Five Kilkenny schools receive grant funding

The Arts Council has announced that offers have been made to five Kilkenny schools and a further 136 schools and centres across the country who applied to be part of the Creative Schools initiative. 

The Creative Schools initiative gives opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills and each of the 141 schools taking part will receive a grant and work with a professional Creative Associate who will support them to develop and implement their own bespoke Creative School Plan over a two-year period. 

Grennan College, Kilkenny Youthreach, Owning National School, Presentation Convent National School and St Patrick's National School locally have all been invited to take part.

The new Creative Schools initiative consists of 97 primary schools, 25 post-primary schools, four special schools and ten Youthreach centres.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, said: "Since 2018, Creative Schools has been a testament to the pivotal role creativity plays for children and young people across Ireland; in their education and for their school communities. I hope that the Creative School initiative continues to flourish and empower our young people as these new schools and centres embark on the programme."

Minister for Education, Norma Foley, added: "Creative Schools puts the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives. Over 970 schools and Youthreach centres have been invited to participate since it was set up in 2018. We are increasingly embedding the arts into the education system, which includes the development of a new subject – Drama, Film and Theatre Studies- which will commence in schools in 2025."