Each Creative Cluster will receive grant funding of €3,000 per school over a 2-year period to implement their project

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the opening of a new round of Creative Clusters.  The deadline for receipt of applications is 10^th May 2024.

In addition to financial support each cluster will also receive: 

• A Creative Cluster facilitator 
• Teacher substitution to attend workshops and meetings
• Room hire, travel & subsistence

Please see the following link for more details: Creative Clusters 2024 (www.gov.ie) Guidelines 

Applications are to be made on the following application form:

Application Form English Version

Application Form Irish Version 

Should you need assistance, please contact your local full-time Education Support Centre (To find your local Centre see Appendix 1 in the Guidelines)

Any queries, please contact your local Education Support Centre or email National Arts in Education Administration This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The aim of this scheme is to give pupils in schools all over the country the opportunity to work with a professional artist on unique projects  

The Department of Education is pleased to announce BLAST Arts & Creativity in Education Residency 2024/2025 applications are now open. (Press Release )

 Please see the following link for BLAST Application Guidelines and further details: (Department of Education BLAST Guidelines )

BLAST Arts & Creativity in Education Residency 2024/2025 apply online here: LINK

 The closing date for receipt of applications is 10^th May 2024.

 Please contact your local Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Eligibility :

All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.

Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST. 

Schools participating in either Creative Clusters or Creative Schools can apply for BLAST.

 BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Centres (Education Support Centres Ireland - ESCI).

 BLAST Application Form (English Version)

BLAST Application Form   (Irish Version) 

-Artist list-

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for artists and creative practitioners of all disciplines to broaden their practice through Teacher Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) professional development and in-school residency programme. Closing date for expression of interest Friday 7th June 2024.

Develop creative partnerships with teachers and children. Receive funded training and residencies that bring the arts and creativity to children all over Ireland through TAP+, an initiative of Creative Youth 2023-27 under Creative Ireland and led by the Department of Education.

TAP+ Overview

• TAP+ Summer Course running 1st to 5th July 2024 in your local Education Support Centre
  • Fully paid training to support artists and creative practitioners to work in primary and special schools
• TAP+ In-school Residencies
  • Bringing learning into practice through creative partnership with teachers and children
  • Funded 20-hour residencies in the school year 2024/25
  • Access to the BLAST register of creative practitioners to deliver in-school residencies

 TAP+ Details

 Open to artists and creative practitioners, working in any art form, discipline or creative practice, who are committed to sharing their practice with children and teachers in primary and special schools

• Training 1st - 5th July 2024 through your local nearest full-time Education Support Centre (esci.ie) to facilitate creative practitioners and collaborating teachers to work in creative partnerships with children.
• Training allowance of €150 per day over the 5-day summer course training (€750 in total), plus travel and lunch provided.
• Professional development through partnerships and creative, collaborative relationships with teachers, in schools committed to the arts and creativity in learning, practice and community.
• Guarantee of paid, follow up in-school residency within a local primary or special school (€1,100 Fee total inclusive of €200 Travel) to carry out a 20-hour residency (14 contact hours plus 6 hours planning, preparation and evaluation) in partnership with your teacher partner in the school year 2024/2025.
• Creative Practitioners must complete TAP+ in-school residencies following participation on the TAP+ Summer Course.
• TAP+ trained creative practitioners are also eligible to participate in BLAST in-school residencies. We invite successful TAP+ creative practitioners to join the BLAST register and where possible to deliver BLAST residencies. See here for further details: BLAST information
• Information, learning and networking opportunities for further freelance work within the education system.

Artists / Creative Practitioners must

• have a track record of a minimum of three years’ professional practice in any art form / creative practice
• demonstrate an interest in / commitment to: the principles of Arts and Creativity in Education and to enhancing the lives of children through arts/creative practice
• be willing to learn about classroom culture and to work in equal partnership with teachers and children
• Combine a sense of fun, joy and collaboration with professional dedication and high artistic/creative vision
• Be willing to undertake child protection training as part of the induction week, and undergo standard Garda vetting before taking up project placements.

 Artists / Creative Practitioners apply for TAP+  via expressions of interest sent to the Director of your local Education Support Centre no later than 5pm on Friday 7th  June 2024. Expressions of interest should be in the form of a letter of max 600 words, accompanied by a CV or short bio with links to images or samples of relevant work.

 The letter should outline:

1. Training institute/ organisation
2. Brief description of practice
3. Why you aim to work in education and in partnership teachers and children
4. What qualifies you to undertake the TAP+ summer course training and residency programme

 Places on this Creative Youth initiative are limited to four Artists / Creative Practitioners per full-time Education Support Centre area. Please ensure that it will be possible for you to meet all requirements of the programme before applying.

 Final decision on offers of places will be taken by the Director of the local Education Support Centre. Any queries in relation to TAP+ should be directed to your local full-time Education Support Centre.