Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed £100,000 in funding for a new programme that will support bands to play at showcase opportunities outside Northern Ireland.

The new funding stream, titled the Travel Awards for Bands Programme, will be delivered by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and is open to a range of established bands, including accordion, brass, concert, flute, pipe, and wind bands. The programme will provide grants ranging from £500 to £5,000 to help with travel costs. According to Minister Lyons, the initiative is designed to remove "any barriers" to Northern Ireland's music being promoted further afield, and it will also help with music-making and player development.

Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development at the Arts Council, said the funding was a direct response to feedback from the bands community, who often find the cost of travel to be "prohibitive." She added that the travel grants would help bands reach new audiences, develop their skills, and create new networks.

Applications for the programme are now open and will close at 12 noon on Monday, 22 September. The new fund will complement the existing Musical Instruments Programme, which provides funding for groups and individual musicians to purchase or replace instruments.