Kildare County Council Arts Service, in partnership with Music Generation Kildare, Music Generation Offaly & Westmeath, and Maynooth University, supports a 12-month Musician in Residence award open to established professional musicians, including performers, composers, sound designers, producers, directors or songwriters, working across genres and disciplines. The residency carries a €20,000 fee (inclusive of travel), with an additional €3,000 available for collaborated workshops.
Recent recipients include award-winning Irish percussionist Ruairí Glasheen (2024–25) and soprano Elizabeth Hilliard (2023–24), each of whom balanced creative practice with engagements at Maynooth University and in regional communities, including Music Generation Kildare outreach.
The scheme is delivered through a strategic partnership between higher education, music education providers, local authority arts, and the national music education programme, offering musicians time, support, facilities, and public engagement opportunities.