published/exhibited, or otherwise taken further. Where the project is, for example, paintings, photographs, videos or designs, the report will describe the project's process, the benefits the applicant has gained from completing the project,  the project’s contribution to the state of the art, where the project is to be published/exhibited, or otherwise taken further, and particulars of any reviews, comments etc.. Successful applicants will receive a link to a webform and must submit the completed webform prior to 18.00 hrs on 15th October 2012.
    
    
14. If it becomes impossible to undertake the project within the stated time, the award money must be returned to the Trust and a new application submitted in the following year.
    
    
15. Canvassing by or on behalf of an applicant will disqualify the applicant.
    
    
16. The award must not, under any circumstances, be used for anything other than the purpose for which it has been given.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of the awards?
   The purpose of the awards is to provide financial support for successful applicants in Ireland (North and South) to enable (a) them to travel abroad, for the purpose of improving their knowledge of the visual and applied arts, architecture and the history of art, or (b) to provide them with funding for projects for the advancement of education and research in the visual and applied arts.
   
   
2. What is the maximum award per applicant?
   The maximum award is €5,000.
   
   
3. What qualifies me to apply?
   Applicants must be either (a) students registered at an Irish (Northern or Southern) university, college or other third level educational institution, or (b) practitioners of the visual or applied arts or design who may be based in Ireland or elsewhere. There is no age limit.
   
   
4. How must I make my application?
   Solely by on-line web application at http://www.thomasdammanntrust.ie
   
   
5. What are the criteria used by the Trustees?
   The criteria include but are not limited to applications which in the opinion of the Trustees (a) are interesting, novel, and important (b) will contribute significantly to the applicant's intellectual and personal development, and/or (c) would not receive sufficient or any funding otherwise.
   
   
6. Can I apply for money to attend conferences or courses?
   No. The Trustees will not consider applications for funding for conference attendances or courses.
   
   
7. Can I make a group or class application?
   In general, no. The Trustees will not give awards for joint or class projects, though the Trustees reserve the right to depart from this condition in exceptional circumstances.
   
   
8. Do I need a referee to support my application, and what does the referee have to do?
   Yes, every applicant must nominate an appropriately qualified person to act as referee who provides the Trustees a confidential indication of the merit of the project, and the likelihood of its successful completion. The on-line application filled in by every candidate will ask for the name, institution and email address of the person they propose as referee. (Applicants must take special care to get the email address absolutely right.) On receipt of the application, the Trust's website system generates an automatic request by email to the email address given for the referee, and provided by the applicant. This email asks the referee to provide the Trust with information about the applicant and his or her project. The applicant must take responsibility for ensuring the referee has been properly asked to give the reference, and knows what is expected, and files the reference before the closing date.
   
   
9. When is the closing date for the 2012 competition?
   All applications must be submitted on or before 18.00 hrs GMT on 2 March 2012. Late applications will not be accepted.
   
   
10. How and when will successful applicants be notified?
    Successful applicants will be notified by email by the end of April 2012. (If you have not heard from the Trust, you must assume that you have been unsuccessful, and should perhaps consider getting advice on your application, changing it, and resubmitting a modified application for the following year's competition.)
    
    
11. What must successful applicants do to show they have fulfilled the terms of the award?
    If you have been successful, you will receive a link to a webform to submit a post-completion report on the project. This webform will prompt you to complete a short report on the project carried out. This will prompt you to define what you consider to be the benefits you have gained from completing the project, your evaluation of the project’s contribution to knowledge or state of the art, your research findings, and where relevant, where your project may or will be published/exhibited, or otherwise taken further. Where your project is, for example, paintings, photographs, videos or designs, your report must describe the project's process, the benefits you consider you gained from completing the project, your evaluation of the project’s contribution to the state of the art, where the project may or will be published/exhibited, or otherwise taken further, and particulars of any reviews, comments etc.. You must submit the completed webform prior to 18.00 hrs on 15th October 2012.
    
    
12. Is there any appeal from the decision of the Trustees?
    No. The decision of the Trustees is final and no correspondence shall be entered into.

Trustees: Dr. Paul Caffrey, Chairman, Dr. Philip McEvansoneya, His Honour Judge Patrick J. McCartan, Mr James Hanley RHA

Award range: A maximum of €5,000 per applicant

Closing date for completed applications: Friday, 2nd March 2012 at 1800hrs GMT

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