Ballet Ireland has a comprehensive educational and outreach programme.

The activities of the educational unit are integral to Ballet Ireland's work, both complementing the current performance schedule and making a significant contribution in reaching out to new audiences.

We encourage participation in the practice and observation of ballet with activities held throughout the year, which include workshops held onstage at performance venues, a series of lecture demonstrations, master classes for those with prior knowledge of ballet, an associate programme, a special schools programme- 'St. Michael's Project', and in its sixth year, our annual summer school.

Young people are involved both at elementary and secondary school level.

The unit has been able to introduce a new generation to dance as a performance discipline, developing interest and active participation in performing arts, and allowing students to develop their own expressive abilities and self-confidence.

The primary ethos behind BI's educational work is that ballet should be accessible to all and grants of money from the AIB Better Ireland Programme and The Ireland Funds have supplemented the investment made by the Arts Council and have enabled young people from diverse social and economic backgrounds to fully participate in all parts of the outreach programme.