BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 Now Open

Department of Education: BLAST Arts and Creativity in Education Residency 2026/2027 applications are now open
Closing date: 20 April

The Department of Education and Youth is pleased to announce BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 applications are now open. Bringing Live Arts to Students & Teachers (BLAST) gives pupils in primary, special and post-primary schools and Youthreach centres the opportunity to work with professional artists/creative practitioners on imaginative and joyful projects.

BLAST gives them the time and the space to design and develop innovative residencies meant to foster their creativity and to develop their collaboration skills, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. BLAST is a key initiative of the Department of Education and Youth, part of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is run by the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) network through all its 21 full-time education centres and coordinated nationally by the National Arts in Education office at Tralee Education Support Centre.

Please see the following link for BLAST Application Guidelines and further details: BLAST: Arts in Education

BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The closing date for receipt of applications is 20 April 2026.

Please contact your local full-time Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at artsineducation@traleeesc.ie.

Eligibility:

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

Schools participating in Creative Clusters, Creative Schools, Creative Connections, I am Creative or TAP+ 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.