Louth County Council and Creative Ireland Invite Expressions of Interest for Cruinniú na nÓg 2026

Louth County Council, in partnership with Creative Ireland, is inviting artists, creative practitioners, community groups, venues and organisations to submit Expressions of Interest to take part in Cruinniú na nÓg 2026, Ireland’s national day of free creativity for children and young people.

Cruinniú na nÓg will take place on Saturday, 6th June 2026, with activities delivered across County Louth and online. Funded projects may also take place in the weeks leading up to the national day, culminating in a public showcase, exhibition, performance, or digital release on 6th June.

Cruinniú na nÓg is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme, dedicated to enabling children and young people aged 0–18 years to actively participate in high‑quality creative experiences—free of charge. The programme supports imagination, collaboration, and creative expression, ensuring that the voices of children and young people are central to the design and delivery of all activities.

Funding Opportunities

Three funding strands are available to support a wide range of creative projects:

• Strand 1: Up to €500 – for individual creative practitioners delivering small‑scale activities
• Strand 2: Up to €1,500 – for community groups, venues and organisations delivering medium‑scale projects
• Strand 3: Up to €2,500 – for larger‑scale projects with increased reach, duration or depth of engagement

All proposed activities must be free to participants, inclusive and accessible, and child‑centred, with a strong emphasis on active participation—doing, making and creating.

Child and Youth Consultation

As consultations are a requirement of the national programme, applicants are invited to outline, where possible, how children and young people were involved in shaping the ideas, projects, or programmes being proposed. This helps illustrate how work reflects their interests, perspectives, and creative input.

Key Dates

• Expression of Interest Deadline: Monday, 23rd February 2026 at 4:00 pm
• Cruinniú na nÓg: Saturday, 6th June 2026
• Final Project Report Deadline: Sunday,14th June 2026

Applications will be assessed by Louth County Council’s Culture and Creativity Team in line with published criteria, including creative quality, accessibility, feasibility, and value for money.

How to Apply

Expressions of Interest application forms are available online at www.CreateLouth.ie/Fundingand must be submitted by email to creativeireland@louthcoco.ieby Monday, 23rd February 2026 at 4:00 pm.

For further details or application support, visit CreateLouth.ie/Funding or email creativeireland@louthcoco.ie