18th December, 2025
Nine post-primary schools in Belfast and Derry~Londonderry have been awarded funding to take part in a landmark programme which aims to boost educational outcomes for students by bringing more creative skills into the classroom.
The schools have been awarded grants of up to £16,600 each as part of the National Lottery Creative Schools Partnership - a programme backed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and delivered in partnership with the Education Authority for up to 2 years.
The Creative Schools Programme is based on research which indicates that access to quality arts experiences in school can benefit all aspects of learning, including better reading, writing and communications skills.
Each of the schools awarded funding has been given the chance to develop their own bespoke project, working with professional artists to develop a range of skills from script writing and theatre production, to visual art and performance. The projects will see students connecting with the local community, including care homes and day centres, as well as sharing learning outcomes with the wider school family, connecting with other year groups, parents and guardians.
Patricia Lavery, Head of Community Arts and Education, commented: “Since the Creative Schools Programme was first piloted in 2017, we have watched the enormous, positive impact it has had on participating schools and individual students who have taken part. For many young people taking part in the projects, this creative approach in the classroom has had a long term educational and social impact, opening up their minds to new creative ways of thinking and learning, and building confidence and self-belief.
“Thanks to National Lottery players and money set aside for good causes, the Arts Council is pleased to join with the Education Authority to announce up to two-years funding for 9 schools. We very much look forward to seeing how the artists and creative professionals we fund, can help boost creative thinking in the classroom and allow these projects thrive over the coming months.”
Marie O’Donoghue, Education Authority and Creative Schools Programme Manager, commented: “This collaborative public partnership demonstrates how bringing the education and creative sectors together can enrich learning, inspire young people, and strengthen school communities. At the heart of the Creative Schools Programme in Northern Ireland is arts and creativity, and the vital role they play in developing young people’s skills, confidence and sense of community.
“By connecting schools with artists, creative professionals and local communities, the programme opens new worlds of possibility for future careers, and fosters a stronger sense of value, belonging, confidence and wellbeing. Crucially, the programme also provides young people with opportunities to explore and address social issues that are relevant to their lives, with creative and collaborative working shown to have a positive impact on their mental health. This approach highlights the lasting impact that creative learning can have on young people’s lives.”
Case Studies
Ashfield Boys’ High School, Belfast
With their funding, Ashfield Boys will engage a group of Year 10 students in a special drama project, working with a professional actor to explore Shakespeare. The project will provide a creative, robust and student-centric introduction for young people to one of English literature’s most significant voices, while at the same time, developing community relations and supporting the school’s development plan to raise literacy standards.
The project will focus on three key areas.
St Joseph’s Boys School, Derry~Londonderry
Having previously been awarded funding through the Creative School’s Programme, St Joseph’s will build on this foundation to engage boys in drama and performance and extend their partnership with the Millennium Forum Theatre. This year’s project will introduce an intergenerational dimension, connecting pupils with the Millennium’s existing drama and storytelling group for older adults. Together, pupils will work alongside a professional acting facilitator to create an original piece of drama exploring identity, the generation gap, shared experiences, and community understanding.
At its centre, the goal of this project is to nurture creativity, confidence, and empathy in students, many of whom have limited access to the arts, while strengthening intergenerational and community ties.
Notes:
1. The Creative Schools Programme was established by the Arts Council and Education Authority to help students reach their potential. The approach has led to better engagement and attendance levels, improving results in other school subjects, increased self-motivation, and promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.
The nine schools taking part in the programme are:
2. The Creative Schools Programme is supported through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s National Lottery funds, the Education Authority for Northern Ireland and the Urban Villages Initiative.
3. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead funding and development agency for the Arts providing support to arts projects throughout the region, through its Treasury and The National Lottery funds. Arts Council funding enables artists and arts organisations to increase access to the arts across society and deliver great art that is within everyone’s reach.
To date, National Lottery players have helped to raise £52 billion for Good Causes, with more than 670,000 projects funded since 1994 . With hundreds of lottery grants in every postcode district and £32 million raised each week for Good Causes, most people will have benefited from a National Lottery-funded project.
4. Media queries about the Creative Schools Programme should be directed to the Arts Council. Please contact: Sarah Coburn, Comunications Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, E: [email protected] or [email protected]
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