Creative Clusters
Creative Clusters 2025-2027
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.
Applications are to be completed online using the following link: Creative Clusters 2025 Application.
Dual Language Application Form
Each Creative Cluster will receive grant funding of €3,000 per school over a two-year period to implement their project 2025–2027.
Creative Clusters is an initiative of the Department of Education and Youth led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time education support centres (Education Support Centres Ireland - ESCI). Creative Clusters is a key initiative of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 which focuses ‘on providing young people with opportunities to learn and develop the key skills and competencies of collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. These skills are encouraged through engagement with creativity and through access to a creative education in a range of formal and informal settings. Creative Clusters is led by the Department of Education and Youth under Creative Youth 2023-2027 and the Creative Ireland programme in partnership with the Department of Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Department of Children, Disability, and Equality and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
A Creative Cluster will typically consist of between 3 and 5 schools collaborating on the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of an innovative creative learning project which supports them to address a common issue or challenge in collaboration with students. Creative Clusters will include schools at different stages of their journey in using creativity in the classroom.
Clusters can consist of primary schools only, post-primary schools only or a combination of primary, post-primary schools, special education schools and Youthreach organisations.
Clusters can be drawn from existing networks or result from the creation of new ones. Each cluster must nominate a lead school. The lead school must identify a Creative Cluster Coordinator who would normally be a member of the school’s teaching or senior leadership team. Substitution will be provided for one representative from each school to attend the Cluster Workshop and Cluster Meetings. It is recommended that the same representative attend these events throughout the life of the Cluster. The Lead School Coordinators will receive an additional 2 days’ substitution cover to work on the Cluster project in Year 1 and in Year 2 of the initiative. If the application is successful, the co-ordinator will be responsible for managing the day-to- day operation of the project and will act as a single point of contact during the duration of the project. The other schools in each cluster must nominate a representative to participate in the project.
The following schools may not apply to participate in Creative Clusters:
- Fee Paying Schools i.e. Schools not in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education and Youth / education and training boards and are not in the free- education scheme.
- Schools that are already participating in Creative Clusters 2024/26 (Year 1 commenced in September 2024).
- Schools that are already participating in Creative Schools1 2024/26 (Year 1 commenced in September 2024).
- Schools cannot simultaneously participate in Creative Clusters and Creative Schools.
- Schools who have participated as a cluster previously, cannot reapply for Creative Clusters unless they lead a combination of schools new to the initiative.
The following schools may apply to lead or participate in a Creative Cluster:
- 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 2024/25 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.
Creative Clusters Timeline
Opening/Closing date for applications 27th January 2025 to 10th April 2025
Announcement of successful Creative Clusters Late April 2025
Regional training for Creative Clusters September to October 2025
Detailed project planning and implementation work begins Early October 2025
Initiative completion and review May 2027
creative clusters 2024/2026
We are delighted to have two Creative Clusters up and running this year. We welcome our new, year one, cluster group and wish them every success and enjoyment as they commence their journey in the 2024/2025 academic year.
Cluster One - Year One - 2024/2025
The schools involved in this cluster are:
St Leonards NS (Lead School)
Gusserane NS
Ballycullane NS
Project Theme: Local culture, in particular focusing on the history of our local area of the Parish of Tintern.
Cluster 2 - Year One - 2024/2025
Selskar College
Wexford CBS
Presentation Secondary School
Project Theme: Sustainable Wellbeing: Making creative spaces in our schools.
Creative clusters 2022/2024 report
Adamstown Raheen Music Cluster 2022-24
Coláiste Abbain (Lead School)
Raheen NS
Adamstown NS
This cluster featured very close collaboration between TY students from Coláiste Abbain who mentored pupils in two neighbouring primary schools as they learned to play the ukulele. The three schools involved in this cluster also purchased a variety of musical instruments and participated in a number of creative musical events.
Gorey Wildflower Cluster 2022-24
Tara Hill NS (Lead School)
Ballygarrett NS
Coolgreaney NS
The three primary schools in this cluster visited many local habitats to see wildflowers at first hand. The schools also arranged visits and talks from several knowledgeable experts such as Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh and Paddy Madden. Wildflower areas were cultivated in the school grounds and beautiful displays were created on school corridors.
Gorey Sanctuary Cluster 2023-25
Bunscoil Loreto (Lead School)
Creagh College
Gorey educate Together Secondary School
This Cluster was motivated by their shared aim of making each school a safe place of welcome for all students. The voice of the students was very prominent in all their projects and the collaboration between primary and post-primary students was wonderful to see. Walls and spaces in all three schools bear witness to the creative work of this cluster.
Artificial Intelligence Cluster 2023-25
Ballyhogue NS (Lead school)
Tombrack NS
Davidstown NS
Galbally NS
Pupils from Senior Classes all four schools learned how to use AI in a positive and educational way to build on their own creativity and curiosity. This project features a welcome counterpoint to the negative portrayal of AI which we frequently encounter. The pupil-driven work which has been produced is most interesting and commendable.
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Creative Clusters 2021/2023 & 2022/2024
We are delighted to have two Creative Clusters up and running this year. We welcome our new, year one, cluster group and wish them every success and enjoyment as they commence their journey in the 2022/2023 academic year.
Cluster One - Year One - 2022/2024
The schools involved in this cluster are:
- Coláiste Abbain, Adamstown, Enniscorthy - Lead School
- Scoil Naomh Abbain, Adamstown, Enniscorthy
- Raheen N.S., Clonroche, Enniscorthy
Project Name: "Building the Capacity for Performance Opportunities in the Areas of Music, Song, Dance, and Drama in the Locality".
Teachers involved in this project are:
Rosaleen Power, Coláiste Abbain - Lead School
Fiona Quirke, Coláiste Abbain - Lead School
Claire Kickham, Scoil Naomh Abbain
Ciara Lng, Scoil Naomh Abbain
Sarah Browne, Raheen N.S.
Risín Quigley, Raheen N.S.
We would like to wish this new cluster every success and we look forward to seeing their project progress in due course.
Thank you to Eamonn Barrett, Facilitator, for all his enthusiastic work with this cluster on behalf of Wexford Education Support Centre.
We are very happy to welcome back our second cluster group in their year two and final year in their project.
Cluster Two - Year Two - 2021 - 2023 - Project Name: "A Musical Odyssey Through German-speaking Countries."
The schools involved in this cluster are:
- Coláiste Bríde, Templshannon, Enniscorthy - Lead School
- Presentation College, Askea, Co. Carlow
- Coláiste Eoin, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow
Teachers involved in this project are:
Una Byrne, Presentation College, Askea, Co. Carlow - Lead School
Maria Whitty, Coláiste Bríde, Templeshannon, Enniscorthy
Mairead Kavanagh, Coláiste Eoin, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow
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Previous Creative Clusters through Wexford Education Support Centre:
Davidstown Cluster 2020-22: This cluster was led by Davidstown NS and included Tombrack NS, Galbally NS and Ballyhogue NS. The use of "Stop Motion" app to produce animated videos was at the heart of this project. Pupils worked initially in their own school settings and then came together to produce a collaborative video on the theme of Environmental Awareness.
CREATIVE CLUSTER DIGITAL STORYTELLING - 2020-22
The schools involved in this cluster were:
- Davidstown NS (Lead School)
- Scoil Eoin Baiste, Galbally
- Tombrack NS
- Ballyhogue NS
- Eamonn Barrett (Facilitator)
Focus/challenge or area of development for the Creative Cluster project work: "Digital Storytelling"
Digital Storytelling: using a variety of multimedia tools to enable engagement in the creative process. Use Digital Technologies to engage in the development of expressive arts.
Added Value anticipated from Cluster Working:
- Self-esteem: developing self-esteem and resilience is inherent in creating art.
- Self-expression: art is about expression and interpretation.
- Human rights, responsibilities, the environment: art gives people the ability to express their opinions and convey messages through creativity.
- Connections: recent world events have highlighted the need for the arts, creativity and technology in our lives to aid meaningful connections with others.
- Opportunities for integration across a wide range of subject areas and skills.
This project is now completed. We would like to thank the Principals, Teachers and Pupils involved and wish them every success on their academic journeys. We would also like to thank Eamonn Barrett for facilitating this group.
Mayglass Creative Cluster 2019-21. The original focus of this group was on the promotion of singing in informal settings on a daily basis in class and two very useful whole-staff workshops were organised to support staff CPD in the area. Unfortunately, Covid 19 stopped singing so the cluster then pivoted to "the provision of outdoor or indoor sensory learning spaces some of which include musical instruments".
Creative Cluster 2019-21 - Drop Everything and Make Music (DREAMM) Creating a Music Sensory Garden for each school
The schools involved in this cluster were:
- Mayglass NS (Lead School)
- Broadway NS
- St Margaret's N.S., Curracloe
- St. Mary's N.S., Tagoat NS
- Piercestown NS.
Focus/challenge or area of development for the Creative Cluster project work - DREAMM –
Added Value anticipated from Cluster Working:
- Improved teacher and pupil well-being
- Teacher wellbeing was enhanced through increased confidence as a result of CPD and professional development
- Pupil wellbeing (physical, social, emotional, intellectual) was enhanced through the sensory space leading to improved self-confidence
- Inclusion of all children including different cultures and SEN pupils
2019 - Year 1
This year our project was called ‘DREAMM – Drop Everything and Make Music
The project involved:
- Four hours of professional development led by Mary Amond for all teachers and SNAs from the five participating schools
- Daily, informal, incidental in-class singing by all pupils in each school
- Teachers developed a repertoire of suitable material throughout the project
- It is planned that the pupils of all five schools will come together in June 2020 for a celebration of singing when they will all sing together
- Pupils' attitudes towards singing were surveyed in October 2019 and a similar survey in June 2020 will track any changes
- The overall aim was the promotion of singing as an enjoyable and beneficial activity for ALL