Creative Clusters

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

Nationwide Creative Cluster Projects

Please use the following links to view the article written about the 2023 Galway ESC - Creative Clusters Project and the Clusters fantastic song Five Schools One Big Heart

The Cluster consited of five schools:

Craughwell NS, Ballymana NS, Killeeneen NS, Carrabane NS and Coldwood NS.

Please use the following link to view the 2023 Tralee ESC Creative Clusters Project.

The Cluster consited of four schools:

Firies National School, St Brendans National School, The Monastery Primary School and Murhur National School.

Please use the following link to view the 2022 Drumcondra ESC Creative Clusters Project.

The Cluster consited of five schools:

St Olivers Plunkett JNS, St John of God GNS, Scoil Fhursa, St Davids BNS and Scoil Ide GNS

Please use the following link to view the 2022 Mayo ESC Creative Clusters Project.

The Cluster consited of four schools:

St Patrick’s College, Moyne College, St. Tiernan’s College and Coláiste Pobail Acla

Please use the following link to view the 2022 Navan ESC Creative Clusters ESC Project.

The Cluster consited of three schools:

Stackallen NS, St Patricks NS and Scoil Naomh Barra

Please use the following link to view the 2021 Sligo ESC Creative Clusters Project - Lóchrainn Na Rónta

The Cluster consited of five schools:

Kilglass NS, Leaffoney NS, Killeenduff NS, Rathlee NS and Stokane NS

Please use the following link to view the 2021 West Cork ESC Creative Clusters Project

The Cluster consited of three schools:

St Mary's Primary School, St Michael Secondary School and Ardagh Boys National School.