Creative Clusters 2025 – 2027

Creative Clusters 2025 - 2027

Department of Education
Deadline: Thursday 10 April 

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the opening of a new round of Creative Clusters for 2025 – 2027. The programme is open to primary and post-primary schools, including special education schools, as well as YouthReach organisations.

Each Creative Cluster will receive funding of €3,000 per school in each cluster over a two-year period to implement their project in the 2025–2027 school years.

• A cluster of 3 schools would receive €9,000 over two years
• A cluster of 5 schools would receive €15,000 over two years.

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 further details: Creative Clusters 2025 – Department of Education Guidelines 

Watch the following video about Creative Clusters:  https://vimeo.com/825072944?fl=pl&fe=sh

Application Form Webinar – 26 February
Creative Clusters 2025/2027 Application Form Webinar hosted by Jennifer Buggie and Catherine Sheridan to assist schools with any queries they may have about completing the Creative Clusters 2025/2027 Application Form.
This webinar is being held on Wednesday 26th February at 7pm.
To register, please see the following registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/f4fUgum3QA2k3_ZnWSoWUQ

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 2025 application form and guidelines:
The application process will be open from 27th January 2025 until 10th April 2025. Please find link to application form here: https://forms.office.com/e/Xxk81z4F62

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.