Programmes for Children & Young People

Children’s Art in Libraries Programme

Children’s Art in Libraries Programme (CAL) is an initiative of the Dublin City Arts Office and works in partnership with Dublin City Public Libraries to deliver innovative programming for children across a broad range of art forms. More about the Children’s Art in Libraries Programme

Drama in Schools Toolkit

The Drama in Schools Programme was developed and delivered by Dublin City Arts Office from 2003 - 2013 and during that time over eight hundred and seventy five children participated in the programme.  We have created this web resource with the aim of passing on that knowledge and continuing to support teachers to successfully deliver drama education in schools. Download Drama in Schools Toolkit (PDF)

Project 20/20

Project 20/20 is an arts in education project, an action-research piece of work into contemporary art and children living in Dublin 1.  It is a project that is building over time, focusing on developing the visual literacy of a specific cohort, shining a light on the cumulative effect a long-term, focused, dedicated project can achieve. 

Public Art Engagement Programme with Schools

The Beyond Pebbledash project included the ‘construction’ of a house in the central square of one of Dublin’s National Museums, the publication of a book (also titled Beyond Pebbledash) and an Arts Council-funded engagement programme, targeting young people and Transition Year students.

In the 2015 Dublin Ships project, fourth and sixth classes from Dublin schools questioned, explored and responded to Dublin Port as a fascinating area of Dublin City, and to how artist Cliona Harmey developed the public artwork Dublin Ships.

Youth Arts Partnership - Dublin City Council and the City of Dublin Youth Service Board

Dublin City Council and the City of Dublin Youth Service Board have been working together since 2002.

In partnership, we work to increase opportunities for access to quality arts experiences in a youth work context. We are maximising resources and capacity to sustain and develop existing and new initiatives.

With young people, youth work organisations and artists and art organisations, we work to programme effective and imaginative, with particular emphasis in recent years on film, drama and music. 

Dublin City Arts Office believes in young people's right to engage in the arts, physically and intellectually, throughout their life. 

Young Dublin - Young Artists & Young Arts Audiences

Dublin City Arts Office,  axis Arts Centre, the National Association for Youth Drama (NAYD) and City of Dublin Youth Services Board have come together in partnership to support of young artists to develop original artistic projects and welcome their artistic voice and participation in 1916/2016 Centenary Programme Celebrations.

St Andrews Resource Centre/Talk About Youth Project - Pearse Street - 'Letters in Motion’ is developing a youth led street arts performance in visual arts, dance, drama exploring local history and eyewitness accounts of the 1916 rebellion in the Pearse Street area.  

D.I.T. Ballymun Music Programme -  'A Tri-Coloured Ribbon’ a professional composer and young musicians create a 10 minute musical score and film using songs from the 1916 era as a stimulus for an original composition and performance.  

Brú Youth Service - Crumlin  - 'Rising Reflections' - a youth led digital media and photography project  involving 20 young people documenting their reflections of 1916 and its impact on their lives today.  

Dublin Youth Theatre, Dublin 1 - young members undertake a three day intensive workshop with Dr Helena Enright, of the University of Bath exploring the role of young people in the 1916 Rising using verbatim theatre and theatre of testimony. 

Coisceim Broadreach, Dublin 1 a collaborative dance/film project ‘Where are we now?’ in Dublin’s north inner city for a group of up to 30 young people.

Following a call for proposals in 2015, that demonstrated a strong interest in youth arts in Dublin city,  these projects were selected based on the quality of the artistic vision, young people’s  ownership within the project development, and  overall feasibility of the proposal. Showcasing and discussion of work in progress will take place at LIFT Youth Arts Festival, Ballymun, in March 2016. 

For more on Dublin City Arts Office’s commitment to arts access and provision for the children and young people of Dublin, download the The Arts Plan.