Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has recently invited schools and YouthReach centres across Ireland to apply to take part in Creative Clusters for the two years commencing September 2024. 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. 

Creative Clusters supports clusters of three to five schools to work together on building capacity in creativity with the support of a specialist facilitator.  

The programme is open to primary and post-primary schools, including special schools, as well as YouthReach centres. Creative Clusters support includes release time for schools to meet and develop their project, as well as funding of up to €15,000 to help bring their creative plans and ideas to fruition over the course of two years, from 2024 to 2026. The resources provided will help the schools to build a project of learning and activities tailor-made for their community with their students.  

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. Creative Clusters will help schools to further enhance creativity in their classrooms. It will support students of all ages to develop creative and critical thinking skills, learning to adapt and collaborate as well as to enjoy and explore artistic and creative expression – whether through traditional arts, STEM or other creative avenues.” 

To date, Creative Clusters has given 591 schools in 168 clusters the opportunity to work together to develop creative projects and collaborate on new ideas based on their local experience and unique perspective.  

Each Creative Cluster will receive funding of €3,000 per school in each cluster over a two-year period to implement their project in the 2024–2026 school years. For example, a cluster of three schools would get €9,000 over two years while a cluster of five schools would receive €15,000 over two years. The application process until 10^th May 2024.