The Arts Council is calling for schools across Ireland to get involved in Creative Schools Week 2023, a celebration of the creativity in schools with a focus on fun, festivities, imagination and innovation.  Creative Schools Week this year will take place from 8th -12th May as it recognises and affirms that schools are truly creative places, filled with very creative people and children across Ireland are invited to let their imaginations soar and be part of a special week which celebrates creativity in young people. The Arts Council is also offering funding for the next round of Creative Schools in the upcoming academic year. 

The theme for Creative Schools Week 2023 is ‘Creativity Live Here! / TáBeochtnaCruthaitheachtaAnseo!’. The theme encourages school communities to pause and reflect on where creativity is evident in our lives, in every class, in every school and in the experience of every student. The week is a time to focus on celebrating this creativity, perhaps adding to the experiences of students in the form of events or workshops and providing a platform to show how creative each school can be. If your school is already in the Creative Schools initiative, this week is a great time to celebrate your journey so far.  

Speaking about Creative Schools WeekMaureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said:   

“As always, Creative Schools provides a space for children and young people to show their creativity and ingenuity. Creative Schools Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the many ways in which schools and school communities embrace creativity every day. I would encourage all schools across the country, big or small, to get involved in this years Creative Schools Week and let their imaginations run wild”.  

Creative Schools Week, ran by Creative Schools within the Arts Council, is open to every school and all schools are warmly invited to join in. If you are interested in seeing examples of previous projects and activities, you can view the Creative Schools Week episodes from 2021 featuring different types of schools and settings sharing their activities. The episodes provide a great snapshot of creative activities and events: https://www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/celebration-2021/.  
   

Creative Schools is now also calling for applications for new schools to be part of the initiative. Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Government’s Creative Ireland Programme, putting the arts and creativity at the heart of children and young people’s lives. The initiative is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.  

If you have any questions about Creative Schools Week please contact the Creative Schools Team at creativeschools@artscouncil.ie   
   
Applications for the next round of Creative Schools are now open.  Full details on how to apply are here.