Ireland

Last update: November, 2020

The Department of Education and Skills has the principal responsibility for arts education within schools. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body of the Department of Education and Skills that develops the national education curriculum on behalf of the Department. The NCCA three-year strategy 2019-2021 expresses its strategic intention to focus the curriculum around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) over what the arts and cultural community have called for: STEAM (STEM with the inclusion of A for Arts).

Arts education takes place informally in the context of audience development and outreach programmes of cultural institutions. The majority of cultural institutions will have some form of outreach policy. This activity is supported by the national and local authority policy frameworks: the Arts Council’s emphasis on stimulating public interest in the arts, promoting knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts and assisting in improving standards in the arts; local authorities emphasis is on local development including education. Outreach projects take place either within the institutions or outside in venues such as schools and family workshops, youth and community outreach projects, working with facilitators, etc.

Arts education also occurs within the arts and health context. In 2010, the Arts Council published the Arts and Health Policy and Strategy that set in place strategic partnerships as well as implementing monitoring and evaluation processes. While the primary aim is related to health and wellbeing, arts education also occurs. 

Arts-in-education is a term used in Ireland to describe a practice involving skilled, professional artists of all disciplines working for and with schools in the making, receiving and interpreting of a wide range of arts experiences. Many schools across the country are engaged in such collaborations ranging from one-off artist visits to artistic projects over a longer duration to intensive collaborative projects. The practice can take place within or outside the school. The collaborative arts projects are aimed at enriching the education curriculum, and nurturing and developing the imaginations of the pupils.

The Government’s Creative Ireland Programme states the policy goal of “enabling the creative potential of every child” under Pillar 1 of the programme. The programme financially supports small level interventions in arts-in-education such as the Creative Schools Initiative, which rewards schools that demonstrate creativity. The initiative often involves children interacting with professional artists although the programme has limited funding which affects its scale. These initiatives are welcome in encouraging grassroots school led creative programmes. To date these are minor interventions into general schools’ wellbeing programmes and are dependent on individuals championing the initiative within each school staff. 

Last update: November, 2020

The Irish government of the past ten years has largely prioritised a STEM Education Policy (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) over STEAM (with the inclusion of Arts). There have been calls from the arts sector for more recognition and inclusion of arts in the policy agenda of Government. These calls have been acknowledged by the Minister of Culture, but there have been few concrete actions to divert from the STEM policy agenda or to widen it to include arts. 

The importance of arts education has been emphasised continuously through numerous reports commissioned either by the Arts Council or through joint committees established between the Arts Council and the Department of Education going as far back as the 1970s. However, concrete actions from the Department of Education have been very slow to result from these reports. 

There was some hope for change in 2012 when the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DAHG) produced a joint commitment to promote and integrate the arts in education with the launch of the Arts in Education Charter (December 2012). The Charter placed a welcome emphasis on the importance of arts education. There was some concern within the arts community about the requirements set out within the charter for any artists in receipt of funding from government to give some time back within an arts in education context. It was pointed out that not all artists have the relevant skillset to do so. It was also pointed out that the arts funding was designed to give artists time to develop their practice. This requirement was not pursued post Charter. 

The most concrete change after the Charter has been the introduction of the Creative Schools initiative of Creative Ireland. The Arts in Education Portal was another outcome of the Arts in Education Charter. The intention was to create a community of practice. However, it has been relatively underutilised post 2016. 

The Teacher-Artist Partnership (TAP) is a Department of Education and Skills initiative, which commenced on a pilot basis in 2014/15 to enhance arts in education at primary school level. This initiative is guided by the principles expressed in the Charter and Pillar 1 (Creative Youth) of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017–2022).

Cultural curricula

The national curriculum for secondary level junior cycle’s (years 1-3) Visual Art subject sets out clear expectations for students, across the three integrated strands of art, craft and design. It aims to provide the student with a set of personal attitudes and qualities as well as skills, processes and a sense of the aesthetic. Through practical engagement in the areas of art, craft and design, ‘students will develop self-confidence, inquisitiveness, imagination, and creativity’. Junior cycle’s Music subject focuses on giving students the opportunity to develop their musical knowledge, skills and cultural awareness through practical and cognitive engagement with music. This can be achieved through the three interconnected strands: procedural knowledge, innovate and ideate, and culture and context.

Within the secondary level, the Leaving Certificate Art (including Crafts) exam programme is studied across four main areas of Art History and Appreciation, Still Life, Imaginative Composition, Design and Craftwork. These are all supported by the underlying use of observational studies, which enables students to build up a range of work and develop their skills and knowledge. A study of art forms of the past and present informs this work. The Leaving Certificate Design and Communication Graphics  involves comprehending, analysing and communicating information presented verbally or graphically. Problem solving and creative thinking skills are developed through the analysis and solution of problems in both two and three dimensions graphics. Graphics and design are communicated using a variety of media, including computer-aided design (CAD). The main areas of study are: Plane and Descriptive Geometry, Communication of Design and Computer Graphics, and Applied Graphics. 

Other subjects such as Classical Studies, Languages, Politics and Society, or History include the study of culture in their curricula from mainly a sociological perspective. A number of art forms such as Dance and Theatre remain at extra curricular level, which have the effect of impeding participation in these art forms for many through geographical or financial barriers. Achieving Leaving Certificate results in Music requires extra curricular tuition which also creates barriers. 

In many instances, individual secondary level schools choose to not offer any arts education as a specific subject choice for students up to the final exams (Leaving Certificate), blaming lack of available staff resources or lack of student interest. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a minority of independent schools with the resources to offer special extra educational resources in this field (e.g. for music, fine arts, graphics). These private or semi-private schools generally require extra funding from parents for extra curricular tuition.   

Last update: November, 2020

University studies of arts are organised into undergraduate courses (bachelor's degrees) and postgraduate courses (master's degrees, postgraduate programmes, doctoral programmes, etc.). The qualifications that can be obtained are officially recognised under the National Framework of Qualifications. The number of students choosing to study arts degrees at third level has been in decline ever since the recession of 2008, with growing numbers of students deserting the arts for a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) course. STEM subjects have been incentivised heavily by successive governments since 2008. 

The Bologna Process has impacted third level education in Ireland in a number of ways. The degree structure proposed in the process was already implemented in Ireland prior to the process. The European Credit and Accumulation System (ECTS) was also already in place in Ireland since the 1990s. The standardization of ECTS across Europe has greatly benefited student mobility through the Erasmus programme. The Bologna Process has had most impact on the area of quality assurance. There is now greater consistency of approach across the sector. Ireland was first country in Europe to provide a National Framework of Qualifications in line with the agreed standards of the Bologna process.   

Third level institutions specialising in arts and cultural education include the Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT) and the National College of Art and Design. The Royal Irish Academy of Music is Ireland’s music conservatoire offering pre-college, undergraduate and postgraduate musical training. The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance is situated in the University of Limerick and offers undergraduate and post graduate study programmes in dance and music. The Lir Academy is an academy of Dramatic Art offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in acting, stage management, playwrighting, directing, and stage design. It is part of Trinity College Dublin and is associated with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Arts administration is also taught at third level with degrees and postgraduate programmes. Many third level institutions, other than traditional arts college, conservatoire or academies, have now created degree programmes related to culture and the arts or have schools or faculties of arts. Increased competition between higher level institutions since 2010 has resulted in many choosing to increase the number and variety of programmes offered to sustain general student numbers. This has led to a proliferation of arts programmes across the country for prospective students to choose from. It has become increasingly difficult to sustain the third level arts ecosystem as a result, with many high quality programmes now under threat. 

Discussions of the possibilities of a Creative University/University of the Arts/Creative Cluster began after the publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (2011), generally referred to as the Hunt Report. This report came about in the context of severe constraints on public finances under pressure imposed by the troika bailout post recession. It called for a major reform of the public funded education infrastructure, including the possibility of a creative cluster approach to arts education at third level. A number of third level institutes engaged in early stage discussions, but no mergers have occurred around a creative cluster since. In 2020 a new set of discussions have begun on this issue.

As already touched upon above, arts and cultural education at higher level is currently under severe pressure. The number of students choosing to study an arts or creative course at third level has dropped significantly according to the Central Applications Office (CAO). The future of the arts as a profession or creative career is under serious threat as a result. The diversity of voices being heard within or projected through the arts is continuing to narrow. There is need for greater advocacy by government leading to a coordinated policy to support arts education at third level. 

A range of access programmes exists to encourage a broad diverse student body. Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) offers assistance to encourage more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend third level. Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) offers assistance to people with disability. Many institutes have their own access initiatves such as Trinity College’s Trinity Access Programme (TAP) to support people from geographical areas with low progression rates to higher education to access third level education.

Last update: November, 2020

Most publicly funded arts organisations in Ireland provide outreach programme or audience development programme that offers community engagement and participation in arts practice. These educational programmes are offered to all age groups and occur on site at the cultural institution or offsite in a community setting. Encountering the Arts Ireland (ETAI), an alliance of a diverse range of arts and cultural organisations working with education providers, advocate for greater collaboration and alignment in policy between organisations and government agencies in order to provide children and young people with sustained opportunities in the arts and culture in and out of school. 

Local authorities also offer numerous cultural education and participation opportunities for their communities. Local authority arts offices frequently partner with individuals, groups and organisations within their locality to develop projects and programmes for children and young people. For example the Fingal county council’s arts service normally commits over 50% of the annual expenditure to supporting educational programmes. These programmes are primarily developed for children and young people but also include activities for professional development and lifelong learning for older generations. 

Youthreach is a programme of second-chance education provided by the Department of Education and is directed at unemployed early school leavers aged 15-20. The programme provides two years of integrated education, training and work experience. The programme is delivered in out of school settings, including engagement with arts institutions.

A number of youth focused cultural organisations offer education in their discipline, such as Dublin Youth Theatre. The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) promotes the use of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) and Digital Youth Work in youth work settings. Their Equality and Intercultural Programme supports youth workers to embed equality, inclusion, diversity and interculturalism into youth work settings. NYCI’s Youth Arts Programme is produced in a strategic partnership with the Arts Council and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The programme aims specifically to realise the potential of young people through good quality youth arts practice within youth work organisations and the non-formal educational sector, and to develop appropriate policies and activities at local, regional and national level.

CREATE is the National Development Agency for Collaborative Arts. The organisation supports artists and communities to ‘co-create work of depth, ambition and excellence’. The organisation, although a great advocate of high quality interventions, has limited reach and capacity given its limited funding allocation. 

The Creative Ireland programme offers opportunities for communities to engage in cultural activities. The agency acts as a go-between, working across government and civil society with the aim of promoting understanding of the value and importance of creativity and wellbeing. They work within as well as outside of schools and across all ages supporting cultural education through the following initiatives: Creative Schools; Local Creative Youth Partnerships; Fighting Words; Youth Theatre Ireland; Music Generation (see chapter 3.5.4); and Cruinniú nan Óg; Creative Communities.

Last update: November, 2020

The Arts Council offers funding for artists for professional development. The Travel and Training Award is offered in three strands. The Travel and Training Outbound Award offers funding for Irish artists to travel outside of the island of Ireland to improve their practice through vocational training such as masterclasses or specialist training courses. The Travel and Training Inbound Award offers assistance to arts organisations to bring in specialists from abroad to work with their artists. The third strand relates to arts organisations wishing to travel that are in the process of applying to a Creative Europe (culture sub-programme) fund. The Council also strategically funds arts and cultural organisations that offer vocational training such as Dance Ireland, Visual Arts Ireland, Fire Station Studios, or the Gallery of Photography. A number of these artist-oriented organisations offer short vocational training courses for professional artists within their specific disciplines to complement their practice. 

Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses taught in Colleges of Further Education offer a training opportunity for students who were not offered third level choices through the CAO points system or they were not interested in that route. Programmes include arts and humanities education and training. These qualifications are recognised by the National Framework of Qualifications and therefore by all third level educational institutions. Students can therefore gain access for progression to level 7 or 8 programmes. While these programmes act as a stepping-stone towards tertiary educational attainment, they also offer improved access to the workforce on completion. Criticisms of the current system relate to the reduction of options related to craft-based apprenticeships schemes, as well as an outsourcing of service provision to private agencies such as Seetec.