The projects involve academics working at University College Dublin (UCD) and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (MIC). 

1. “Creative Capacity in Ireland: Working towards Wellbeing” by Dr. Michael Finneran (MIC) 

“It is generally assumed that creative activity is good for wellbeing and particularly for mental health. But why? And what expectations do creativity practitioners have of the work that they do? This project will examine international research to better understand what impact creative activity can have on wellbeing. It will seek out and celebrate best practice in this domain in Ireland and showcase what makes good projects work. It will also illuminate what impedes best practice in order to recommend structural and policy changes to enable more valuable practice and a greater range of work to emerge in this area.”

2. “Inclusion and engagement of Children of Muslim background in creative activities in Ireland: Exploring its relevance, describing hurdles and barriers, identifying national and international best practices and experience in mitigating them” by Prof Eilis Hennessy and Dr Zahra Farahani (UCD) with Poetry Ireland and Muslim Peace and Reconciliation Council as community partners.

“This research aims to investigate the engagement of children with Muslim background in creative activities in Ireland. Research shows that participation in creative activities promotes individual, community and national wellbeing. However, Muslim children in Ireland are at risk of exclusion and low levels of engagement in creative activities due to their mostly immigrant background and lower socio-economic level than mainstream children. The aims of this research are to identifybarriers impeding Muslim children’s engagement in creative activities with a focus on cultural aspects and provide a framework for enhancement of their engagement informed by national and international best practice.” 

The 76 projects announced will reach out across communities to look at diverse issues, including those affecting carers, senior citizens, young people, migrant communities, and the LGBT+ community. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of different groups in society and on the delivery of services is also a significant theme within the research projects being announced. Find out more about the other awarded projects here.