Creative Connections

Introduction

Part of the Shared Island initiative on tackling educational disadvantage, Creative Connections is an exciting new pilot for schools North and South that gives children and young people the unique opportunity to work with professional Creative Practitioners in schools, bringing creativity and the arts directly into their learning. This provides creative learning opportunities that may not otherwise be available, enabling the children and young people to weave creativity into their lives. Underpinned and supported by the curriculum, this Shared Island pilot contributes to, and supports, the wellbeing, personal development and learning of children and young people and their communities. Creative Connections emphasises young people’s right to a voice in decision-making; during this initiative they partner with teachers and creative practitioners in leading learning.

The evolving aims of Creative Connections are to: 

• Enhance learning, teaching and assessment through creative partnership and process 
• Enhance school development priorities and practitioner confidence through creative pedagogies and professional learning 
• Support young people’s agency 
• Connect communities through creativity 
• Champion emotional health and wellbeing to enhance readiness to learn.

This pilot programme provides creative and collaborative learning opportunities for schools in Northern Ireland and schools in Ireland to work in clusters of four schools, collaborating on bespoke creative learning projects. Each school is paired with two professional Creative Practitioners who undertake two in-school Residencies: one in their own jurisdiction and another in a school across the border in a different jurisdiction. The programme involves 40 Practitioners in total.

Building on the success of the Creative Schools Partnership Programme in Northern Ireland and the BLAST (Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers) and Creative Clusters initiatives in Ireland, Creative Connections is one further step into our shared mission of enabling students to weave creativity into their lives and learning. The Department of Education and Youth welcomed expressions of interest from DEIS primary, post-primary, and special schools, while the Department of Education in Northern Ireland encouraged participation from RAISE localities to enhance educational outcomes for children impacted by social disadvantage in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Ministers launch Creative Connections Programme supporting creativity and the arts in learning

Expressions of Interest to participate in Creative Connections are made by creative practitioners in both jurisdictions through an online form hosted by National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre. The link will be open Friday 7th to Thursday 27th February 2025.

Expression of Interest for Creative Practitioners (Click here): https://forms.office.com/e/1zkMxYXaLm

Please note only online applications will be accepted.

National Arts in Education aims to notify all practitioners on the status of the Expression of Interest in the week commencing March 3rd, 2025.

Creative Practitioner Guidelines Expression of Interest for Shared Island Pilot Programme

Expressions of Interest to participate in Creative Connections are made by schools in both jurisdictions through an online form hosted by National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre. The link will be open Friday 7th to Thursday 27th February 2025.

Expression of Interest for Schools (Click here): https://forms.office.com/e/G2XTXM4YNU

Please note only online applications will be accepted.

National Arts in Education aims to notify all schools on the status of the Expression of Interest in the week commencing March 3rd 2025.

Schools Guidelines Expression of Interest for Shared Island Pilot Programme