Cork County Council welcomes news that 18 primary and secondary schools in Cork County have been added to the national Creative Schools Programme. This flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and aims to enable the creative potential of children in Ireland by understanding, developing and celebrating the arts and creativity in schools.

A new Primary Schools Creative Cluster for West Cork has also been announced. This Creative Cluster will be managed by the West Cork Education Centre and will include Multose National School, Ballymoney National School and Kilgarriffe NS Clonakilty.

Each school participating in the Creative Schools scheme will receive €3,100 and those participating in the creative cluster will benefit from an additional €1,000 per school for 2020. This announcement means an additional €60,000 of investment in creative learning in schools across the county

Mayor of County Cork Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley welcomed the inclusion of additional schools from Cork County saying:

The Creative Schools programme is an important national initiative to benefit children and foster culture and creativity throughout communities in Ireland by fostering a well rounded education for children. This is something we in Cork County Council fully support, recognising the important role of such activities in everyone’s development and wellbeing.

We are delighted see that culture and education policy are being aligned to create a place where knowledge and creativity are equal partners in the formation of our young people, giving them an opportunity to become creative, active citizens. This investment means that approximately 20 professional artists will be able to work in school settings sharing their knowledge and expertise and helping young people to explore their own creativity.

The following schools have been added to the Creative Schools Programme:

  • Araglin Parish School Araglin Kilworth, Co. Cork
  • Bantry Youthreach, Seskin, Bantry, Co. Cork
  • Boherbue Comprehensive School, Mallow, Co. Cork
  • Cappabue N.S., Kealkill, Bantry, Co. Cork
  • Colaiste An Chroi Naofa, College Road, Carrignavar, Co. Cork
  • Coomhola National School, Bantry, Co. Cork
  • Davis College, Summerhill, Mallow, Co. Cork
  • Drimoleague, Drimoleague, Co. Cork
  • Kilbehenny National School, Kilbehenny, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork
  • Maria Immaculata Community College, Dunmanway, Co. Cork
  • Scoil Chaitigheirn, Eyeries, Beara, Co. Cork
  • Scoil Mhuire na nGrast, Belgooly, Co. Cork
  • Scoil Naisiunta An Chroi Naofa, Glounthaune, Co. Cork
  • Scoil Naomh Eoin, Ballincurrig, Leamlara, Co. Cork
  • St Colman’s Community College, Youghal Road, Midleton, Co. Cork
  • St John the Baptist N.S., Connolly Street, Midleton, Co. Cork
  • St. Joseph’s G.N.S., Convent Road, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
  • Timoleague, N.S. Bandon, Co. Cork

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