02/06/2026
Kicking off Tipperary LCYP's 2026 programme, this Youth and Creativity Celebration in Templemore marked an energising new chapter, one shaped by learning from last year's projects and a renewed commitment to youth-led creativity.
By Youth, For Youth: Shaping the Future of Irish Culture
How do you ensure a youth creativity event is truly for young people? You start by listening to them. That was the guiding principle behind Tipperary LCYP's first major event of 2026 the Youth and Creativity Celebration in Templemore on April 27th.
Rather than designing a programme in isolation, the Tipperary LCYP began with a youth consultation. Young people told us what creative mediums excited them: music, rap, and visual expression. Our commitment to Article 12 of the UNCRC (the right of the child to be heard) and Article 31 (the right to participate fully in cultural and artistic life) shapes our every decision, from the workshop content to the final celebration.
Creativity, Collaboration and Connection
The event was a powerful collaboration between Tipperary LCYP, Youth Work TETB, Ceim Eile Templemore, THE GAFF Limerick and the Multimedia students of Templemore FET College.
Over two dynamic days, more than 15 young people took part in four intensive workshops.
The co-designed programme offered alternative modes of expression designed to break down barriers and help young people articulate complex feelings:
Mask Making (Visual Arts): In a light-hearted yet profound exploration of identity, participants drew from ancient cultures ,Greek, Japanese, African and Hindu traditions. They crafted masks that became playful, powerful mirrors of their own sense of self.
Music & Rap: Led by skilled facilitators, the group learnt beat-making, lyrical writing, and digital media production. In just two days, personal stories and unique perspectives were transformed into original tracks. The Ceim Eile students took ownership of their art, turning thoughts into powerful, recorded verses.
Making the Invisible Visible
A distinctive feature of the Templemore event was its commitment to visibility and collaboration with Multimedia students from Templemore FET College. They recorded the entire creative process, from the buzz of the workshops to the Artists' Circle discussion, where young people deepened their input into the project's direction.
"This collaboration helped us make the invisible visible," says Nuala Martin, LCYP Coordinator. "Not only did it create a permanent record of the young people's creativity, but it also strengthened pathways to further education for participants, forging new links between Ceim Eile students and the FET Multimedia department."
The event's impact now has a permanent, visual home: a Paint Punch Art piece now hangs in the Templemore FET centre, bringing lasting visibility for LCYP and the Youth Work team within the building.
This short film, captured by the FET Multimedia student Marceli Slonina and others, captures the energy, focus, and joy of the two days. Watch as masks take shape, beats drop, and young voices are heard - stronger, clearer, and shaped by the young people themselves.
Vimeo link from Tipperary LCYP
https://vimeo.com/1195958999?fl=pl&fe=sh
Looking Forward
The Youth and Creativity Celebration demonstrates how, when young people are treated as active participants rather than audiences, creativity becomes a catalyst for confidence and genuine connection.
The Tipperary LCYP team is now building on this momentum, using the model of consultation, co-creation and multi-stakeholder collaboration to plan further delivery across the county. Through these engagements and partnerships young voices are not only heard, they are amplified.
Kicking off Tipperary LCYP's 2026 programme, this Youth and Creativity Celebration in Templemore marked an energising new chapter, one shaped by learning from last year's projects and a renewed commitment to youth-led creativity.
