Cruinniú na nÓg - celebrating creativity in young Leitrim people

Do you have an exciting idea for a creative project/event for children and young people that you would like to see happen?

This year Cruinniú na nÓg - the national day of creativity for children and young people – is going to be bigger than ever before and right now we are encouraging children’s groups, youth organisations, arts centres, or any arts, heritage, environmental or educational organization etc. to apply for funding to develop a project that allows children and young people to explore, enhance or celebrate their own creativity.

The organisers particularly welcome applications where organisations have coordinated with other applicants in their locality so as to allow for the widest accessibility to Cruinniú na nÓg 2023 and to minimize overlap between different activities happening the same area.

As well as only avoiding overlap, different organisers in your area could programme a series of events that take place in several venues that are coordinated to ensure that different age groups are catered for.

Alternatively, a number of organisers could also come together to create a single collaborative project together.
If you work with children and young people, this is a great opportunity to develop something really special.

Have a chat with them and see what they’re interested in and develop a plan together. Perhaps they’ve always wanted to make a film, do some incredible science experiments, or explore their own community in a creative way.
If you’ve got an idea, we can help make it happen.

If you’re a theatre company, arts centre or involved in creativity in some other way and are looking to engage a new young audience, this is also a great opportunity to make that happen.

If you’re an artist that works with children and would like to get involved, contact a group that works with children and see if they’d like to work with you.

The guiding principle of Cruinniú 2023 is to empower children and young people to develop their creative expression through creative activities in their local area.

Events can take all shapes and sizes from visual and performing arts to workshops and creative adventures in heritage, culture, science or technology.

The emphasis though should be on ‘doing’, ‘making’, ‘creating’.

All events should be focused on children and young people (up to 18), and the organisers particularly welcome applications that gives access to groups of children who haven’t had such opportunities before.

If you are interested in organising an event, Leitrim County Council can provide financial support towards the costs– particularly the costs of hiring artists or other practitioners, and towards the costs of materials.

Grants will typically be in the region of €500 to €2,500. While there is no fixed number of awards, there will generally be a larger number of lesser value awards and a small number of higher value ones.

Depending on the number of applications received, it may not be possible to fund all applicants and in that case available funding will be allocated to those which best meet the objectives of the programme.

While the focus of most events will be on Saturday, June 10, funding can also be used for workshop in the build-up towards that event.

Some events can also be held on Friday, June for 9 those groups, especially schools, that meet during the week.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Sunday, April 2, 2023
Applications are accepted online only.

If you need assistance or further information please contact Alice Dixon, Creative Ireland Project Manager, on creativeleitrim@gmail.com or contact Leitrim County Council on 071 96 21694.