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Call Out for Creative Practitioners Teacher Artist Partnership+ 2025/26

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for creative practitioners of all disciplines to broaden their practice through Teacher Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) professional development and in-school residency programme. Closing date for expression of interest Friday 6th June 2025.

Develop creative partnerships with teachers and children. Receive funded training and residencies that bring the arts and creativity to children all over Ireland through TAP+, an initiative of Creative Youth 2023-27 under Creative Ireland and led by the Department of Education.

TAP+ Overview

● TAP+ Summer Course running 1st to 5th July 2025 in your local Education Support Centre

○ Fully paid training to support creative practitioners to work in primary and special schools

● TAP+ In-school Residencies

○ Bringing learning into practice through creative partnership with teachers and children

○ Funded 20-hour residencies in the school year 2025/26

○ Access to the BLAST register of creative practitioners to deliver in-school residencies

TAP+ Details

● Open to creative practitioners, working in any art form, discipline or creative practice (examples: boat maker, jeweller, computer programmer, horticulturist, engineer, drama, musician, etc), who are committed to sharing their practice with children and teachers in primary and special schools

● Training 1st - 5th July 2025 through your local nearest full-time Education Support Centre (www.esci.ie) to facilitate creative practitioners and collaborating teachers to work in creative partnerships with children.

● Training allowance of €150 per day over the 5-day summer course training (€750 in total), plus travel and lunch provided.

● Professional development through partnerships and creative, collaborative relationships with teachers, in schools committed to the arts and creativity in learning, practice and community.

● Guarantee of paid, follow up in-school residency within a local primary or special school (€1,100 Fee total inclusive of €200 Travel) to carry out a 20-hour residency (14 contact hours plus 6 hours planning, preparation and evaluation) in partnership with your teacher partner in the school year 2025/2026.

● Creative Practitioners must complete TAP+ in-school residencies following participation on the TAP+ Summer Course.

● TAP+ trained creative practitioners are also eligible to participate in BLAST in-school residencies. We invite successful TAP+ creative practitioners to join the BLAST register and where possible to deliver BLAST residencies. See here for further details: BLAST information

● Information, learning and networking opportunities for further freelance work within the education system.

 

TAP+ Expression of Interest Letter

In your letter of application Creative Practitioners must:

1. Outline willingness to undertake child protection training as part of the induction week and undergo standard Garda vetting before taking up project placements.

2. Demonstrate a track record of minimum of three years’ professional practice in any creative practice

3. Demonstrate an interest in / commitment to the principles of Creativity and Arts in Education and to enhancing the lives of children through arts/creative practice

4. Be willing to learn about classroom culture and to work in partnership with teachers and children

5. Combine a sense of fun, joy and collaboration with professional dedication and high artistic/creative vision

Creative Practitioners apply for TAP+ via an Expressions of Interest Letter sent to the Director of your local Education Support Centre no later than 5pm on Friday 6th June 2025. Expressions of interest should be in the form of a letter of max 600 words, accompanied by a CV or short bio with links to images or samples of relevant work.

The letter should outline:

1. Training institute/ organisation

2. Brief description of practice

3. Why you aim to work in education and in partnership teachers and children

4. What qualifies you to undertake the TAP+ summer course training and residency programme

 

Places on this Creative Youth initiative are limited to four creative practitioners per full-time Education Support Centre area. Please ensure that it will be possible for you to meet all requirements of the programme before applying.

Final decision on offers of places will be taken by the Director of the local Education Support Centre. Any queries in relation to TAP+ should be directed to your local full-time Education Support Centre.

BLAST Arts & Creativity in Education Residency 2025/2026 - Applications Now Open

 

The Department of Education is pleased to announce BLAST Creativity & Arts in Education Residency 2025/2026 applications are now open.

Please see the following link for BLAST Application Guidelines and further details: (Department of Education BLAST Guidelines)

BLAST Creativity & Arts in Education Residency 2025/2026 apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The closing date for receipt of applications is 10th April 2025.

Please contact your local Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Eligibility: All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.

Schools participating in either Creative Clusters, Creative Schools or TAP+ can apply for BLAST.

Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST. 

 

 

BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland.

BLAST Application Form Link: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

Creative Clusters 2025 - 2027 Applications Now Open

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the opening of a new round of Creative Clusters. The deadline for receipt of applications is 10th April.

Each Creative Cluster will receive grant funding of €3,000 per school over a two-year period to implement their project 2025–2027. 

  • 3 schools would receive €9,000
  • 5 schools would receive €15,000 

In addition to financial support above each cluster will also receive: 

  • A Creative Cluster Facilitator 
  • Teacher Substitution to attend Workshops and Meetings
  • Room hire, travel & subsistence
  •  

Please see the following link for more details: Creative Cluster 2025 Department of Education Guidelines

Applications are to be completed online using the following link: Creative Clusters 2025 Application should you need assistance, please contact your local full-time Education Support Centre (list at Appendix 1 of Guidelines document on DE website) or use this link Appendix 1

Any queries, please contact your local Education Support Centre or email National Arts in Education Administration This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Eligible Schools - The following schools are welcome to apply to participate in Creative Clusters:

  • Schools that have not yet participated in Creative Clusters.
  • Schools that have  not yet participated in Creative Schools and those who will complete Creative Schools Year 2 in the 2024/25 school year.
  • Schools that will complete Creative Clusters Year 2 in the 2025/25 school year. However, they must apply as part of a cluster who have not yet participated in the initiative. In this instance, it is required that this school applies to lead a cluster of schools that are new to the initiative.
  • The local Education Support Centre will have a key role in identifying and supporting a Creative Cluster for their local area.
  • 42 Creative Clusters will be selected nationally - 2 per Education Support Centre.

 

Creative Clusters is an initiative of the Department of Education, led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Centres (Education Support Centres Ireland - ESCI) and funded through the Schools Excellence Fund.

Dual Language Application Form

Droichead Cluster Meetings

Cnuaschruinnithe / Cluster Meetings

·        Ní mór do MNCanna páirt a ghlacadh i gcnuaschruinniú éagsúil amháin in aghaidh an téarma ar feadh a bpróisis Droichead.

·        De réir féilire Cnuaschruinnithe, tabhair faoi deara le do thoil nach mbeidh tuilleadh imeachtaí Cnuaschruinniú 1 ar fáil don bhliain acadúil seo.

·        NQTs are required to engage in one cluster meeting per term for the duration of their process.

·        In line with the Cluster Meeting calendar, please note that no further Cluster Meeting 1 events will be available for this academic year.

Cnuaschruinniú 2 - Téarma 3 / Cluster Meeting 2 - Term 3

·        Beidh clárúchán le haghaidh Cluster Meeting 2 (CM 2)/Cnuaschruinniú 2 (CC 2) oscailte ar an 8 Aibreán.

·        Éascófar Cluster Meeting 2/Cnuaschruinniú 2 ar líne ar aon dul leis an Droichead Féilire do Chuascruinnithe.

·        Ba chóir do MNCanna an CM 2/CC 2 ar mian leo freastal air a roghnú agus a chur in áirithe tríd an Mol Riaracháin Lárnach.

·        Is é an tseachtain dar tús 12 Bealtaine an tseachtain deiridh a n-éascófar Cluster Meeting 2 (CM 2)/Chnuaschruinniú 2 (CC 2) ar líne. Is féidir le MNCanna áit a chur in áirithe trí www.oide-droichead.com.

·        Féadfaidh tú a bheith cinnte go mbeidh soláthar leordhóthanach cnuaschruinnithe ann chun freastal ar an éileamh i dTéarma 3.

·        Registration for Cluster Meeting 2 (CM 2)/Cnuaschruinniú 2 (CC 2) will open on the 8th of April.

·        Cluster Meeting 2/Cnuaschruinniú 2 events will be facilitated online in line with the Droichead Cluster Meeting Calendar.

·        NQTs should select and book the CM 2/CC 2 that they wish to attend via the Central Admin Hub.

·        The final week of Cluster Meeting 2 (CM 2)/Cnuaschruinniú 2 online facilitation begins w/c May 12th 2025. NQTs can book a place via www.oide-droichead.com.

·        Please be assured that there will be adequate provision of cluster meetings to meet the demand in Term 3.

Cnuaschruinniú 3 - Téarma 3 / Cluster Meeting 3 - Term 3

·        Beidh clárúchán le haghaidh Cluster Meeting 3 (CM 3)/Cnuaschruinniú 3 (CC 3) oscailte ar an 8 Aibreán.

·        Éascófar Cluster Meeting 3/Cnuaschruinniú 3 ar líne ar aon dul leis an Droichead Féilire do Chuascruinnithe.

·        Ba chóir do MNCanna an CM 3/CC 3 ar mian leo freastal air a roghnú agus a chur in áirithe tríd an Mol Riaracháin Lárnach.

·        Is é an tseachtain dar tús 26 Bealtaine an tseachtain deiridh a n-éascófar Cluster Meeting 3 (CM 3)  ar líne.  Is féidir le MNCanna áit a chur in áirithe trí www.oide-droichead.com.

·        Féadfaidh tú a bheith cinnte go mbeidh soláthar leordhóthanach cnuaschruinnithe ann chun freastal ar an éileamh i dTéarma 3.

·        Registration for Cluster Meeting 3 (CM 3)/Cnuaschruinniú 3 (CC 3) will open on the 8th of April.

·        Cluster Meeting 3/Cnuaschruinniú 3 events will be facilitated online in line with the Droichead Cluster Meeting Calendar.

·        NQTs should select and book the CM 3/CC 3 that they wish to attend via the Central Admin Hub.

·        The final week of Cluster Meeting 3 (CM 3) online facilitation begins w/c May 26th, 2025. NQTs can book a place via www.oide-droichead.com.

·        Please be assured that there will be adequate provision of cluster meetings to meet the demand in Term 3.

Cork Arts Meitheal 1 (Community of Practice in the Integrated Arts)

Meitheal is the Irish expression of ancient community that thrives through cooperative work.

Dr. Helen Hallissey taught for more than 30 years, holding a post of responsibility in Music and Drama at Scoil Mhuire, Ballincollig. She facilitates drama workshops, is a regular contributor to Intouch (INTO monthly magazine) and frequently presents at drama and education conferences. Her PhD explored creative writing (students as playwrights), winning Helen a John Coolahan Award for Research.

Máire Goggin has been a classroom teacher for over 15 years (St. Luke’s, Montenotte). She is an e-tutor with OIDE and has a Master’s in Teaching and Learning with Hibernia College. Máire is a creative teacher. She has a special interest in story through the arts. Recently, Maire has been exploring film-making with her class on their imaginative project based on Shandon Bells. 

Features of Cork Arts Meitheal

  • This is a co-op where teachers are willing to swap resources, work samples, classroom management ideas.
  • It is highly practical and hands-on.
  • It provides an opportunity to discuss issues regarding teaching the arts.
  • It provides an opportunity to listen to like-minded teachers, to their ideas and stories, to inspire and be inspired by them.
  • Each Meitheal will be based on a topic or story. It will involve Drama ideas, Visual Arts ideas, Music ideas, Film ideas based on that agreed topic/story.
  • You will leave with resources to take back to your classroom and your work colleagues.
  • We will build one another’s teaching capacity and establish Cork Education Support Centre as a centre of excellence in the arts.
  • We will meet once this term and twice in both Terms 2 and 3 at Cork Education Support Centre.
  • It will be a sociable 'Are you going to the Meitheal'?

Feedback from a similar Cork-based community of practice in the arts:

‘What worked well?’

  • Inspired by the new ideas, it makes me look forward to going to school the next day
  • 3 aspects of the arts on the same story
  • The practical nature of the workshop. Physical samples of work. PPT presentation from real classrooms.
  • I love the concept of teachers sharing ideas.

 

Starting date:    Meitheal 1.   November 26th  2024 at 7pm

Other dates:     Meitheal 2.    January 21st 2025 

                          Meitheal 3.    March 4th 2025

Two further dates to be decided

Venue: Cork Education Support Centre, The Rectory, Western Road, Mardyke, Cork T12KC86

 

Book your place here: https://cesc.ie/cop/3355-cork-arts-meitheal-1-community-of-practice-in-the-integrated-arts.html