History of the Pushkin Trust
Founded in 1987 by the Duchess of Abercorn, The Pushkin Trust is a charitable organisation which works to provide and support a holistic model to spark imagination and deepen awareness of our collective creativity and humanity.

The principal target has always been the field of education and the method of delivery is through the creative arts and the natural environment with professional facilitation.

Writing about the work of the Pushkin Trust, Seamus Heaney drew on the words of the modern Russian poet,Joseph Brodsky…

‘...originality was a genuine defence against evil and to be thoroughly and honestly yourself, to be free and creative, was to be resistant to all systems which would ensnare the spirit and darken its essential light.’

The name of the Trust honours and invokes the spirit of Alexander Pushkin, one of Russia’s greatest writers and the Duchess of Abercorn’s ancestor. The organisation is commonly and affectionately known as ‘Pushkin’.

For fifteen years a creative writing competition was the centre of the Pushkin Schools’ Programme, in which fifty schools from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland participated each year.

At the core of the Pushkin Trust’s work is the Schools’ Programme. The majority of participants are primary schools, though the Trust also works with secondary, Irish medium and also special needs schools.

In 2002-2003 the creative writing competition evolved into a cross-curricular awards programme. This initiative still retains creative writing as the central core of activity and is supplemented in participating schools by other creative art forms. Exploration of the environment is used as an important source of inspiration.

Thus the Trust extended participation and met the needs of further elements in the curriculum while encouraging natural cross-curricular activity.

The programme is usually launched at an autumn weekend residential for the participating teachers. Artists in various genres lead workshops based on that year’s theme. The theme for 2009-2010 is ‘Go with the Flow’ and previous themes have included ‘The Tree of Life’, ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’, ‘The Fire Within’ etc. The teachers adopt the theme of the year’s programme and integrate it into their teaching.

The themes explored over the years are documented in three anthologies. These are a testament to the quality of the work produced during this time. The most recent collection of children’s writing, ‘Eager we are to Live’ was sent by the Department of Education in 2000 to every primary school in Ireland.

‘Pushkin Days’ are held in the spring term. These involve classes from two or more schools, usually from different traditions, coming together for a day of environmental exploration and creative expression at a number of regional centres. Pupils work in mixed groups alongside their teachers, taking part in activities facilitated by environmentalists, artists, dancers, actors, writers and musicians. Two of these also visit the project schools, working on-site with the children to develop the theme further.

The programme culminates in an awards ceremony and exhibition of project work created by the schools during the active six months of the programme.

In June 2005 this ceremony marked the Trust’s 18th birthday and was held in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Forty schools participated that year and Seamus Heaney, a Patron of the Trust, was guest of honour. As well as the usual exhibitions of work, twelve schools developed their own creative writing into stage performances.

Autumn 2005 saw the beginning of a three year pilot scheme to decentralise the Schools’ Programme. Two regions took part that year with a total of six regions in 2008-2009; Three from Northern Ireland and three from the Republic of Ireland, involving 43 schools.

Schools are invited to participate after being nominated by their Education Board, local Inspector, on the recommendation of one of the Trust’s Regional Leaders, or more often by word of mouth.

The Pushkin Summer Camp of the Imagination is held at Baronscourt Estate in early August. Approximately 35 children with their teachers and some parents from a number of schools attend this five day residential. The children and adults draw inspiration from the natural world, using their five senses to write their own poems and stories and to create their own works of art. By so doing they become co-creators. Partners in Education, a tertiary level programme for students and tutors from Colleges of Education throughout Ireland, is anchored by an experiential weekend residential held at Baronscourt Estate or other centres.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you were involved in Pushkin activities as a child, student or teacher, please tell us how you feel Pushkin has influenced your personal or professional life.