2015 Year of Design

We're a creative bunch, the Irish. For a nation so small we've produced our fair share of artists, poets, sculptors, designers, architects, writers and so much more over the years. However, following an artistic career path can sometimes mean great amounts of financial strain when between projects or attempting to get funding for an idea you have. With this in mind the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland have created an initiative entitled Irish Design 2015. The idea behind the movement is to generate more jobs for Irish designers through a series of events over 12 months which will both promote and celebrate their work.

Irish Design 2015 is a government initiative and they have included it in their Action Plan for Jobs, with Michael D. Higgins leading the way as Patron of Design 2015. They hope to offer networking platforms to designers where they can meet potential investors, encouraging collaborations and promoting discussion amongst them. The events will happen not only in Ireland, but also abroad, attending most of the international Design Weeks. The Irish schedule has plenty on with exhibitions, talks, and workshops scheduled for the coming months. Kicking things off is the trade-only Showcase in the RDS which started yesterday and runs until the 21st January. This will quite literally do what it says on the tin, it will be a showcase of Irish design - fashion, jewellery, crafts, and artwork all on show.

For anyone looking to get a taste of the Irish Design 2015 but who can't nab a ticket to Showcase, fret not! There's loads of stuff going on that you can partake in such as the 'In The Making' exhibition at Dublin Castle or 'Second Skin' exhibition at the national Craft Gallery. There's a whole rake of amazing things in the Irish Design 2015 calendar for the next twelve months, so take a gander at the programme and see what tickles your fancy!