Bank of Ideas

What is the Bank of Ideas?

Do you have an idea for something creative you’d like to make happen in your local area?

This could be an interest you’d like to share, something you’d like to change with the help of your neighbours, or any fun activity that brings people together.

By submiting and sharing your idea, you can be in with a chance to get up to £2,000 to make it happen, or get other benefits like new volunteers, collaborators and connections.

As you’ll see from our image, lots of things can be creative. That includes recycling, baking, walking, stamp collecting, gardening, skateboarding, sewing, cutting hair, telling stories, caring for others, music, movies, nail art, teaching languages, bird watching, hopscotching and more…

Belfast 2024 is a celebration of creativity for our city, with a programme full of creative events, projects and initiatives for everyone to get involved. Through the Bank of Ideas, your idea could become part of the Belfast 2024 programme.

The Bank of Ideas is run through participatory budgeting, which means that residents decide how public funds are used in their area. Individuals and groups can submit their creative idea for funding and the people of Belfast vote for projects they want to support at a voting event.

The overall Bank of Ideas funding pot is £50,000, which will be divided evenly between North, South, East, West Belfast and City Centre.

• A minimum of 25 projects will be funded, receiving up to £2000.
• There is a short and simple form to fill out for your idea.
• There will be a final celebration event bringing together all projects in November 2024.

What is PB?

PB gives residents a direct say in the decisions that affect them. It helps generate new ideas, strengthens community spirit, and directs funding to where our residents think it'll make the most difference. With PB, it's you - our residents - who decide which projects get funded.

We'll check that the project can be delivered safely, that it is legal and feasible to do in the timeframe and for the money. However, it will be up to your local community to decide which projects are funded; not us!

This PB process is being delivered as part of our Belfast 2024 celebrations.

How to Get Involved

If you and your friends, neighbours, school or organised group have an idea for a creative idea then send it in to the Bank!

We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get involved. You don't have to be a big community group or have done anything like this before to submit your project idea. Join us at an idea generating session in your area and we'll help you develop your idea.

The form is simple and straightforward. The next stage involves a Voting Day in City Hall on Sunday 2nd June, where you'll present your idea to voters at a stall. As the theme is creativity there'll be lots of ways for you to present your idea - you could draw it, make a sample or mini version, tell the story of your idea.

As a condition of your funding you will be required to show what you did with the money at a showcase celebration event in November 2024.

But don't worry, we'll be there to help throughout this process.

If you have an idea or want to learn more, please click on the information links provided (you'll find these on the right-hand side of this page or by scrolling to bottom of the page).

How to send in your idea:

Complete a short form to tell us about your creative project idea. Applications open Monday 8 April for six weeks and close at 5pm on Friday 17 May 2024. You can submit an application in three ways:

1. By Email: Download an electronic PDF version using the following link Application Download and once completed email it to Belfast2024@belfastcity.gov.uk. Applications received after 5pm on Friday 17 May 2024 will not be considered.
2. By post: Use the download and print option to print a copy of the application form. Hard copies can be posted or hand delivered to the Culture & Tourism Unit, 9 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8DJ
3. Online using the survey below!

Applications received after 5pm on Friday 17 May 2024 cannot not be considered so remember 10th-17th May is your last week to submit!

Accessibility Info

There are British Sign Language & Irish Sign Language videos of our Guidance Notes and Form.

Easy Read version is attached.

A braille version of the Guidance Notes if available on request, please email access@universityofatypical.org