TEN OF Ireland’s leading designers and craftspeople attended a special “pop-up” lunch at the Royal College of Physicians yesterday hosted by the Crafts Council to promote contemporary Irish design talent throughout September.
Those taking part included furniture, glass, fashion and textile designers. The campaign, which focuses not only on the crafts, but also the people behind them, will be promoted in 60 retail outlets around the country, in studios and on www.giveirishcraft.com.
Later this month, 12 Irish designers, predominantly glass and furniture makers, will exhibit at the trade show Tent in London as part of the London Design Festival.
According to Brian Magee, head of market development at the Crafts Council, “Ireland is gaining a reputation for beautifully crafted products and with over 19,000 international visitors expected from 44 different countries, Tent will be an incredible opportunity to display Irish work to an international audience.”
The event yesterday was part of the council’s three-pronged strategy to highlight native craftsmanship in Ireland. In November a group of jewellers will exhibit in Dublin airport’s T2 before moving to Munich in February for the largest jewellery trade fair in Europe.
