SMBC Aviation Capital becomes first nationwide Schools Partner of National Gallery of Ireland

The National Gallery of Ireland today announced a dynamic new partnership with SMBC Aviation Capital called the SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme. SMBC Aviation Capital, who have worked in partnership with the Gallery since 2017, have become the Gallery's first nationwide Schools Partner. With this significant support, the Gallery will deliver a dedicated, sustainable and museum-leading Schools Programme that will support participating students across the country.

This innovative three-year partnership launches in early 2024 with the first of four inclusive projects. My Primary School is at the Gallery connects inner-city Dublin primary schools with their National Gallery. Following outreach to local schools, the Gallery will develop a bespoke programme for the participating schools, which will culminate in a two-week onsite residency with the class attending ‘school’ at the Gallery. The Gallery becomes their classroom and all subjects are taught through art. At the end of the residency, a display created by the students will be presented in the Gallery’s Education Studio for their schoolmates, family, friends and the general public to view. My Primary School is at the Gallery will take place twice a year and aims to: grow confidence, social and communication skills in the participating children; support creative thinking and lateral learning; and encourage a sense of ownership in local cultural spaces.

The second project in the SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme is Your Gallery at School. This is an ambitious outreach programme that brings the National Gallery of Ireland directly into classrooms across the country and aims to address key barriers to accessing culture for young people. Your Gallery at School will work with a minimum of ten primary, post-primary, special schools and Gaelscoileanna and in alternative school settings across Ireland each year. Art educators will develop a tailored programme for each school encompassing art education and creative career paths.

For over twenty years, the National Gallery of Ireland has welcomed Transition Year students onsite for different types of placement. As part of the SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme, the Gallery will extend its Transition Year Placements to include three opportunities per year from 2024. In spring, two groups will go behind the scenes at the Gallery, and in autumn, an online session will facilitate students from their homes or classrooms across the country. Placements will be inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of the participants. These opportunities will allow young people to gain first-hand experience of a career in the arts sector.

The final of the four strands in the SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme is the development of a new Schools Fellow position at the National Gallery of Ireland. This new three-year position is made possible through the partnership and the recruited Schools Fellow will become part of the Education team at the Gallery. The Schools Fellow will receive dedicated mentorship and ongoing support in the field of museum education, specifically focusing on schools. The position will support the Education team in delivering the key projects in the SMBC Aviation Schools Programme.

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said: “The National Gallery of Ireland belongs to us all. With the generous support of SMBC Aviation Capital, the new SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme will significantly advance our ambition to encourage all children across Ireland to learn through and about art. We want to give young people a sense of ownership of their Gallery and this exciting new programme will further that goal for us. SMBC Aviation Capital are leaders in the business community in their support for arts and culture, and we hope that this partnership inspires their peers over the next three years.”

Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital, added: “At SMBC Aviation Capital we are proud to expand our partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland. We have seen first-hand the positive impact that the Your Gallery at School pilot programme had on children and young people, and we believe becoming the Gallery’s first nationwide Schools Partner will bring even greater impact. Giving back to the communities in which we operate as well as focusing on children and education are key strategic priorities for our CSR committee and this innovative and ambitious new programme aligns with this strategy.”

SMBC Aviation Capital became a Corporate Partner of the National Gallery of Ireland in 2017. From 2020 until 2023, the company sponsored Your Gallery at School, a pilot programme, which has led to the development of the SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme in 2024. This ambitious new programme for the Gallery would not be possible without SMBC Aviation Capital’s support.

The SMBC Aviation Capital Schools Programme will break down barriers for children to access the arts and aims to create a ripple effect for best-practice arts education partnerships between the arts and business sectors. SMBC Aviation Capital are committed to giving back to the communities in which they operate, both locally and nationally. Their approach to CSR prioritises projects involving children and education, which are delivered in a structured and meaningful way.

The Gallery would like to thank the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for its ongoing support. 

Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie.

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

• Photos by photographer Naoise Culhane are available upon request.
• Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, and Sinéad Rice, Head of Education at the National Gallery of Ireland, are available for interview.
• Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital, is available for interview.

Media contacts:

Kate O’Leary, Communications, Marketing & Digital Engagement Manager, National Gallery of Ireland: koleary@ngi.ie 087 334 1587

Gallery opening hours:

Monday: 11am – 5.30pm

Tuesday – Wednesday: 9.15am – 5.30pm

Thursday: 9.15am – 8.30pm

Friday – Saturday: 9.15am –5.30pm

Sunday: 11am – 5.30pm

About the National Gallery of Ireland:

The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions housing the nation’s collection of European and Irish art from about 1300 to the present day, and an extensive Library & Archive. Entry to the collection is free for all to enjoy, learn and be inspired. Tickets are required for some temporary exhibitions.

About the Education department at the National Gallery of Ireland:

The Education department’s core remit is to provide a year-round public programme of participation, engagement and learning events connected to the public building, the national collection and temporary exhibitions. It aims to provide many access points for the Gallery’s diverse audiences, and to value the transformative, complex and curious qualities inherent in art education.

2024 at the National Gallery of Ireland:

2024 is the 170th anniversary of the establishment of the Gallery through the National Gallery of Ireland Act (1854) and the 160th anniversary of the opening of the National Gallery of Ireland on the 30 January 1864. The Gallery will also publish a new strategic plan for the period 2024-28 in early 2024.

About SMBC Aviation Capital:

Based in the IFSC in Dublin Ireland, SMBC Aviation Capital is the second largest aircraft operating lease company globally by number of aircraft, with an owned, managed and committed fleet of over 900 aircraft. The company focuses on the most technologically advanced, fuel efficient and narrowbody aircraft types, providing customers across the globe with the aircraft they need to successfully grow their businesses.  Established in 2001, the company was acquired in 2012 by a consortium comprised of two of Japan’s biggest companies SMFG and Sumitomo Corporation.  For additional information, please visit SMBC Aviation Capital’s website at https://www.smbc.aero/

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