Creative Bursary 2021/22 Winners Announced

Students holding a giant cheque

Five post-primary schools across Ireland were recently awarded a Creative Bursary from Griffith College Dublin in partnership with the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI).

The creative communications campaign was a great experience. I enjoyed the brainstorming part of the project, coming up with ideas and working together to decide which one works best. As well as new art supplies, some of the funds will go towards a class trip, which we are really looking forward to.

- Connie, TY Student, Warrenmount SS

Keith O'Connor (IAPI), Sarah Edmondson (Griffith College), TY Students at Old Bawn Community School, Vita Ryan (Art Teacher, Old Bawn), Brian Teevan (TY Coordinator, Old Bawn)

The Faculty of Journalism and Media Communications at Griffith College once again collaborated with IAPI on the joint Creative Bursary for DEIS post-primary schools in Ireland or schools that can identify a disadvantage in their ability to meet their students’ creative needs.

This initiative aims to encourage students to consider careers in creative commercial sectors, an area that many young adults and teenagers are unaware of. This year applicants were asked to submit a creative communications campaign explaining how their school practices sustainability. This could include handmade artefacts, such as posters or a school magazine, and/or digital content for social media. Each school was also required to submit a video explaining the development of their ideas and the execution of their project.

Griffith College provided the total bursary funding of €10,000 and was delighted to award the top five schools with their cash prizes at the beginning of February 2022 which will go towards improving their art departments, investing in equipment and projects to develop their students' creative skills. IAPI member agencies will provide the students with an experiential opportunity, opening up the creative commercial sector to them as a possible career prospect in the future.

The winning schools were:

  • Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount, Dublin 8
  • Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght, Dublin 24
  • Limerick Educate Together Secondary School, Limerick
  • Meánscoil San Nioclas, Dungarvan, Waterford
  • Boherbue Comprehensive School, Cork

The most enjoyable part of the project for me as a teacher was seeing students discover skills they never realised they had. Some had never studied art as a subject and were surprised that they both enjoyed it and are good at it. I also realised how clued-in they are when it comes to social media and I certainly learned a lot from them.

- Barry Kennedy, Art Teacher, Warrenmount SS

Griffith College and IAPI would like to congratulate the successful applicants and to thank all of the schools who submitted, encouraging them to continue to be creative and express their ideas.