Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, and Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment Darragh O’Brien have announced €7.6 million in funding for 11 creative, cultural and artistic climate action projects under the Creative Climate Action Fund III, the largest single investment in the initiative to date.
The fund is supported across government by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, The Department of the Taoiseach. This round also welcomes EirGrid as a new funding partner, who is proud to support the initiative as part of its commitment to Ireland’s energy transformation.
Running to the end of 2029, each of the 11 successful projects will receive up to €750,000 to support ambitious creative initiatives that draw on culture, the arts, design and collaborative practice to make climate science more accessible, strengthen climate and nature literacy, and encourage communities across Ireland to engage meaningfully with climate action.
Creative Futures Academy (CFA), in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Context Studio, the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI), Advice NI and Laura Magahy Head of Public Sector Consulting, Forvis Mazars, will lead a new national initiative Designing Climate Resilient Systems for and with Communities (DCRSC).
Working with communities across the island of Ireland, DCRSC will use creative and design-led approaches to turn climate plans into practical action.
The programme draws on the experience of partners across creativity, energy, community development and public policy:
Creative Futures Academy is a ground-breaking partnership between three creative higher education institutions: The National College of Art and Design (NCAD), University College Dublin (UCD), and the Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT). CFA offers flexible learning pathways in collaboration with industry experts to identify future skills and knowledge needs.
The Institute of Designers in Ireland is the largest and oldest association of Irish design professionals, and longest established creative forum in Ireland. IDI is committed to advancing the value and impact of design – inspiring, supporting and learning from one another along the way.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established in 2002 under the Sustainable Energy Act, 2002. As Ireland’s national energy authority, its primary purpose is to promote and assist the transition towards a more sustainable energy future.
A better world, through better services: Context Studio was founded in Dublin in 2018 to improve the services that people in Ireland experience every day. They do this using a people-centred service design approach, grounded in human insight and the power of prototyping.
Advice NI’s mission is to provide leadership and services to our members and ensure accessible advice services across NI.
Forvis Mazars is a leading international audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm. Operating as a united global partnership, Forvis Mazars works as one integrated team, leveraging expertise, scale and cultural understanding to deliver cutting edge services in audit, assurance, tax, consulting, financial advisory, corporate finance and financial outsourcing.
