Nine schools get creative
NINE OF the county’s schools have been selected to participate in the latest round of Creative Ireland’s Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools and Creative Clusters.
Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, Gaelscoil An Inbhir Mhóir, Nun’s Cross NS, Ss Michael And Peters JNS, St Catherine’s Special School, St Kevin’s CC, St Laurence PS, St Peter’s NS and Woodbrook College are named among the 164 schools nationwide who will join the third round of the programme.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin said: ‘I am delighted to welcome a further 164 schools as our latest Creative Schools – one of the flagship initiatives of the Creative Ireland Programme. This programme – along with other Creative Ireland initiatives – supports our youngest citizens to not only experience and embrace arts, culture and creativity for the pure enjoyment of it, but to help them discover and develop new skills and talents that enhance their development and growth, and add to the richness of their overall learning experience.’
Schools in Greystones and Delgany will also form part of a new Creative Cluster with the Blackrock Education Centre. Delgany NS, St
Kevin’s NS and Greystones CNS will collaborate on an arts and creative learning project. The announcement was welcomed by Wicklow Green Party TD Stephen Matthews.
‘The announcement by Minister Foley and my Green Party colleague, Minister Catherine Martin this week was extremely welcome. I was particularly delighted to see that nine schools from across Wicklow were awarded the grant of €2,000 to implement their individual plans with an additional grant of €1,100 being provided on a once-off basis for 2020.
‘The funding is there to support initiatives and ideas that encourage children and young adults to embrace arts, culture and creativity and to discover and develop new skills and talents that enhance their development and growth and add to the richness of their overall learning experience. Supporting an interest and passion for creativity in all areas of childhood development is important and I hope that this funding will assist in that aim.
‘This funding is particularly welcome at the moment as students are still readjusting to being back in school after such a significant interruption in their schooling. I know this has been an extremely challenging period for students and families alike and any measure that can reduce this stress is extremely positive,’ he added.