Big news! Mother Tongues secures Arts Council funding for the 4th year. Discover what this means for families in South Dublin, Roscommon, Mayo, and beyond.
Category: Featured
Growing Up Multilingual: A Story of Identity
I now take pride in my languages not because of how fluent I am or how convincing my accent might be, but because of the ways they have shaped the person I am.
Communications and Marketing Consultant
Mother Tongues seeks a Freelance Communications and Marketing Consultant
Freelance Festival Sponsorship, Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant
Mother Tongues seeks a Freelance Festival Sponsorship, Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant.
Open call for artists – Mother Tongues Festival 2027
Join Mother Tongues Festival 2027! Open call for artists to lead workshops celebrating storytelling, creativity and multilingualism.
Mother Tongues seeks Freelance Outreach Officer based in Roscommon
Mother Tongues seeks a part-time Freelance Outreach Officer based in Roscommon!
Lead image commission for Mother Tongues Festival 2027
Open Call for Illustrators: Lead Image Commission for the 10th anniversary of Mother Tongues Festival - February 2027
How creative play supports heritage languages in the classroom
How creative play supports heritage languages in the classroom
Celebrating the completion of our 'All Together – Gach le Chéile' project.
We are delighted to share the completion of our latest collaborative initiative, All Together – Gach le Chéile. Developed by Mother Tongues’ Director Fernanda Ferrari and Creative Producer Tony Fegan, in partnership with the Ozanam House Early Learning Centre and funded by the Arts Council Arts in Early Learning and Childcare Scheme, this project brought creative, multilingual arts experiences directly into early years education.
Set in the heart of Dublin’s North East Inner City, the initiative brought together professional artists Angelica Santander, Tamao Oka, Kasia Eliasz and Debora Adachi, early childhood educators, children and families for a sixteen-workshop journey filled with storytelling, music, theatre, movement and visual arts.
Guided by the beautiful children’s book Ná Gabh Ar Scoil! by Máire Zepf, illustrated by Tarsila Krüse and published by Futa Fata, twenty-one children aged three to five explored what it means to belong, using their full imaginations to guide the way.
Growing confidence through creative play
At Mother Tongues, we believe that a child’s home language and culture are incredible resources. All Together – Gach le Chéile sought to create a welcoming space where those individual identities were celebrated.
The independent evaluation conducted by Paula Phelan, alongside reflections from our participating artists, showed a wonderful progression in how the children engaged with the workshops. In the early weeks, some children were naturally hesitant or reserved. However, as the consistent weekly routines grew more familiar, their self-assurance blossomed.
Reflecting on the children’s development, project Associate Artist Paola Invernizzi noted how powerful it was to observe their journey:
I was mesmerised by the growth of these children, their evolution, and their receptive nature at different times and in different ways, some visible and some less obvious. I learnt that the impact of activities and projects is not always immediately visible.
Children who began the project quietly watching from the sidelines soon became active contributors, initiating their own ideas, leading songs, and showing remarkable memory retention of the themes, activities and facilitators by the time our final celebratory showcase took place.
He became much more open to trying new things. Before, he would hang back, but now he jumps straight in.
Strengthening bonds at home and in the classroom
The impact of this creative early years arts project extended far beyond the classroom walls. One of the most heartening outcomes was the enthusiastic participation of parents and families.
Through shared artistic play, music and storytelling, parents reported building even stronger bonds with their children at home. Many families noted that they began introducing the creative routines, songs and stories learned in the workshops into their daily home lives, opening up new pathways for communication and mutual joy.
I could see a real change in [my daughter's] confidence over the few weeks. She started speaking up more at home and wanted to show us everything she made.
Crucially, the project fostered a deep sense of mutual respect. Families expressed how meaningful it was to see their cultural backgrounds and mother tongues explicitly valued and welcomed in an educational setting.
For the educators at Ozanam House, working alongside Mother Tongues artists offered fresh, child-led approaches to embedding creativity in the early years curriculum. The setting saw a tangible skills transfer, with roleplay, singing and process-focused art becoming a natural part of everyday preschool practice.
For the first time, I felt our language was truly welcomed in the setting.
Learning for the future
Ambitious, multilingual community work always brings valuable lessons, representing what Paola described as “a huge learning curve and a real eye-opener to the complexity and fascination of delivering a project like this within such a multilayered environment.”
Navigating a busy early years setting – especially when balancing ten home languages, including Polish, Spanish, French, Somali and Nepalese, on top of English and Irish – requires immense flexibility and care. The project highlighted the practical realities of artistic collaboration, showing that true creative integration requires dedicated time to grow.
Future initiatives will benefit from even more structured spaces for collective planning, creative exchange, and brief, staff-friendly check-ins to deepen the collaboration between artists and educators. Rather than seeing these reflections as obstacles, we view them as a clear, honest roadmap. They show us that when structures are adequately supported, collaborative arts practice can leave a permanent legacy.
The sessions encouraged us to slow down and follow the children’s ideas more closely.
A hopeful model for tomorrow
All Together – Gach le Chéile demonstrated that when children are invited to bring their full selves – their languages, stories and heritages – into their learning environments, they thrive. As artist Tamao Oka shared, it was an absolute “pleasure to be part of the project and to collaborate with such a welcoming and supportive community.”
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the team at Ozanam House, led by Debbie Keegan, Early Learning Manager, for their wonderful partnership, to the Arts Council for making this work possible, and above all, to the families and children who shared their creativity and voices with us. This project feels less like a finished process and more like the beginning of something truly important for our community.
Some of the quieter children really found their voice through the creative activities.
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Why multilingual arts workshops matter for young children
Why multilingual arts workshops matter for young children
What a new evaluation reveals about Mother Tongues’ Language Explorers Early Years programme
What happens when children are encouraged to explore language through storytelling, art, music and play — without pressure, correction or the expectation to “get it right”?
According to a new evaluation of Mother Tongues’ Language Explorers Early Years programme carried out by Natasha Ghesquiere (Student in Master’s of Arts in Linguistics, Specialisation in Language Variation and Multilingualism at Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands), something quite special happens: children become more confident, families feel a stronger sense of belonging, and multilingualism becomes something joyful, creative and shared.
In a country where more and more children are growing up with multiple languages, the research highlights the importance of creating spaces where every language, accent and family story is welcomed and valued.
What is Language Explorers Early Years?
Language Explorers Early Years is Mother Tongues’ award-winning programme for children aged 3–6 and their families. Delivered in Community Centres, libraries and Art Centres, the workshops combine storytelling, visual arts, movement, music and play to create high-quality artistic experiences rooted in multilingualism and cultural inclusion.
Rather than teaching a specific language, the workshops encourage children and parents to use whatever languages they speak at home — whether that is Irish, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, Yoruba, Spanish, English, or any other.
The recent evaluation, based on workshop observations and parent interviews, describes the programme as:
a multilingual, arts-based playgroup in which language is experienced through creativity, interaction and family participation.
This distinction is important. Language Explorers is not a formal language class. Instead, it creates opportunities for children to experience language as something connected to creativity, family, identity and joy.
Supporting multilingual children in Ireland today
Ireland is becoming increasingly multilingual. Yet many families still struggle to find spaces where their languages and cultural experiences are recognised and celebrated.
The report highlights that multilingual families often carry the responsibility of passing on their home language alone, especially when their language community is small or not widely represented.
Language Explorers helps ease that pressure by creating a welcoming environment where multilingualism is normalised.
One parent described the workshops as:
...a space that everybody can come in on an equal playing field.
Another reflected on how valuable it was for children to encounter many languages together in a relaxed setting:
The world we live in is multicultural… the atmosphere is very relaxed, you do something creative, you meet the artists, it is very unique.
The evaluation found that children were often excited to hear and share words from different languages. During storytelling sessions, children enthusiastically called out words they knew in their home language, while parents supported and encouraged them.
Importantly, there was no pressure to speak “perfectly”. Instead, children were encouraged to experiment, repeat sounds and participate in ways that felt natural to them.
Why creativity changes the experience of language
One of the strongest findings in the report is the connection between creativity and language confidence.
The workshops encourage children to associate language with play, storytelling, songs, movement and artistic exploration rather than correction or formal instruction. This creates a low-pressure environment where children can express themselves freely.
As the researcher notes, children appeared to build:
- confidence in expressing themselves
- curiosity towards other languages and cultures
- positive associations with their home language
- stronger family interaction through shared creativity
One parent explained:
Going to Language Explorers has been really useful because it gives me inspiration in ways to interweave language throughout our days… through games, through song, through different things and not academically.
This reflects one of the programme’s core strengths: it supports not only children, but also parents and caregivers, helping families feel more confident using their languages together in everyday life.
A space where every child belongs
The evaluation repeatedly highlights the atmosphere of the workshops as one of their most important strengths.
Families described the sessions as welcoming, inclusive and affirming. Children were encouraged to participate at their own pace, and flexibility was central to the approach.
If a child felt shy or overwhelmed, they were not pressured to engage immediately. Instead, facilitators, volunteers and parents worked together to support children in ways that respected their individual personalities and needs.
This was especially meaningful for some children experiencing language processing or developmental difficulties. One parent shared how hearing different accents and ways of speaking English helped his child feel more comfortable:
It’s encouraging for him that he can see that somebody else has a difficulty saying that word or they say it a different way.
The report suggests that exposure to multiple accents, pronunciations and styles of speaking may help reduce some of the pressure children feel around “sounding right”, supporting confidence and self-expression.
Language Explorers and the Irish language
Interestingly, the evaluation also found that many Irish-speaking or Irish-learning families are drawn to the workshops.
In the multilingual environment of Language Explorers, Irish is experienced alongside many other languages in a natural and socially supported way. Parents who may not feel fully confident speaking Irish themselves still felt comfortable participating.
As one parent explained:
Even if there’s no Irish-speaking families there, there’s definitely going to be Irish-speaking kids there.
Rather than positioning Irish as something formal or intimidating, the workshops create playful opportunities for children to hear and use it alongside other languages.
More than a workshop
The evaluation concludes that Language Explorers fills an important gap in Ireland’s early years and multilingual landscape.
Unlike formal language schools, the programme focuses on language use, creativity, belonging and family connection. Parents are encouraged to participate alongside their children.
The report by Natasha Ghesquiere describes Language Explorers as:
...a rare and valuable space in which multilingual children and families can feel welcomed, recognised and affirmed.
For educators, the findings offer important insights into the value of arts-based and multilingual approaches in early childhood. For parents, they offer reassurance that multilingualism does not need to be perfect, formal or pressured in order to flourish.
Most importantly, the evaluation reminds us that when children see their languages, cultures and identities reflected positively around them, they are more likely to feel confident, connected and proud of who they are.
More spaces, more places, more ages
As multilingualism continues to grow across Ireland, programmes like Language Explorers are becoming increasingly important.
The report recommends carefully expanding the programme geographically and by age group, recognising the growing demand for inclusive multilingual spaces where children and families can experience language as something joyful, creative and shared.
At Mother Tongues, we believe every child deserves access to high-quality artistic experiences where their language and identity are recognised as strengths.
Language Explorers continues to show that the arts can play a powerful role in helping children and families feel seen, heard and connected — across languages, cultures and communities.
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The Mother Tongues Festival 2026 programme is live!
The Mother Tongues Festival 2026
Tallaght, 20-21 February 2026
The air is thick with anticipation as we officially pull back the curtain on the Mother Tongues Festival 2026. This year, we invite you to join us under the banner of “The Power of Story”, a theme that celebrates the magical ways narratives weave through our lives, shaping our identities and building bridges between our diverse cultures. From the quiet whisper of a bedtime tale in your mother tongue to the shared energy of a multilingual performance, we are exploring how every voice adds a unique colour to the portrait of our community.
The journey begins here and we can’t wait for you to find your place in the story!
To ensure that everyone has the space to express themselves and truly enjoy the experience, our events have a limited capacity. We recommend moving quickly, as our workshops in particular tend to sell out fast! While some events are free to attend, others carry a small fee; you will find all the specific details and booking links on our website.
About the Festival
Celebrating Ireland’s cultural and linguistic diversity, the Festival uses the arts to foster dialogue and inclusion in a joyful atmosphere. It also marks UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21st. This day emphasises the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingual education in fostering intergenerational learning and cultural preservation.
This year’s programme of performances, workshops and exhibitions is designed for families with children aged 3 to 10 years old. It will place a special focus on the ways artists tell stories for bilingual early years children, their families, and carers. Through play, creativity and shared experiences, the Festival will celebrate the stories that unite us and remind us that within each of us lies a storyteller ready to be heard. Moreover, we are particularly proud to partner with AsIAm to provide a sensory safe space on Saturday, 21 February.
This quiet, supportive corner is designed for neurodivergent young people who may need a gentle break from the festival buzz, with trained volunteers on hand to ensure a calm and inclusive experience for all.
“Through play and creativity, the Festival celebrates the stories that connect us across cultures, reminding us that everyone carries a story waiting to be told. By nurturing linguistic diversity through the arts, we empower bilingual children to grow confident in who they are, and we use the gift of multilingualism to unite our communities”
Fernanda Ferrari, Mother Tongues Director
Before our family day kicks off, we are proud to open the festival with a debate entitled “There’s a Story Here.” As Ireland becomes increasingly diverse, this session invites artists, parents and educators to reflect on the impact of Mother Tongues’ Language Explorers programme. Together, we will explore how multilingual arts practices in early childhood foster a deep sense of belonging and help build a more connected, empathetic society from the very beginning.
Friday’s professional and community programme continues with an unmissable Masterclass led by the acclaimed Danish company Theatre Madame Bach. Designed for artists and educators, this hands-on session explores the art of visual storytelling and its connection to the natural world. It offers a professional deep-dive into the creative process behind the work of Pernille Bach and Christian Schrøder, such as BLOOM, the enchanting production that our artists-in-residence will perform for families on Saturday. Blending live music, movement and play, the performance creates an intimate, immersive world inspired by nature, inviting audiences to explore, imagine and discover together.
To close our opening day, we invite you to the launch of our community exhibition, “Our family, our stories”, a collection of self-portraits created by our Language Explorers families, celebrating the many languages and faces that make up our festival family.
Festival highlights
Joining the programme from the UK, artist Zannie Fraser (aka Luminous Tales) presents The stars in the sky, an enchanting shadow puppet performance based on a traditional folktale. Using a 19th-century “Crankie” moving panorama – a hand-drawn illustrated scroll revealed through the turning of a handle – the piece combines light, shadow and storytelling to transport families on a magical journey to the land of Elsewhere.
This bilingual workshop invites families to explore the surprising links between Indian rangoli and Celtic shapes. This session introduces the art of rangoli, a traditional Indian folk art where colourful patterns are created on floors to welcome guests using materials like rice flour, coloured sand or flower petals. Participants will get hands-on with the materials.
Set sail on a musical adventure where the sounds and stories of Portugal come to life!
This workshop invites children and their families to discover a world of catchy songs, fun rhythms and playful Portuguese words. From dancing freely to making silly sounds, little explorers will find out how music can help us express ourselves and understand the world around us. Following the old Portuguese saying that “singing scares away troubles,” we invite parents and children to sing out loud together, building happy memories and strong bonds through the magic of play.
Little Storymakers is a playful, interactive workshop for young children that celebrates the power of story through music, rhythm and imagination. The session invites families to explore how stories begin, using simple English and Irish phrases. Together, we create a lively “fill-in-the-blank” musical story, guided by movement, rhythm and the children’s own ideas. No Irish is needed, everyone can join in and enjoy learning through sound and creativity.
From kamishibai and lino printing to music workshops in Irish, Spanish and Portuguese, the 2026 programme is packed with multilingual adventures for every taste! What are you waiting for? Browse the programme and plan your mid-term break! Tickets are limited, so do not risk missing out on this year’s Festival!
Did you know?
Every year, we are delighted to collaborate with incredible local talent to bring the spirit of the Mother Tongues Festival to life through art. Supporting artists is at the heart of what we do, and we feel so lucky to be surrounded by such creativity and passion. This year’s adorable artwork was created by Brian Fitzgerald. Check out his work here.
How to get there
Rua Red Arts Centre and The Civic are located in Belgard Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24, only seconds from the Luas stop. Both venues are also located within walking distance so you can enjoy as many events as you like!
Buses 49, 49A, 54A, 65, 65B, 27, 77A, 75, 76, 76A
Red Luas, stop at Tallaght/Tamhlaght
If you would like to support our work further, please consider making a donation to help us keep our programme accessible to everyone.
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