The theme of Irish Design Week 2025 (IDW25) is “The Links That Link, The Ties That Tie”. This phrase borrowed from a speech by Bill Walsh - the founder of the Kilkenny Design Studios, points towards how we build connections through ideas, disciplines, materials and processes.
For IDW25, we're inviting you to help us create a ‘chain of collaboration through form and materials’. Using traditional processes and digital technology, we'll be asking participants to create chain links that will form a collaborative design piece that express the personal connections we all have with craft and design.
Date: Thursday 20th November
Time: 10am – 1pm, and 2pm – 5pm
Capacity: 10 participants per workshop
Price: Free
There will be a morning session 10am to 1pm and an afternoon session 2pm to 5pm and people are free to attend either or both.
The workshops will allow participants the opportunity to experiment and play with all manner of digital fabrication technology such as 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Vacuum Forming and Digital Embroidery, to create their chain links using a wide range of natural and composite materials. No experience with digital fabrication is required as the sessions will be facilitated by Stuart Lawn from Fab Lab Maker Hub and Ceramic Artist Bettina Seitz. We'll have a particular focus on casting and colouring items in Jesmonite (a quick setting ceramic material). All equipment and materials will be provided, and participants will get to take home their designs.
Convened by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI), Irish Design Week focuses on why design matters and highlights issues around sustainability, diversity and inclusion. These events are funded by DCCI.
