The Leitrim Design House and Creative Heartlands are delighted to present our Winter Makerthon event as part of Irish Design Week 2024. This is an all-day, 10.30am - 6pm, free event on Thursday the 14th of November brings together inquisitive and creative minds to The Dock Arts Centre in Carrick on Shannon to make wonderful things.

Book your free place here 

What is this Irish Design Week Makerthon thing and how do I buy one?

For this year’s Irish Design Week theme of Imagination For Opportunity, we are committed to imagining all the opportunities that come from bringing creative people together to make all the things. Makers, designers, craftspeople, coders and artists proudly bring their A-game to the same physical space for a brief but intense period of collaboration, making, hacking, and building. By collaborating on focused tasks during this short period, small groups of makers can produce remarkable results. We will provide all the Creative Heartlands digital fabrication equipment and materials, you bring an open mind and a full heart!

We don’t believe in barriers to entry. We believe in running an awesome Makerthon. This is why we CAN have nice things. We also have great support from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland who believe in what we are doing, and all this in underpinned by Irish Design Week 2024. 

Sounds Awesome but who is this for?

Irish Design Week Makerthon is for anyone with an interest in making new things. It is a social event with creativity and love of artistic expression at its heart. This is not work! We don’t secretly want you to create a start-up from this. Let’s just make some cool stuff, eat some free food and have fun. We have two rules, you have to be over 18 & don’t be on fire.

OK I’m not on Fire so how does it work?

The day starts with some very quick “lightning talks” where people can pitch ideas they would like to work on. After this everyone will break into teams (usually of 2-3 people) and start working on bringing that idea to life. You don’t have to come with a team and it is not unusual for people to float around a few different groups before settling on an idea they like. It might sound a little daunting if it is your first Makerthon, but it is a friendly atmosphere and we promise your skills, whatever they are will be useful and welcome. Refreshments will be served on the day with some special guest speakers also joining us to share their experience and knowledge.

Book your free place here 

Photo by and showing Helena Golden The Willow Woman