Mother Tongues secures Arts Council Arts Grant for a 4th consecutive year

We have some incredible news to share with our community, our families, and our supporters. For the fourth year in a row, Mother Tongues has been awarded the Arts Council Arts Grant funding!

What does this mean in real terms? It means our flagship programme, Language Explorers Early Years, is secure for another year. It means hundreds more children will get to walk into a room where their home language, their accent and their family story are celebrated through art, music, and play.

Securing this funding year after year shows that a modern, multilingual Ireland is a priority. We are incredibly grateful to the Arts Council for believing in our mission and we can’t wait to show you what we have planned next.

Staying true to our roots in South Dublin

South Dublin is the heart of the Language Explorers community. The majority of our upcoming Early Years workshops will continue to run right here, giving local families a reliable, creative space to connect.

None of this would be possible without the foundational support of the South Dublin County Council (SDCC) Arts Office. They have championed us from day one, proving that when local government invests in diversity, the whole community thrives.
A big shout-out to Rua Red Arts Centre, which will fund and host many of our sessions.

A sneak peek: Language Explorers Growing Up!

We are delighted and proud to announce that with the continuous support of the Arts Council and the SDCC Arts Office, we are expanding our programme.

Many of our families have told us they wish the workshops could continue as their children grow older. We heard you! We are officially developing Language Explorers Growing Up, a brand-new programme tailored for children 7 to 10. We will be working behind the scenes on this in the first half of next year, with an official launch planned for Autumn 2027.

My kids and I, love the workshop so much and we participate almost every week, however there is an age limit, my daughter was very upset when she realised she couldn't join the workshop anymore, because she is over the age restriction. Exploring the muilticulture and be comfortable in such environment shouldn't be a privilege only to kids under 6 years old. It leaves kids over 6 years old no where to go, as there is no other place like Language Explorers, even the school or Irish education system. My family truly appreciate such unique organisation created the workshops for kids who could feel comfortable in speaking other languages and exploring the world.

Taking the show on the road: Roscommon, Mayo, Blanchardstown and Dublin City

While South Dublin is our main hub, this year’s funding allows us to expand our national family network. We are teaming up with some of the best cultural spaces in the country to bring Language Explorers to your doorstep:

Roscommon Arts Centre: We are strengthening our long-standing partnership here to keep delivering regular sessions for families across Roscommon.
Draíocht: We are delighted to bring back our programme to Blanchardstown.
Linenhall Arts Centre: Get ready, County Mayo! We are bringing the Language Explorers magic to you this year.
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA): We are thrilled to start this new partnership and to return to Dublin City, bringing our multilingual arts workshops into one of Ireland’s most iconic contemporary art spaces.

Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming workshops – including Tuam (Galway) and Dundalk (Louth)! – and check out our website for the continuously updated list.

I really enjoyed attending these workshops. I will definitely be looking out for similar workshops in the future, as I feel they have sparked a genuine curiosity about languages in my daughter. Although I speak Spanish to her at home, she had never shown a strong interest in the language before. After attending the workshops, however, I noticed a real change. She has started asking me much more often, "What is X in Spanish?" whenever she only knows the English word. It has been wonderful to see her curiosity grow and her interest in learning Spanish develop. I also really appreciated how welcoming and inclusive the workshops were. They made me feel very comfortable and safe using my own language, which is something I truly value. It's wonderful to see initiatives like this that not only encourage language learning but also create safe spaces where people can celebrate their cultures, maintain their heritage, and pass it on to the next generation. Thank you for providing such engaging, inspiring, and meaningful sessions. They have had a positive impact not only on me but also on my daughter, and I'm very grateful for the experience.

Investing in the people behind the magic

Behind every smiling child and every handmade artwork is a brilliant artist. To keep our workshops high-quality, accessible and inclusive, we have to support the people who run them.

We are incredibly proud to be working with IMMA, RAC, SDCC and The Civic to support our Professional Development programme for artists. This means that more visual artists, musicians and storytellers from diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to train in our Language Explorers methodology, while artists already working with us can continue to develop their practice, share experiences and deepen their knowledge. We will also open some of these sessions to the wider artist community, creating opportunities for artists to learn from one another and strengthen inclusive, multilingual arts practice across the sector.

By investing in artists, we are strengthening the arts sector as a whole and helping to ensure that children and families experience high-quality, creative and inclusive arts experiences when they take part in our programmes.

How you can get involved

This next chapter is all about growing together with our community.
We can’t wait to welcome returning and new families to our workshops soon; be sure to keep an eye on our social channels and website over the coming weeks as new dates pop up across South Dublin, Roscommon, Mayo, and Dublin City.
For artists interested in learning or expanding their plurilingual facilitation skills, signing up for our newsletter is the best way to hear about upcoming training opportunities and bursaries.
And finally, if you represent a venue, local council, or funding body and would like to help us bring Language Explorers to even more communities, please drop us a line at info@mothertongues.ie. We’d love to chat about what we can create together.