!!!! BLAST Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers
The Department of Education developed an innovative Arts-in-Education BLAST Residency Programme in 2021, which enables up to 400 new Arts-in-Education Residencies in schools each year.
This initiative aims to support the integration of the principles and key skills outlined in the Arts in Education Charter and the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022), Pillar 1 Creative Youth.
This initiative aims to support the integration of the principles and key skills outlined in the Arts-in-Education Charter and the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022), Pillar 1 Creative Youth.
The aim of this scheme is to give students in schools all over the country the opportunity to work with a professional artist on unique projects to be planned and developed between the artist, the teacher and the school under the co-ordination of the Education Support Centres Ireland ESCI network of 21 full-time education centres. This initiative supports children and young people for the future, where skills like the ability to connect and collaborate with others, engage in creative and critical thinking and practice inclusivity at every level will be paramount to peace, stability, sustainable economic growth and equality.
What is proposed is a unique streamlined process whereby schools apply for an artist on the Online Register of Approved Artists who are already trained for the new BLAST Arts-in-Education Residency Programme, managed by the local education centre. The education centre will also pay the artist which will further remove the administrative burden on teachers and schools.
How this BLAST residency initiative will operate
The Education Centre
Schools will apply for a BLAST Arts-in-Education Residency to the full-time education centre in their area. The Register of Approved Artists in each education centre will be arranged by artist and discipline, include relevant required and approved training experience, examples of previous work and examples of relevant or related experience in an educational and community context.
The Artist
Artists from any artistic discipline who have been trained in partnership working with schools will be registered with each of the 21 full-time education centres. Artistic disciplines include visual arts, crafts, music, dance, drama, literature and film. Creative disciplines will be expanded as the BLAST Residency Programme develops over the next number of years.
The artists on the Register of Approved Artists will have been previously trained and have engaged in school residencies under Teacher-Artist Partnership CPD and Residency initiative or the Arts in Junior Cycle Programme which are both approved and led by the Department of Education. Artists are currently trained and registered on the Online Register of Approved Artists managed by the education support centre network nationally. Garda Clearance for artists for successful school applications will be sought by the education centre. The education centre will also arrange for payment of the artist which will further remove the administrative burden on teachers and schools.
The School
The school must be in the catchment of the local full-time education centre. Schools may submit only 1 application.
This initiative encourages:
- schools, primary and post-primary, that have not recently had an opportunity to participate in such creative initiatives
- schools supporting inclusion and enhanced arts-in-education engagement with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and SEN
- schools that have a track record in teacher-artist partnership working in the classroom and school
- a whole-school commitment to the project, but it is not a requirement that all classes work with the artist
- projects should have regard to the relevant school curricula where appropriate and have a focus on process
For more information or to apply, see www.gov.ie/blast/
!!!! DesignSKILLS
The Design & Craft Council of Ireland (DCCoI), in partnership Junior Cycle Teachers (JCT), are delighted to announce DesignSKILLS, a new Arts in Junior Cycle initiative for teachers and students of Junior Cycle Visual Art. This initiative is co-funded by the National Creativity Fund through The Creative Ireland Programme.
DesignSKILLS is a nationwide post-primary level programme which aims to support the integration of the principles and key skills which underpin the Framework for Junior Cycle (2015), the Arts in Education Charter (2012) and the Creative Ireland Programme (2017 – 2022), Pillar 1 Creative Youth. In 2018 the programme will run in 26 schools across the country.
The DesignSKILLS programme provides an opportunity for teachers of Visual Art, with their students, to work directly with a designer/maker. Junior Cycle Visual Art ‘provides the learner with a space within which it is safe to experiment, to fail and to learn’. Through DesignSKILLS, a designer/maker will work in partnership with teachers and their students to focus on the front end of the design process.
The emphasis in DesignSKILLS is on investigating initial ideas, researching, experimenting and developing students’ own ideas through a range of hands-on practical methodologies and approaches, including using sketchpads. The focus of the programme is based on research conducted by Sandra Reid during her studies at DesignCORE in IT Carlow – learn more HERE
The Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-Government culture- based initiative designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. The core proposition is that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal wellbeing and achievement.
DesignSKILLS is supported by:
!!!! Creative Clusters
Creative Clusters is an initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme to enable the creative potential of every child. It is one of 17 actions outlined in the Creative Ireland – Creative Youth Plan which will be implemented as part of the first steps of a comprehensive arts education plan.
Schools Excellence Fund – Creative Clusters Initiative
Creative Clusters is a national pilot initiative of the Department of Education and Skills, led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Teacher Education Centres (ATECI) and funded through the Schools Excellence Fund – Creative Clusters Initiative. Creative Clusters is a national programme of local projects and the 21 full-time Education Centres across Ireland are lead partners in the initiative. Creative Clusters is an important initiative of Creative Youth – A Plan to Enable the Creative Potential of Every Child and Young Person, which was published in December 2017 as part of the Creative Ireland Programme. The Creative Youth Plan aims to give every child practical access to tuition, experience and participation in art, music, drama and coding by 2022.
- The Creative Clusters initiative commenced in the 2018-19 academic year with 23 clusters established, comprising 71 schools countrywide.
- In the academic year 2019-20, 21 Creative Clusters, comprising 77 schools were established.
- In September 2020, a further 72 schools across 21 Clusters joined the initiative.
- For the academic year 2021/2022 a total of 81 schools across 21 Clusters will join the initiative– one from each of the 21 full-time education centres in Ireland.
What is a Creative Cluster and how many schools are involved?
A Creative Cluster will typically consist of between three and five schools collaborating on the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of an innovative creative learning project which supports them to address a common issue or challenge. Creative Clusters will include schools at different stages of their journey in using creativity in the classroom. Clusters can consist of primary schools only, post-primary schools only or a combination of primary and post primary schools. In selecting the clusters to participate in the scheme, the initiative will seek to have all three configurations represented in the national pilot. Clusters can be drawn from existing networks or result from the creation of new ones. Each cluster must nominate a lead school. The lead school must identify a Creative Cluster Coordinator who would normally be a member of the school’s senior leadership team. The other schools in each cluster must nominate a representative to participate in the project.
Funded by:
Creative Clusters is a national programme of local projects and the 21 full-time Education Centres across Ireland are lead partners in the initiative. The initiative is funded by the Department of Education and Skills through the Schools Excellence Fund – Creative Clusters Initiative.
For further information go to www.gov.ie/en/publication/f0342-schools-excellence-fund-creative-clusters/.
!!!! Arts in Junior Cycle Initiative (JCT)
Through the Arts in Junior Cycle initiative, Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) aims to present a range of professional development experiences for teachers to support engagement with the arts and learning in junior cycle.
This initiative is guided by the principles expressed in the Arts in Education Charter (2012) and Pillar 1 (Creative Youth) of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017–2022). The initiative originated from a joint Arts Council and JCT pilot partnership initiative that took place in the 2013/2014 school year.
The initiative is based on partnership and collaboration with key elective partners across the arts and education sectors. The initiative aims to support artists, writers, actors, musicians, filmmakers, theatre companies, and others working in the arts industry, to create rich continuing professional development experiences for post-primary teachers.
!!!! CRAFTed
The Design & Crafts Council of Ireland recognise the critical role that education and training play in the future growth of the Irish craft and design sector. Arts in education initiatives form a core part of the educational activities supported by the DCCoI. These programmes impact directly on the students, teachers and makers who take part, as well as playing a strategic role in informing art, craft and design education policy and curriculum.
CRAFTed is the DCCoI’s nationwide primary schools programme delivered in partnership with the Association of Teachers’ Education Centres of Ireland (ATECI). CRAFTed works with teachers, craftspeople and primary learners. CRAFTed aims to provide skills for life through positive, collaborative and joyful engagement with craft and design processes. By emphasising the making journey rather than finished products, CRAFTed allows space for experimentation, active learning and personal growth. It focuses on harnessing the creativity of every child, valuing individual creative expression. CRAFTed is unique in that it facilitates hands-on ‘in classroom’ learning with skilled Irish makers, promoting the insightful and innovative contribution they have to offer formal education environments. Additionally, it provides professional development opportunities for teachers and craftspeople keeping them up to date on best practice delivery of craft and design education, and emphasising the cross curricular potential of CRAFTed in areas such as literacy, numeracy, SESE and SPHE. At the core of CRAFTed is a desire to inspire the confidence of all involved, teachers, craftspeople and learners, so that they may engage with craft and design as a means to explore and grow their own creative skills.
“Working with a skilled craftsperson unleashed the combined creativity of all participants in a productive, enjoyable process, of which we are still reaping the benefits” – Karen Brogan, CRAFTed Teacher
For more information download the CraftEd Booklet – issuu.com/
!!!! Teacher-Artist Partnership (TAP) CPD
Teacher-Artist Partnership (TAP) CPD for Supporting & Enhancing
Arts in Education in Ireland (Primary Schools Initiative)
Teacher-Artist Partnership (TAP) CPD is a unique Department of Education and Skills initiative which commenced on a pilot basis in 2014/15 in response to the objectives outlined in the Arts in Education Charter. This initiative is guided by the principles expressed in the Arts in Education Charter (2012) and Pillar 1 (Creative Youth) of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017–2022).
Nurturing the abilities and commitment of artists and teachers for the promotion of arts-in-education is a central concern of the Arts in Education Charter. One of its major initiatives in this regard was the design and implementation of a pilot teacher-artist CPD Partnership Summer Course. Part of supporting schools in the provision of high quality arts education for children, this pilot arts in education initiative was Association of Teacher Education Centre of Ireland (ATECI) led, in partnership with the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DCHG), Encountering the Arts Ireland (ETAI) and the Association for Creativity in Arts Education (ACAE). The initiative is administered by the Education Centre, Tralee. This innovative teacher-artist CPD programme was aimed at developing a model of arts in education CPD for teachers which could be used as a template for the future.
The Pilot Project was researched and the Research Report on this Pilot initiative was launched by both the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in March 2016 and has been published (available on here).
Teacher-Artist Partnership CPD Summer Course & Residency Programme is now mainstreamed and consists of free DES approved (EPV days) Summer Courses operating in each of the 21 full-time Education Centres in Ireland in either July or August each year. Each Course will have 20 primary teachers and 4 professional artists participating. It will be delivered by a trained and experienced Teacher Artist Facilitator Pair. The initiative includes funded Artist in Residency opportunities in which participating teachers and artists work together in collaboration in the School during the following academic year.
Teacher – Artist Partnership (TAP) CAP Information Flyer
!!!! Creative Schools
The Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools initiative aims to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children and young people’s lives.
Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme to enable the creative potential of every child. Creative Schools is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Creative Schools, formerly Arts Rich Schools/Arís, draws on the commitments set out in the Arts in Education Charter.
This pilot initiative will understand, develop and celebrate the arts and creativity in schools. It will establish a range of collaborative opportunities for schools and will develop and strengthen the relationships between schools and the broader cultural and community infrastructure within which they operate. The long term aim is for every school to be supported to fully embrace the arts and creativity, ensuring a positive experience and strong outcomes for children and young people.
!!!! Encountering The Arts Ireland
Encountering The Arts Ireland (ETAI) is an alliance of organisations and individuals whose main objective is the development, promotion and practice of the arts and education* in Ireland particularly in the context of arts and education for children and young people.
Purpose of the Alliance:
- To broaden and deepen children’s and young people’s access, creation, participation and engagement in the arts by using the combined strength, resources and expertise of the alliance.
- To contribute to the strategic alignment of arts and education policies.
Aim
To creative and/or identify and support quality arts and cultural engagement (arts education provided through the curriculum and arts in education or curricular arts provision that is brought in as additional to general provision) and participation with children and young people both in and out of school, including formal, non formal and informal learning settings.
ETAI is a membership organisation with approximately 40 organisational members and 110+ individual members representing the educational, arts, heritage and cultural sectors.
ETAI are currently represented on the following Oversight Committees:
- Member of the teacher artist partnership training DES/DCHG Teacher Artist Partnership CPD Oversight Committee.
- Member of the Arts in Education Portal Oversight Committee.
- Member of the Arts in Education Digital Research Repository Oversight Committee.
Areas to which members of ETAI are contributing:
Arts Charter Summer Course – TAP
Members of ETAI are involved in the design of summer courses for teachers and artists. The courses focus on and best practice in the partnership between artists and teachers, working together in schools. This is a joint initiative between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
!!!! Creative Engagement
This programme is co-funded by the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Department of Education and Skills and the Heritage Council. Each year projects are produced in schools ranging from theatre and film through to sculpture and music. A creative engagement happens when a local artist or arts group comes into the school and imparts their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to the students. This partnership has mutual benefits to both artist and school.
The Creative Engagement programme strives to encourage creativity, initiative and expression in our students and to complement curricular learning in the arts , heritage and culture. NAPD envisions an education system energised through the arts and where creativity is a core activity in the post primary curriculum. NAPD is continuing to develop a partnership with the National Heritage Council. Michael Parsons of the Arts and Culture and Heritage Committee is Chairperson of the National Heritage Council.
Aims and Objectives.
NAPD strives to gain recognition of the centrality of the arts –in-education both within the formal curriculum and as a co-curricular activity.
NAPD supports the work of the Department of Education and Skills and Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to implement the 2013 Arts-in-Education Charter.
NAPD aims to continue to ensure its representation on all bodies charged with the development of the arts-in-education including support for the arts-in-education umbrella body Encountering the Arts Ireland (ETAI)