What is Laureate na nÓg
Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council. It is managed and delivered on Council’s behalf by Children’s Books Ireland, and also supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The inaugural Laureate na nÓg lecture ‘Lifting The Invisibility Cloak’ was presented by Áine Ní Ghlinn on Tuesday, 1 December at this year’s Dublin Book Festival. Sparking critical discourse, the lecture celebrates the strength and power of children’s literature. The lecture also honours the role that the artist plays in Irish life.  

Values
The Arts Council believes in:
• every child’s right to discover and delight in literature
• work of quality and ambition for children and young people
• writers and illustrators having productive and rewarding careers
• the inclusion of all voices and cultures that make up Ireland today

Purpose
By honouring an artist of exceptional talent and commitment, Laureate na nÓg champions and celebrates literature for children and young people, inspiring generations of writers, illustrators and readers

Aims
• To honour an exceptional writer or illustrator of literature for children and young people in the Irish or English language
• To champion literature for children and young people nationally and internationally
• To engage and inspire children, young people and their communities through literature
• To encourage new generations of writers and illustrators

Background
In 2008, as part of the mid-term review of Partnership for the Arts, the Arts Council led a consultation process to develop a comprehensive vision, strategy and action plan for children’s literature. Central to the resulting policy and strategy was a proposal to establish a children’s laureate, a role which would celebrate children’s literature and its contribution to cultural life.

Laureate na nÓg was established in 2010. Siobhán Parkinson was awarded the honour of being Ireland’s first Laureate na nÓg. Since that time there have been four other laureates - Niamh Sharkey, Eoin Colfer, PJ Lynch and Sarah Crossan, who concluded her term in late April. Each has contributed in their own ways to the aims of the programme, and the Laureate is recognised as the highest honour that can be awarded to a children’s writer or illustrator in Ireland. The sixth Laureate na nÓg, Áine Ní Ghlinn, was announced in May. Her programme of work is currently underway.
 

Áine Ní Ghlinn is a children’s writer and poet. She has written over thirty books, including poetry collections and an array of books and novels for children and teenagers. Her ambition as Laureate is to lift the cloak of invisibility from Irish language authors and books, and to encourage children and young people to read for pleasure as Gaeilge. Áine was announced as the sixth Laureate na nÓg on 13th May 2020 and will hold the title until 2023.   

A Review Of Laureate na nÓg   Sustain, Strengthen, Recalibrate

2020 marks a decade of Laureate na nÓg. The Arts Council has taken this opportunity to undertake a formal review, considering afresh the aims and ambitions of Laureate na nÓg and ensuring their alignment with those of Making Great Art Work. The review also sought to evaluate Laureate na nÓg’s impact as a programme and makes recommendations for future years. This paper was presented to the Arts Council at its Plenary meeting on 22 April
2020.  Click here to download A Review of Laureate na nÓg and click here to download Laureate na nÓg 2020 onwards.

You can find out more information about Laureate na nÓg on the website: www.childrenslaureate.ie