August NUI Galway and Galway International Arts Festival partnership leads to funding for creative arts progamme

NUI Galway’s longstanding education partnership with Galway International Arts Festival has led to a three-year Government funding package for a new programme focusing on creative arts management. 

The investment through the Springboard+ initiative comes as the University and the Festival mark 11 years of the partnership. 

Delivered in collaboration with Galway International Arts Festival, Druid Theatre and other creative arts partners, the Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts Management will provide skills in design, production, curation, business and management, while also offering an accredited work placement with a creative arts business. 

Professor Patrick Lonergan, NUI Galway Vice-Dean for Engagement in the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, said: “The new Springboard+ postgraduate certificate in Creative Arts Management will give participants the skills needed to play a leading role in the development of the creative industries. 

“With the support and advice of our partners in Galway International Arts Festival, we’ll provide exciting modules that cover creativity, design thinking, producing and curation, and other essential skills. With a work placement and the option to study online or in person, this innovative new course is sure to prove popular. 

“Huge credit for this support from Government is due to our University partnership with Galway International Arts Festival and the way in which it has grown and developed over the years.”

As part of the programme, students will gain hands-on skills in practice-based modules delivered on-campus, with blended options available for those living away from Galway. It includes a strong focus on targeted career development, with students taking up an internship with an arts organisation and taking part in supervised work experience projects.

John Crumlish, Chief Executive of Galway International Arts Festival, said: "We are delighted that the postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts Management will be a beneficiary of the Springboard investment announcement by Minister Harris.

“This is a very exciting development, as it opens up a new avenue for people who wish to develop a career in the creative industries while also adding significantly to the existing human capital in this area."

Springboard+ courses are at Level 6 (Certificate) to Level 9 (Masters) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), and are delivered by public and private higher education providers around the country.

Now entering its twelfth year, over 90,000 people have benefitted from the programme to date. The Springboard+ programme is managed by the Higher Education Authority, on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. 

Along with the Certificate in Creative Arts Management, NUI Galway has a number of programmes available under Springboard+ 2022, including:

• Specialist Diploma in Automation and Control
• Specialist Diploma in Corporate Environmental Planning
• Specialist Diploma in Medical Device Science
• Diploma in Software Engineering
• MA in Digital Art, Design, and Cultures
• Certificate in Medical Technology Regulatory Affairs and Operations
• MSc AgInnovation
• Postgraduate Diploma in Cloud Computing and Software Development
• Postgraduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Software Development

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