BLAST aims to provide pupils in primary and post primary schools all over the country, time and the space to work with a professional artist/creative practitioner on imaginative and joyful projects. 

The aim of this scheme is to give students the opportunity to work with a professional artist on unique projects to be planned and developed between the artist, the teacher and the school. 

BLAST is a key Department of Education initiative of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 which aims to foster creativity in schools focus and to provide young people with opportunities to learn and develop the key skills and competencies of collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation.

Innovative BLAST residencies are designed and developed between the artist/creative practitioner, teacher, students and the school community under the coordination of the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) network.

Tá sé mar aidhm ag BLAST an t-am agus an spás a chur ar fáil do mhic léinn i mbunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna timpeall na tíre chun obair a dhéanamh le healaíontóir gairmiúil/ cleachtóir cruthaitheach ar thionscadail shamhlaíocha agus lúchaireacha.

Is í aidhm na scéime seo ná deis a thabhairt do mhic léinn oibriú le healaíontóir gairmiúil ar thionscadail ar leith atá le pleanáil agus le forbairt idir an t-ealaíontóir, an múinteoir agus an scoil.

Is príomhthionscnamh de chuid na Roinne Oideachais den Phlean Óige Chruthaitheach 2023-2027 é BLAST, a bhfuil sé mar aidhm aige fócas na cruthaitheachta a chothú i scoileanna agus deiseanna a thabhairt do dhaoine óga chun na príomhscileanna agus inniúlachtaí a leanas a fhoghlaim agus a fhorbairt: comhoibriú, smaointeoireacht chriticiúil, fadhbréiteach, agus nuálaíocht.

Deartar agus forbraítear cónaitheachtaí nuálacha BLAST idir an t-ealaíontóir/cleachtóir cruthaitheach, an múinteoir, na mic léinn agus pobal na scoile faoi chomhordú líonra 21 Ionad Tacaíochta Oideachais lánaimseartha na hÉireann (ITOÉ).