150 new schools across Ireland will participate in the Creative Schools initiative in 2019-20. They will join the 150 schools from 2018 who are continuing on their journey for a second year in 2019-20. The range of schools includes primary, secondary, Youthreach centres, special schools, DEIS, rural, urban and Irish-language medium schools.

Schools selected to join the initiative will be provided with a package of support which includes the opportunity to work with a Creative Associate and funding of €2,000. Working with their Creative Associate, schools will begin to develop and implement their own Creative School Plan that responds to the needs and priorities of their own school. A core value of Creative Schools is to ensure that children and young people have a voice in developing, implementing and evaluating the Plan which should include opportunities for them to be challenged in new ways, to gain confidence and to take a more active role in learning.

Working with their Creative Associate schools will be supported to link up to the arts and creative infrastructure in their locality and nationally.

Over 50 Creative Associates have also been selected to work with the 2019 Creative Schools and will begin in the Autumn term.

A programme of training and professional development for Creative Associates and for School Co-ordinators from each of the 150 schools is taking place over September and October 2019.

A full list of participating schools is available on the Arts Council website at http://www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/2019-20-schools/

Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools is a flagship initiative of Creative Youth – A Plan to Enable the Creative Potential of Every Child and Young Person. Creative Schools is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.