Children across Ireland are invited to let their imaginations soar and be part of a special week which celebrates creativity in young people.
The theme of this year’s annual celebration of creativity is Creativity Lives Here! and recognises and affirms that schools are truly creative places, filled with very creative people. Creative Schools Week is a celebration of this creativity in schools with a focus on fun, festivities, imagination and innovation and this year will take place from 9th -13th May.
Speaking about Creative Schools Week Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly said:
“Creative Schools week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the many ways in which schools and school communities embrace creativity every day. I encourage everyone, no matter what stage of life you are at, to take a few minutes this week to consider where creativity lives for you”.
Creative Schools week is spearheaded by the Creative Schools initiative, which over 600 schools are already part of. Designed to provide opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills, Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools supports Primary and Post-Primary schools and Youthreach centres across Ireland to put arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives.
The past two years have presented challenges to teaching and learning environments and staff and students in every school have met these challenges in creative and innovative ways. This year the theme of creative schools encourages school communities to pause and reflect on where creativity is evident in our lives, in every class, in every school and in the experience of every student.
But you don’t have to be part of the Creative Schools programme to take part in next week’s celebration.
All Creative schools have received a digital school pack full of ideas, information and inspiration. If you are a school who is not already involved with the Creative Schools programme, you can contact creativeschools@artscouncil.ie to receive more practical ideas and tips to help you participate in Creative Schools week.
Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools provides opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills. Participation empowers children and young people to develop, implement and evaluate arts and creative activity throughout their schools/centres and stimulate additional ways of working which reinforce the impact of creativity on children and young people’s learning, development and well-being.
Key supports offered by the programme include, specialist support and advice from a Creative Associate assigned to each school/centre; training and networking; and funding to begin to implement Creative Schools Plans.
Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Government’s Creative Ireland Programme, putting the arts and creativity at the heart of children and young people’s lives. The initiative is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Applications for the next round of Creative Schools are now open. Full details on how to apply are here.
The closing date for applications is 17:30pm, 2nd June 2022.
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