The Disaster School is currently fundraising to raise to meet its three foundational goals:

Seed funding
This funding will support all aspects of The Disaster School 2026 Series, ensuring writers are paid equitably, participation remains accessible through subsidised and scholarship places, and that high-quality materials are produced for use beyond the duration of the live schools throughout 2026.

Host a pop-up Disaster School in New Orleans, Louisiana
In partnership with the charity Operation Restoration, this special edition will centre on
working with incarcerated women, using creative writing as a tool for connection, reflection, and empowerment. The aim is not only to build a temporary creative community but to establish lasting relationships with local partners and develop international cross-cultural projects, both online and in person.

Apply for long-term Arts Council Ireland funding
To secure the school’s sustainability, The Disaster School will apply for Arts Council support, a process that can take years. In the meantime, we are seeking partners and patrons who share our commitment to creativity, inclusion, and repair. Sarah Byrne, Director of The Disaster School, has an established relationship with the Arts Council, having previously received several awards for her literary journal The Well Review and for her own writing over a period of a decade. The Arts Council has consistently supported her creative and community initiatives, so it is a feasible long-term goal for the school.

Your support will help transform The Disaster School from vision to reality, creating a space where literature meets social purpose and creative opportunity is shared, not limited.

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