Thousands of children are set to take part in a celebration of creativity in schools across the country this week. Creative Schools Week will see a huge range of arts activity, from drumming and dance workshops to live interviews with leading artists. Children themselves chose this year’s theme, ‘Brave New Future’, and will use the hashtag #CreativeSchools on social media.
Some 60 schools were selected to participate in a live, online broadcast, representing over 463 schools who have participated in the Creative Schools initiative since 2018. And from Wednesday to Friday, two broadcasts – one for primary and one for post-primary -- will be available each day on the Arts Council’s website.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media Catherine Martin TD said: ”I am delighted to be able to celebrate the creativity, curiosity and ingenuity of our young people working within in the Creative Schools programme.”
And she added: “This is an opportune time to reflect on the progress of our Creative Youth programme. The Taoiseach Micheál Martin and I this week will host a wide ranging conference Creative Youth: Creativity – the Connection to the Future, Now. This will be hosted by the Creative Ireland Programme at Dublin Castle on Thursday 13th May 2021. This wide ranging conference will bring together figures in education, enterprise, innovation and creativity and will reflect on the achievements of Creative Youth and the challenges that lie ahead to consider what strategies will be required to deliver positive, sustainable outcomes for children through their engagement with arts, culture and creativity.”
Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly said children in Ireland had shown us how they view the future and how they approach it with creativity and passion.
“I am absolutely blown away by the creativity, ingenuity and the positivity of children and young people in our schools. It truly is an inspiration to us all,” she said. “I encourage everyone to log on this week to our online broadcasts to see for themselves and to find out how their school can be involved in Creative Schools Week.”
And she reminded teachers and the public that applications are now open for schools that would like to be on the programme from September at http://www.artscouncil.ie/Funds/Creative-Schools-Initiative/
Both the primary and post-primary live broadcasts will be available each day from 12pm on www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/celebration-2021/ from Wednesday 12 May to Friday 14 May. Presented by Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill and Fergal Darcy, as well as highlighting the work of schools each episode will feature workshops, interviews and features across a wide range of different artists and arts and cultural organisations including Maser, Sorcha O’Raghallaigh , Donnchadh Hughes & Brian Irvine, (Irish National Opera), Aideen Barry, Monkeyshine Theatre, Galway Community Circus, Shane Gillen, Children’s Books Ireland, Nick Bailey, Ashwin Chacko, Bare Cheek Theatre Company, Noon Abubakar and The Good Yarn Project – TULCA.
All 3,900 schools and centres across the country were also invited to generate and host their own bespoke celebration events, empowering young people in the processes of presenting their own creative journeys. To help schools and centres organise events, in April Creative Schools provided all schools with a Celebration Pack, to guide them in creating their own in-school Creative Schools Week.
Following a consultation process with children and young people, Brave New Future was chosen as the theme for this year’s Creative Schools Week. The theme highlights the creative approaches and responses that children, young people, teachers, artists and creative practitioners are taking to meeting the challenges of living and learning through a pandemic. The theme can be seen through much of the work selected for the online celebration, showcasing children and young people’s courage in the face of the challenges of the last year and their optimism as they look forward towards a brighter future.
There is also currently an opportunity for schools who have not yet participated in Creative Schools to apply to be part of the next intake of schools. All Department of Education and Skills-recognised primary and post-primary schools and Youthreach centres, are eligible to apply for the next round of Creative Schools. The deadline to apply is 17:30, Thursday 10 June 2021. More information is available at www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/schools-opportunities/. The initiative provides opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills; to communicate, collaborate, stimulate their imaginations, be inventive, and to harness their curiosity.
The week is organised by the Creative Schools initiative at the Arts Council which supports schools and Youthreach centres to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives.
Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme to enable the creative potential of every child. Creative Schools is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The initiative is also informed by the Arts Council’s ten-year strategy (2016–25) Making Great Art Work: Leading the Development of the Arts in Ireland.
This initiative provides opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills; to communicate, collaborate, stimulate their imaginations, be inventive, and to harness their curiosity. More information on how to apply to be a Creative School is available at www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/schools-opportunities/.
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