Children across Ireland filled the country with creativity and ideas for Cruinniú na nÓg, our National Day of Creativity, last weekend.

This all-island celebration hosted over 1,000 free events across the country, celebrating creativity through music, art, circus, storytelling, film and more.

Ireland is the only country in the world to have a national day celebrating young people’s creativity.

As part of Cruinniú na nÓg 2025, RTÉ’s This is Art! and Creative Ireland presented RTÉ This is Art! Island - a celebration of youth creativity featuring a series of art exhibitions across the island of Ireland.

Dublin, Limerick, Galway Cork & Derry, alongside a number of county council offices including Tipperary County Council, Kildare County Council, and Clare County Council, played host to exhibits of young artists' work from the competition.

RTÉ’s This is Art! is an annual art competition for budding artists aged 0-18yrs in association with Creative Ireland and the Shared Island Initiative.

The competition, now in its fifth year, provides a national platform for self-expression, designed to celebrate the creativity and imagination of young people of all abilities across the island of Ireland.

Sandra Alvarez, MD of Spark Foundry, celebrated the success of this year's Cruinniú na nÓg on LinkedIn, stating: “Last Saturday, children across Ireland filled the country with creativity and ideas for Cruinniú na nÓg, our National Day of Creativity.

“In the days before, we helped deliver the Letter of Imagination, created by the children of Ireland, to President Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

"A letter bursting with colour and big ideas, proudly placed in the hands of our Head of State."

Alvarez was keen to thank those who helped bring it all together, including Creative Ireland's Ciara Carroll, Tania Banotti and Sheila Deegan, along with Thinkhouse and RTÉ.

She added: “To our incredible team at Spark Foundry, part of Core, thank you for pouring such heart and creativity into this work.

“To every child, parent, teacher, artist and community group who imagined and shared on the day, thank you."

Speaking ahead of the event, Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, said: “Fostering creativity in our young people is one of the most meaningful investments we can make - not only in their personal development but in the cultural life of our nation."