The inaugural GRETB Celebration of the Arts, held last year, involved all schools under the patronage of the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB), with students creating work across more than 11 arts disciplines. Now the festival is back. This year’s celebration will be bigger, as a modern dance category has been introduced. And two new Community National Schools under the patronage of GRETB, will also be taking part.

This celebration and competition, spanning genres from fine art to rap music, is one of the biggest and most ambitious school festivals and competitions held by any educational patronage in the country, according to GRETB Chief Executive, David Leahy.

He feels it’s fitting that a celebration of artistic endeavour among ETB students should begin in the West.

“GRETB has  a very long and proud tradition of celebrating and acknowledging arts and creativity,” he says. “What’s special about this celebration is that it’s reflective of all the different areas our learners come from. We have schools on the Aran islands, Connemara, Galway City and the counties of Galway and Roscommon.

“Their interests range from sean-nós singing and traditional music to modern dance and rock music.

“The competition is made even more special by means of entries in both Irish and English, which provides a platform for our students to be able to truly express themselves,” he continues.

Director of Schools, Sinead Farragher, agrees that “the arts allow for true expression to flow”, saying that this approach to learning is in tandem with the spirit of the Education Act, which encourages all school bodies to work at developing the whole child.

“Learning can occur in many ways,” she says, “and the arts can be a constructive method for a student to become a critical thinker, a voice to be heard and, most importantly, an active citizen.”

Using arts to nurture the whole child and their ability to express themselves is central to the work of GRETB, she stated. Last year, the competition had more than 300 entries from GRETB’s 21 schools, showing that children always have a need and desire be creative.

Chairperson of the GRETB Board, Moegie Maher, described the competition as “fantastic”, adding that, “to see students produce work at such a high level, whether it’s painting, poetry or music, and off their own bat, is something I’m very proud of as Chairperson, as it truly reflects the ethos of what we stand for”.

The competition will culminate in an art and photography exhibition comprising all the entries, which will be followed by a performance of successful acts during GRETB Ethos Week. Taking place in March, this will be hosted by Galway Community College in Galway City.

Pictured: GRETB Chairperson, Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher; Director of Schools, Sinéad Farragher; and Chief Executive, David Leahy. The Education and Training Board is nurturing artistic activities in its schools through initiatives such as the GRETB Celebration of the Arts, now in its second year.