Opportunity: Teacher Artist Partnership+ Summer Course and Residency Programme 2024

Department for Education – TAP+

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has announced the opening of registration for the 2024 Teacher Artist Partnership+ summer courses for primary and special school teachers, artists and creative practitioners.

These professional development summer courses for teachers and creative practitioners are aimed at enhancing arts and creativity in education in primary and special schools. The Teacher Artist Partnership+ Summer Courses will be provided free of charge in each of the 21 full-time Education Centres in Ireland this summer. Each course will have 20 primary teachers and 4 professional artists participating.

Minister Foley said: “I hope that this exciting initiative will help teachers and schools to further enhance creativity in their classrooms. It is important that our children are allowed to express themselves and learn to adapt and collaborate.”

The Creative Youth Programme aims to develop the creative potential of every child. Professional development for both teachers and creative practitioners working in schools is critical to the long-term success and sustainability of creativity in education.

To achieve the long-term objectives of cultural and creative education, it is necessary to build a critical mass of education and creative practitioner professionals who are versed in the theoretical frameworks of arts and creativity education and equipped with the skills and techniques for delivering programmes in partnership.

The TAP+ residency element of this programme will give students of all ages in primary and special schools the opportunity to have their TAP+ trained teacher and artist working together in their classroom facilitating the development of these essential skills for students to enjoy and explore artistic and creative expression.

TAP+ provides trained teachers with the opportunity to host a fully funded TAP+ Artist in Residency in their school in 2024/25. This Department of Education-led initiative is a highly innovative, creative and participant-responsive programme that promotes professional learning towards partnership.