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 2025.

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 following link: Creative Clusters 2025 Application should you need assistance, please contact your local 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 artsineducation@traleeesc.ie

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 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.
  • 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 Appliation Form

English: gov.ie – Creative Clusters 2025 – Call for Applications

Irish: gov.ie – Cnuasach Cruthaitheach 2025