Announced by the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, the successful projects were selected following an open call and evaluation process. The funding will support organisations delivering creative programmes that place children and young people at the centre of the creative process, while ensuring those who face barriers to participation have greater opportunities to engage.

The investment is being delivered through two funding strands: the Creative Youth Nurture Fund and the Creative Youth Nurture Fund: Shared Island.

Supporting creativity for all young people

Nine projects will receive more than €733,000 through the Creative Youth Nurture Fund to continue the success of the pilot programme (2023–2025). Running until the end of 2027, these projects are specifically designed to engage seldom-heard children and young people who may experience barriers to accessing creative opportunities.

The funded initiatives span a wide range of creative disciplines, including circus, songwriting, animation, digital storytelling and visual arts, creating inclusive environments where young people can develop confidence, express themselves and realise their creative potential.

Among the successful projects are:

• Welcome to my world: Voice Beyond Words, led by Atlantic Technological University, which will support non-verbal neurodivergent and disabled young people in Donegal and Galway through sensory-led creative experiences.
• Made of Words, led by Draíocht, which will work with children and young people experiencing mental health challenges in Dublin, helping them transform language into poetry, performance, imagery and symbols.

Building connections across the island

A further €1.46 million has been awarded through the Creative Youth Nurture Fund: Shared Island strand, funded by the Government’s Shared Island Initiative.

Six cross-border partnership projects will run until 2028, bringing together young people from communities North and South to collaborate through shared creative experiences. The projects aim to foster understanding, strengthen relationships and inspire hope for the future through activities including playwriting, textiles, visual arts and other creative practices.

One of the successful initiatives, Stitched Voices: A Shared Island Youth Textile Programme, led by Inspiring Yarns CIC, will bring together young people from Cavan and Down to explore identity, belonging and community through collaborative textile art.

Investing in the next generation

Announcing the funding, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:

“The ambition of the Creative Ireland Programme is to inspire and transform people, places and communities through creativity. Today’s announcement of the 15 successful projects is evidence of this ongoing commitment to the vision that every person, no matter their circumstances, should have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential.”

He added:

“Through the significant investment from the Shared Island Fund, this strand of the Programme creates opportunities for young people, North and South, to engage with people they might not otherwise meet, so they can explore creative ideas together and bring them to life.”

The Creative Youth Nurture Fund reflects Creative Ireland’s commitment to ensuring that every child and young person can access high-quality creative experiences, while strengthening communities and encouraging collaboration across the island.

The successful projects will begin delivery over the coming months, creating new opportunities for thousands of children and young people to participate in creativity, develop new skills and build lasting connections through culture and the arts.