Education Minister, and the Minister for Education
and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, have today launched the next
phase of a cross-border pilot programme which enhances arts-based
learning in schools.
The Creative Connections pilot programme will be extended across
Northern Ireland and Ireland for the 2026/27 academic year to
support a further 12 schools.
Expressions of interest for the next phase of the programme are
being invited from schools from today.
This programme forms part of the Shared Island Initiative on
tackling educational disadvantage.
Since its launch in February 2025, Creative Connections has
partnered 20 schools from Northern Ireland and 20 from Ireland
along with 40 creative practitioners to enhance arts education in
schools including art, music, drama and literature. The programme
promotes collaboration both between schools and with arts
specialists to enhance learning for children impacted by social
disadvantage.
Launching the second phase, Minister Givan said: “Creative
Connections offers schools a valuable opportunity to explore
learning in ways that are imaginative, inclusive and engaging,
supporting wellbeing for children and young people. It offers
opportunities that support schools to work with professional
creative practitioners and with one another across countries. The
programme helps foster innovation, shared learning and stronger
connections between educational communities and offers
opportunities that young people may not otherwise experience.
“It is encouraging to hear the positive impact that the programme
has had to date and I am pleased to support this next phase of
the programme. I have no doubt it will create further
opportunities for children and young people across Northern
Ireland and Ireland and I would encourage schools to express an
interest in participating.”
Minister Naughton said: “Creative Connections is a powerful
example of how creativity can enrich teaching and learning and
open new opportunities for children and young people.
“I am pleased to see the continued expansion of the Creative
Connections programme now expanding on an all-island basis,
through the Shared Island Initiative, bringing schools together
from across Northern Ireland and Ireland through creativity,
collaboration and the arts. This next phase will help strengthen
connections between school communities, support children and
young people to express themselves, and ensure Being Creative, a
key competency in curriculum from Primary school through to
Senior cycle continues to play an important role in education.”
Expressions of Interest will open from today and close on 6 May
2026.
Schools interested in participating can find the Guidelines for
Expression of Interest and application process on the DE website
at: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/creative-connections
For further information:
Schools in Northern Ireland can contact the Department of
Education at: tpl@education-ni.gov.uk
Schools in Ireland can contact: creativity@traleeesc.ie
