BLAST for Schools

Get Ready for BLAST! Scoil Naomh Mhuire Welcomes an Arts-in-Education Residency (2025/2026)

We're excited to share that Scoil Naomh Mhuire has been selected to participate in a BLAST (Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers) Residency during the 2025/2026 school year!

BLAST is a fantastic initiative that will bring a professional creative practitioner to our school to work with pupils and teachers on an imaginative, hands-on project. This is a unique opportunity to embed creativity and joy right into the heart of our learning.

BLAST is a key component of the Creative Youth Plan (2023-2027), led by the Department of Education. Its main goal is to give pupils the time and space to collaborate with an experienced artist or creative professional on a unique project.

Unlike a multi-year development programme, BLAST focuses on a high-impact, short-term residency to deliver a specific, engaging project.

Through the BLAST Residency, our pupils will get to:

Work with a Professional: We'll welcome an approved artist or creative practitioner from a discipline like visual arts, music, drama, dance, film, or literature (the final discipline will depend on our school's chosen project).
Collaborate and Create: The project will be developed in partnership between the creative practitioner, the participating teacher(s), and the pupils, ensuring it is relevant and exciting for our learners.
Develop Key Skills: The residency will focus on fostering the essential skills of the Creative Youth Plan, including collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation.
Hands-on Learning: This is all about practical, imaginative, and fun projects that lead to a tangible output—whether it's a performance, a mural, a digital story, or a unique piece of music.

The residency involves 20 hours of collaborative time, including planning and working directly with the pupils.

Pupils involved in the BLAST project will benefit immensely by:

Experiencing Arts Beyond the Classroom: Working with a professional artist offers a new perspective on creativity as a skill and a potential career.
Boosting Confidence: They'll gain confidence in expressing their ideas and seeing a complex project through from concept to completion.
Creating Something Unique: The resulting project will be a source of pride for the school community and a lasting memory of their time working with a professional artist.

We look forward to sharing our journey and celebrating the fantastic creative outcomes of the BLAST Residency!

BLAST Arts Programme: Katherine Griffin Visits the Junior Room

The Junior Room was buzzing with excitement (and a few extra distinctively fuzzy guests) as we welcomed BLAST Professional Artist, Katherine Griffin.

The children were asked to bring in their favourite teddy bears to school, not just for a cuddle, but to serve as the primary inspiration for their latest artistic endeavour. Katherine guided the children through a wonderful creative process, teaching them how to observe their teddies—looking closely at shapes, textures, and personality.

The session was a resounding success. The resulting artwork is a testament to the children's focus and Katherine’s excellent teaching. We are incredibly proud of the amazing results produced by the class today.

BLAST: Blending Creativity and Scientific Discovery

The Junior Class recently had an exciting visit from artist Katherine Griffin as part of the innovative BLAST initiative (Bringing Live Art to Students and Teachers).

This unique collaboration saw the children engaging in activities that masterfully connected creativity with scientific exploration. Ms. Griffin guided the pupils through hands-on artistic projects, transforming the classroom into a studio where imagination served as the starting point for scientific inquiry. The programme demonstrated how the processes of art—such as observation, experimentation, and critical thinking—are deeply intertwined with the fundamental skills required for scientific discovery.

The BLAST initiative, through the work of artists like Katherine Griffin, successfully broadened the pupils' understanding of both art and science, proving that the two disciplines are powerful partners in learning.

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