'It's finally seen sense and done the right thing'

Comedians in Ireland will soon eligible for Arts Council funding on a par with other performers.

The news marks a major victory for stand-ups who have long campaigned for comedy to be recognised as a legitimate art form.

And it will encourage comedians in the UK who have also been lobbying for the same aims.

Unveiling a new schedule of funding opportunities for 2026, Ireland’s Arts Council said: ‘We are committed to making additional supports available for comedy and comedians in upcoming funding rounds, enhancing our existing support.

‘Funding distributed through our schemes will enable artists to create, make and present their work, and ensure that people can access excellent arts experience across the country.’

The Irish Arts Council confirmed to Chortle that the statement referred to funding rounds later next year.

A spokesperson said: ‘The Arts Council will fund and support comedy and comedians in upcoming funding rounds. We are proactively reviewing our grant schemes and programmes for 2026 to achieve this.’

They added that they were seeking experts in the field to offer ‘external advisory support’ for the art form.

Comedians have not previously been excluded from the Arts Council’s funding strands, but this new move marks a significant boost for the industry.

It comes after the body commissioned independent research into various art forms in Ireland, which is due to be published early next year.  

A linked campaign has been lobbying for comedy to be officially recognised in the government definition of the arts.

Sinn Féin politician Aengus Ó Snodaigh, pictured, introduced a Bill to the Dáil to add the single word ‘comedy’ after ‘circus’ in the official definition. However, the government las month decided to delay the legislation for 18 months – despite its brevity – sparking anger among the industry.

Of the Arts Council’s  decision, Mr Ó Snodaigh said: ‘Finally, the Arts Council has seen sense and done the right thing. A much-loved art-form whose roots can be traced back to the satire of Gaelic Ireland is now recognised and will be supported to develop and thrive.

‘Today’s news comes after years of Trojan campaigning led by comedian Ailish McCarthy, and I congratulate her and the other comedians who passionately made their case for inclusion to TDs and Senators only last month as my Comedy Bill was debated in the Dáil.

'I said from the start, legislation should not be necessary as the Arts Council could simply end its exclusion of comedy, and the Culture Minister could issue a policy direction if they did not do so.

‘I now call on Culture Ireland – who have been happy to use Irish comedians in their social media content but not happy to fund them as artists – to follow the Arts Council’s example.

‘Hopefully this decision will mean that Ireland’s aspiring artists of the future in comedy, so often forced to go abroad to train and make a living, will be able to build a career for themselves at home, and we can stop losing our talent.’

Speaking to TDs and Senators last month,  McCarthy said that that comedy ‘is not a fringe pursuit, but a vital pillar of Irish artistic life’.

‘The omission of comedy has enormous consequences,’ she said. ‘Comedians, stand-ups, improvisers and sketch performers are automatically excluded from applying for support. For a country that prides itself on its wit and world-class storytelling, that is both an irony and an injustice.’

Published: 8 Dec 2025