Call Out for Creative Practitioners
Teacher Artist Partnership+ 2026/27

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for creative practitioners of all disciplines to broaden their practice through the Teacher Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) professional development and in-school residency initiative. TAP+ is a creativity rich national initiative where creative practitioners train and collaborate alongside primary and special school teachers, developing shared approaches to creativity, wellbeing, and partnership in schools.

TAP+ supports creative practitioners to work collaboratively with teachers and students, developing creative partnerships that enhance the creative potential of every student. Each course is delivered by trained Teacher–Artist tutor pairs and includes both professional development and practical experience.

Develop creative partnerships with teachers and students. Receive funded training and residencies that bring creativity and the arts into schools across Ireland through TAP+, an initiative of Creative Youth 2023–27 under Creative Ireland and led by the Department of Education and Youth and Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI).

Closing date for applications: Friday, 5th June 2026 at 5pm.
Creative Practitioner Application Form apply here: https://forms.office.com/e/nHeq8bdkW4

Structure and Overview
TAP+ Summer Course is delivered 1st to 7th July 2026 (excluding weekend)

• Delivered in your local full-time Education Support Centre (www.esci.ie)
• Fully paid training for creative practitioners wishing to work in primary and special schools

TAP+ In-School Residencies

• Bringing learning into practice through creative partnership with teachers and students
• Fully funded 20-hour residencies during the 2026/27 school year
• Eligible for inclusion on the BLAST Register of creative practitioners

Eligibility to Apply
You are eligible to apply for TAP+ if you meet the following criteria:
You are a creative practitioner, working in any art form, discipline or creative practice (examples: boat maker, jeweller, computer programmer, horticulturist, engineer, drama, musician, etc), who is committed to sharing their practice with students and teachers in primary and special schools

• You have a minimum of three years’ experience in your creative practice. (Applicants will be asked to provide evidence within the application form.)
• You have an interest in working with primary and special schools.
• You can attend the TAP+ Summer Course in your nearest full-time Education Support Centre.
• You are willing to collaborate with teachers and students as part of a school-based residency.

Please note: Willingness/ability to practise through Irish is recorded to partner practitioners with Irishmedium schools and schools seeking to enhance their use of the Irish Language. Practitioners of all language abilities through Irish (and none) are welcome to apply.

Requirements for Successful Applicants (Post-Selection)
Applicants who are selected must:

• Complete the TAP+ Summer Course
• Complete the TAP+ in-school residency during the school year 2026/2027
• Provide required documentation to their local ESC (e.g. Tax Clearance Certificate)
• Complete Tusla’s Children First E-Learning Programme
• Undergo Garda vetting before taking up project placements
• Engage fully in partnership-based approaches with a teacher partner

Supports and Fees

• Training allowance of €150 per day over the 5-day summer course training (€750 in total), plus travel and lunch provided.
• Guaranteed paid follow-up in-school residency within a local primary or special school (€1,100 fee inclusive of €200 travel) to carry out a 20-hour residency (14 contact hours plus 6 hours planning, preparation and evaluation) in partnership with your teacher partner during the school year 2026/2027
• Professional development through partnerships and creative, collaborative relationships with teachers, in schools committed to creativity and arts in learning, practice and community
• TAP+ trained creative practitioners are also eligible to participate in BLAST in-school residencies. We invite successful TAP+ creative practitioners to join the BLAST register and where possible to deliver BLAST residencies. See here for further details: BLAST information

BLAST Creativity & Arts-in-Education Residency Programme 2026/27 applications now open

The Department of Education and Youth is pleased to announce BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 applications are now open. 

BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The closing date for receipt of applications is 20th April 2026.

Please contact your local full-time Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Eligibility:

All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education and Youth or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.

Schools participating in Creative Clusters, Creative Schools, Creative Connections, I am Creative or TAP+ can apply for BLAST.

Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST.

BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education and Youth, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland.

BLAST Application Form Link: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

Kilkenny BLAST Register of Artists and Creative Practitioners

Introducing Film into the Primary Classroom

FÍS is a successful film project for Primary schools that explores film as a medium of expression in relation to the arts, and introduces Primary school children to aspects of the film-making process. It was originally set up as a pilot project by the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire but was subsequently rolled out to all schools nationwide with the support of the Department of Education and Skills and Oide (formerly PDST) Technology in Education. 

FÍS Storyboard Storytelling Competition 2021

In November 2020, FÍS announced their Storyboard Storytelling Competition, where Irish Primary schools were invited to enter a one-off COVID-19 special initiative. The FÍS Storyboard Storytelling Competition provided an opportunity for students to visually interpret a story, concept or topic, and use artistic media and different types of shots, to convey that story in an imaginative and creative way. To support the Competition, the FÍS Film Project developed a step-by-step tutorial which guides Primary school students through creating their very own storyboard - ideal for use in the classroom!