Creative Clusters 2026 - 2028 Application | Cnuasaigh Chruthaitheacha 2026-2028 Iarratas

Creative Cluster Applications 26th January to 20th April 2026
Creative Clusters is a 2-year broad creativity programme focused on building creative educational communities of practice. It is a key initiative of the Creative Ireland, Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027.

Application Timelines:
Opening Date for Applications                                -             26th January 2026
Closing Date for Applications                                  -             20th April 2026
Announcement of Successful Creative Clusters     -             Early May 2026
Creative Clusters Workshop                                    -             September 2026
Creative Clusters Meeting 1 (Project planning and implementation begins)        -       October 2026
Initiative Completion and Review                             -             May / June 2028

Here is the link to Register:    Creative Clusters 2026 - 2028 Application Form

Please see the following link for further details: Creative Clusters Application Guidelines 2026

Creative Clusters Structure
Clusters are composed of between 3 and 5 schools/settings collaborating in a professional learning community. Clusters can consist of primary schools only, post-primary schools only or a combination of primary, post-primary schools, special education schools and Youthreach organisations. Over the 2-year journey, Creative Clusters experiment, risk take, innovate and collaborate on a creative project which helps them address a common issue or development need. In applying to participate in Creative Clusters, schools commit to participation for the duration of the academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28.

Clusters receive the support of a specialist facilitator and funding of €1,500 per school per year of the initiative to invest in their creative collaboration.

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

The Creative Clusters initiative aims to:

• Promote new ways in which schools and the arts and cultural sector can work together

• Improve teaching and learning

• Provide an opportunity for clusters of schools to interact with professionals from the cultural sector, and access resources to experiment and innovate through a bespoke creative learning project

• Develop learners’ and teachers’ creativity

• Understand whether clustering schools at different stages of their journey in using creativity in the classroom and in developing longer term partnerships is an effective model for developing and embedding practice in schools

• Provide schools with access to creative people, skills and resources, and support them to draw on their own skills and experiences and those within their wider communities

How Creative Clusters works?
The programme is open to primary and post-primary schools, including special schools, as well as YouthReach centres. It facilitates release time for schools to meet and develop their project, as well as funding of up to €15,000 to help bring their creative plans and ideas to life. To date, Creative Clusters has brought together 591 schools in 168 clusters, supporting them in using arts and creativity as the common language to tell their unique story.

Creative Clusters Regional Workshops will take place in September 2026 for schools joining the programme. The Lead School Coordinator and School Representatives from each of the schools in the Cluster will be expected to attend. Substitution cover is provided for one teacher per participating school. Please ensure that all schools in the Cluster contribute to the development and completion of this application form before submitting.

Some examples of past themes include Unity in Diversity, Artificial Intelligence, Back to Nature in the Garden of Ireland, Biodiversity – Delving into the World of Wonder, Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity, and Collaborative Teaching and Learning.

Creative Clusters is a key initiative of the Department of Education and Youth, and part of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027, run in partnership with the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) network through all its 21 full-time education centres.

Please see the following link for further details: Creative Clusters Application Guidelines 2026

Creative Clusters Eligibility
The following schools are welcome to apply to lead or participate in a Creative Cluster:

• Schools that have not yet participated in Creative Clusters.

• Schools that have not yet participated in the Arts Council led Creative Schools initiative and those who will complete Creative Schools Year 2 in the 2025/26 school year.

• Schools that will complete Creative Clusters Year 2 in the 2025/26 school year can only apply to lead a cluster of schools who have not yet participated in the initiative.

• To confirm eligibility, see Creative Youth Data Viewer Map: https://doeirl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/6892585fff5248dcab0313bd6a299dcc

The following schools may not apply to participate in Creative Clusters: 

• Schools that are already participating in Creative Clusters 2025/27 (Year 1 commenced in September 2025).

• Schools that are already participating in Arts Council led Creative Schools 2025/27 (Year 1 commenced in September 2025).

• Schools who have participated as a cluster previously, cannot reapply for Creative Clusters unless they lead a combination of schools new to the initiative.

• Fee paying schools (Schools that are not in the free-education scheme i.e. schools that do not receive capitation grants from the Department of Education and Youth or Education and Training Boards).

Schools cannot simultaneously participate in Creative Clusters, and the Arts Council led Creative Schools initiative.