Deputy Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Colette Connolly, is encouraging young people to use their creative talents in the city on Saturday the 12th of June for Cruinniú na nÓg, the National Day of Creativity for Young People. Having listened to what children and young people would like to see for Cruinniú, climate change was chosen as the theme in the City this year. Many of the free events are incorporating elements of sustainability, recycling, utilizing the natural and built environment, as well as encouraging creative solutions to climate change and using their imaginations.
Speaking at the launch at Galway City Museum last Friday, Cllr. Connolly emphasized that “This year more than ever young people need to embrace their creativity and Cruinniú na nÓg will provide opportunities to help young people do this from their homes, gardens, and local community while staying safe. It has been a tough time for many families, and I’m delighted to say that all events are free. I want to encourage everyone to check out what is happening and to join in making Cruinniú na nÓg 2021 a big success. Creative activity and engaging with the arts’ is good for our well-being so let’s get creative, Galway!”
Following the lovely welcome by Deputy Mayor Connolly, Cruinniú na nÓg 2021 was launched with a storytelling session by the magical storyteller, Pat Speight or ‘Pat the Hat’ as he is better known, for a small group of primary school students from the Claddagh National School. Pat will enthrall us once again on Saturday the 12th of June with two online storytelling sessions: one at 9:30 am and one at 4:00 pm on the Galway Public Libraries Facebook page.
While many of the free events will be take place on Saturday 12th of June, the National Day of Creativity, four local projects are taking place over a number of weeks, showcasing the results on the day itself. Galway City Museum has engaged City schools in ‘Imagine a Better World’ asking students to propose solutions to climate change through drawing, painting or model making. Galway City Library has engaged a poet to work with local primary pupils to facilitate a ‘A Wall of Words’ on the topic of climate change. The work of all the students will form part of a large-scale exhibition in the Eyre Square Centre on Saturday 12th June. SAUTI Youth Project is also working with older students and an artist to give creative voice to young people on the topic of climate action and this will be exhibited via their social media pages for Cruinniú. Youth Work Ireland Westside is engaging young people in ‘Sew Stylish’ looking at fashion, ethical and sustainable style options and sewing a tote bag from recycled materials.
On the day of Cruinniú na nÓg, Saturday 12th June, there are many exciting free activities:
- Storytelling with ‘Pat the Hat’ at 9.30am and 4pm on Galway Public Libraries Facebook page
- Galway Community Circus will run 5 different tutorials on circus skills at 10am, 11am, 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm on their Facebook page. The earlier classes will be for younger children and the later ones suitable for teens.
- Merlin Woods will host the ‘Natural Way to Creativity’ a workshop for older teens at 11.30am on biodiversity, mindfulness, and the health benefits of nature, ending with a session of botanical art. Booking is through cape@youthworkgalway.ie
- Paintclub is back again this year with ‘Bee the Change’, a painting of the Corrib where children will also be asked to add elements to their paintings to make the area more environmentally friendly into the future. The tutorial will be live on their Facebook page from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm and will be suitable for children age 6+ and parents are invited to join in the fun.
- Join Lapree Lala of Southside Moves for an energetic Afrodance Class at 3:30 pm on their YouTube channel.
- ‘Éalú’ sees the teenage musicians and spoken word artists from the Galway Hub of the Irish Youth Music Awards perform their own material from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm on the Youth Work Ireland Galway YouTube channel. This performance will be aimed at a teen audience and anyone older who is interested in new, local music.
Full details of all events will be on the Creative Ireland Galway City Facebook page.
Nationally, Cruinniú na nÓg, have called for children and young people to get involved in projects like Knitting Across the Nation, Nenagh Children’s Film Festival, Let’s Dance, Imagine Orchestra and much more. Check out the videos on YouTube under Creative Ireland and remember to use #creativeireland for all your uploads on social media so they will be seen by the Creative Ireland team and RTÉ.
TG4 with support from the Gaeltacht division of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as well as Fíbín, will produce a unique series of Irish language projects including a small tailor-made feature about the Cruinniú na nÓg 2021 national projects. Chruthaím 33 will champion the talents of 33 children and young people from every County in the Country as well as a representative of our young diaspora. The day itself will be marked by a Tik Tok Deb’s fairy tale from the award-winning writer Philip Doherty.
Full details for all events around the country for Cruinniú na nÓg are available at creativeireland.gov.ie
Creative Ireland
The Creative Ireland Programme is a five-year all of government, culture-based initiative creativeireland.gov.ie
Cruinniú na nÓg is a programme of free activities for under 18’s as part of the Creative Ireland Programme, supported locally by Galway City Council and nationally by RTÉ. It is one of 18 actions of ‘Creative Youth’- a plan to enable the creative potential of every child and young person.
