I am Creative –

Applications Open

Tuesday 3rd June until Tuesday 8th July 2025

 

Dear Principal,

We would like to invite your school to apply for participation in a new creativity and arts in education initiative specifically designed for special education settings, I am Creative.

Following a successful pilot and research phase which took place April to June 2023 and March to November 2024, the Department of Education and Youth is extending the reach of the programme to 6 additional special schools in 2025/26.

‘I am Creative’ gives young people and staff in your school the opportunity to train collaboratively and work creatively with professional creative practitioners in two fully funded 40-hour residencies (please see the attached guidelines for further details on programme structure and conditions).

‘I am Creative’ will run from a two-day residential professional learning event on the 17th and 18th October 2025 to July 2026. Substitution cover will be provided for teachers and SNAs to attend training where necessary.

Applications are open from today, Tuesday 3rd June to 5pm, Tuesday 8th July.

 

Schools that are currently / will be engaged in Creative Clusters, Creative Schools and Creative Connections in 2025/26 cannot apply to participant in I am Creative 2025/26.

However, schools that are completing their Creative Clusters project by June 2025 are welcome to apply.

 

 

I am Creative Structure OverviewTime frame: September 2025 to July 2026.

  • Schools: One from each of the six Education Support Centre Ireland regions.
  • Participants per School: 1 SNA, 1 Teacher, 1 School Leader and 2 Creative Practitioners.
  • Please invite staff members to participate who have an interest and passion for this work, as well as the capacity to work collaboratively with one another throughout IaC.
  • The School Leader – the function of this role is to support, facilitate and embed the residencies so that learning can extend within the school. The school leader may be the principal, senior leadership, or a teacher with passion for this work and capacity to lead and support IaC in your school.
  • Substitution cover will be provided for school staff.
  • 2 Creative Practitioners experienced in working with schools through the Teacher Artist Partnership+ initiative will be nominated by local ESC.
  • Established Dates & Locations:
  • Friday and Saturday: 17th & 18th October 2025, Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone (School Leader, SNA, Teacher & Creatives)
  • Wednesday 28th January 2026 Online – 5pm to 6pm (SNA, Teacher & Creatives)
  • Shared learning day: Tuesday 5th May 2026, Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone (School Leader, SNA, Teacher & Creatives)
  • In-School residency: 40hrs per creative practitioner

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us or the National Arts in Education team who coordinate the programme at artsineducation@traleeesc.ie

For more inforamation click here

I am Creative, Collaborating with Creative Practitioners in Special Education Settings: A Research Report. Dr Dorothy Morrissey (Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick): https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/283746/5d0f7d1f-9cc4-4301-9937-7c2325338b95.pdf#page=null