Opportunity for Schools: Creative Clusters 2024-2026 initiative
Image Credit: Creative Clusters 2021-2023
Department of Education
Deadline: 10th May 2024
The Department of Education is pleased to announce the opening of a new round of Creative Clusters for the two years commencing September 2024. The programme is open to primary and post-primary schools, including special schools, as well as YouthReach centres.
Up to €575,000 has been made available this year for Creative Clusters and this will enable up to 210 schools to come together across 42 clusters.
Each Creative Cluster will receive grant funding of €3,000 per school over a two-year period to implement their project 2024–2026.
- 3 schools would receive €9,000
- 5 schools would receive €15,000
In addition to financial support above 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 Department of Education Guidelines
Creative Clusters 2024-2026 Flyer
Eligible Schools – The following schools are welcome to apply to participate in Creative Clusters:
- Schools that have not yet participated in Creative Clusters.
- Schools that have not yet participated in Creative Schools and those who will complete Creative Schools Year 2 in the 2023/24 school year.
- Schools that will complete Creative Clusters Year 2 in the 2023/24 school year. However, they must apply as part of a cluster who have not yet participated in the initiative. In this instance, it is required that this school applies to lead a cluster of schools that are new to the initiative.
The local Education Support Centre will have a key role in identifying and supporting a Creative Cluster for their local area. 42 Creative Clusters will be selected nationally – 2 per Education Support Centre.
In announcing this new round of Creative Clusters, Minister Foley said:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for schools to work together on a creative project of their choice. Schools are given complete freedom to design and develop their own project, with support from a local facilitator and their local education centre.”
Applications are to be completed online, and can be made in English or Irish, by 10th May 2024, please visit: https://www.edcentretralee.ie/creative-clusters.html
Any queries, please contact your local Education Support Centre or email National Arts in Education Administration artsineducation@traleeesc.ie
Creative Clusters is an initiative of the Department of Education, led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Centres (Education Support Centres Ireland – ESCI) and funded through the Schools Excellence Fund.