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Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, today warmly welcomed the first ever Arts in Education National Portal Day which will take place tomorrow (Saturday 23rd April) at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham in Dublin.

According to Minister O’Sullivan, “this is a unique, collaborative event which will see more than 20 workshops and presentations showcasing approaches to arts in education from early years, primary, post-primary and third level. The event will mark the first year in operation of the Arts in Education Portal which is a remarkable online resource drawing together all that is best in both the arts and education sectors. The portal will continue to go from strength-to-strength, providing teachers, artists and everyone with a strong commitment to arts in education with an online forum for advice, dialogue and inspiration.”

The event in the Irish Museum of Modern Art will begin with an opening address by Professor John Coolahan, Educationalist, and Professor Emeritus of Education from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Professor Coolahan is also the Chairperson of the Arts in Education Charter Implementation Group. The establishment and development of a portal was a key recommendation of that group.

Dr. Katie Sweeney, National Director for the Integration of the Arts in Education (Department of Education & Skills), who is Chair of the Portal Editorial Committee and a member of the Charter Implementation Group said, “the Arts in Education Portal is the key national digital resource of arts and education practice in Ireland. The Arts in Education Portal was one of the key objectives of the Arts in Education Charter. Underpinning the continued development of the Portal is a strong and implicit shared belief amongst all stakeholders in the intrinsic value of the arts in the lives of children. The Portal – through the content that it shares – has a role in advocating this value. The Portal reflects best current practice that is taking place in Ireland. Its vision is to establish a structure through which the arts and education community can be developed. A year after its official launch, the Arts in Education Portal continues to develop through continued support and building of the community both on and offline. The site continues to highlight and underline the key principles of good collaborative practice”.



ENDS
Note for Editors

The Arts in Education Portal (http://www.artsineducation.ie) was launched in May 2015 and is managed by Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership in collaboration with an Editorial Committee, whose members are:

· Dr. Katie Sweeney (Chair), National Director for the Integration of the Arts in Education (Department of Education & Skills)
· Helen O’Donoghue, Head of Education & Community Programmes, IMMA (Representing Encountering the Arts, Ireland)
· Phil Kingston, Community & Education Manager, The Abbey Theatre (Representing the Council of National Cultural Institutions)
· Emelie Fitzgibbon, Director, Graffiti Theatre Company (Representing the Arts Council)
· Dermot Carney, Arts Officer, National Association of Principals & Deputy Principals
· Joe Cunningham, Laois Offaly Education & Training Board
· Caitríona Ní Chullota. Director, The Education Centre, Tralee (Representing the Association of Teachers/ Education Centres in Ireland -ATECI)
· Lucina Russell, Arts Officer, Kildare County Council (Representing the Association of Local Authority Arts Officers – ALAAO)
· Seán Gallagher, Deputy Director, PDST Technology in Education
· Patrick Coffey, National Co-ordinator for Scoilnet, PDST Technology in Education/Scoilnet
· Deirdre Behan, Head of ICT, The Arts Council