Supporting Creativity

Across our content and programming, through our services and people, RTÉ aims to champion Irish culture, our people, our island and our diversity.

1. RTÉ Short Story Competition

RTÉ received a record number of entries to the 2020 RTÉ Short Story Competition, one of Ireland’s longest established and most significant literary prizes, in honour of Francis MacManus. Previously open to postal entries only, the competition opened to online entries also in late March in response to Covid restrictions. By the closing date in May, 4,073 entries had been received – far surpassing the 2,300 submissions received in 2019. ‘Flower Wild’, a short story by Shane Tivenan, was the eventual winner.

2. Junk Kouture: Powered by RTÉ

All-island fashion and sustainability contest Junk Kouture took on the world in 2020, as it expanded globally after 10 years of empowering young people to create high-end couture from everyday junk, capturing the imagination of 100,000 students in Ireland. A decade of design prowess on a national stage led to plans to grow Junk Kouture into a World Tour that spans the seven continents between January and August each year, and culminates in a World Final at the end of September. RTÉ continued to back Junk Kouture throughout 2020.

3. Irish Youth Music Awards

2fm was delighted to partner again with Youth Work Ireland’s Irish Youth Music Awards (IYMAs), which were set to return to Croke Park for its all-ages National Day on 9 May. Ultimately a virtual event, the IYMAs National Day featured a large education hub with master-classes and workshops from some of Ireland’s top industry professionals, offering young people an opportunity to learn more about the creative industries and a chance to catch some exclusive performances.

4. Create, Don’t Contaminate

Kodaline, the Script, Picture This, the Coronas and Lottie Ryan were some of the names who launched this popular RTÉ 2fm campaign, which encouraged young people to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and create content from their homes in the process.

5. Cruinniu na Óg

Saturday 13 June 2020 marked Cruinniú na nÓg 2020, Ireland’s national day of free creative activities for children and young people under the age of 18, who were encouraged to get online, get involved and get creative. In 2020 all Cruinniú events could be found online, with a selection also featured on RTÉ channels and platforms including RTÉ2, RTÉjr, RTÉjr podcasts, RTÉ Home School Hub, RTÉ.ie/Learn and RTÉ.ie/Culture. Cruinniú is a collaboration between the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Creative Ireland Programme, local authorities and RTÉ.

6. Shining Bright

The summer of 2020 was like no other. For musicians and the arts community, there was a devastating loss of connection with audiences. RTÉ continued the commitment it had shown to artists throughout the pandemic and, in August, brought performers together to play for the nation. Shine was a magical hour of music and words filmed at the Iveagh Gardens, the National Concert Hall and RTÉ over a couple of summer days.

7. This (Was) Arts!

RTÉ and the Creative Ireland Programme once again came together in 2020 to create This Is Art! – a celebration of visual art. This is Art! invited artists aged 18 and under, individually or in groups, to create a piece of art that would be showcased in an online art gallery for generations to come. In so doing, the competition promoted artistic practice among young people and encouraged creativity, originality and self-expression.