Exciting new plans to unleash the creative potential of our children and young people around Ireland.

Today, we have announced some exciting new expansions of the Creative Youth strand of the programme, designed to maximise the creative potential of our children and young people.

Included in these expansions, announced by Ministers Josepha Madigan and Joe McHugh, is the doubling of Creative Schools across the country from 150 to 300. Schools who participate will be matched with a Creative Associate who will work closely with each school community to develop a bespoke Creativity plan. And our very first Creative Schools National Celebration will take place between November 4th and 8th. This is an opportunity to showcase some of the amazing projects undertaken by students who participated in the initial pilot of 150 Creative Schools

In addition, thousands of students will develop their creativity in 77 schools partnering in Creative Clusters, an initiative where between three and five schools collaborate on an innovative creative learning project.

As Dylan Coburn Gray’s new play for the National Youth Theatre, Ask Too Much of Me at the Abbey Theatre revealed, youth theatre has fast become one of the most vibrant and inspiring form of youth arts.  So we are delighted that even more young people will have the opportunity to experience drama as new youth theatres are established by Youth Theatre Ireland in Dublin, Offaly and Westmeath. Meanwhile, Fighting Words, who work with school children on developing dynamic creative writing skills, will create new regional writing hubs including the first Irish language group in Ros Muc.

Finally, three new Local Creative Youth Partnerships will be established in Kerry, Laois / Offaly and Limerick / Clare education and training boards. Lots of exciting new opportunities for young people to get creative over the coming weeks and months!

Watch our launch video below: