Minister for Northern Ireland Sarah Owen visited Bbeyond in Belfast on Monday evening to observe how funding supports performance art projects that bridge communities in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The group, which received Connect Fund support previously, demonstrated the positive impact of its work on local audiences during a recent show.
This visit marked part of an official tour to assess the ground-level effects of the scheme before the next round of applications opens at the start of November.
The Connect Fund is designed to strengthen collaboration between community and voluntary groups operating across the east and west of the UK.
To date, the initiative has awarded more than £1m to 46 projects spanning Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Successful applicants have reported strengthening East-West connections by developing civic relationships around culture, sports and people.
The programme also aims to build leadership capability and facilitate constructive dialogue on opportunities and challenges facing UK communities.
Bbeyond has formed the NI-GB Performance Art Network in partnership with TactileBosch in Wales, the Belfast School of Art, and the University for the Creative Arts in Canterbury.
The project will assist Northern Ireland performance artists in engaging with the wider UK creative landscape while developing their leadership skills.
Each applicant can bid between £300 and £50,000 to deliver their chosen project.
Return applicants are welcome to apply again provided project delivery runs from April 1 2027 to March 31 2028.
Previous successful applications and their partner organisations were located across the UK.