DCCI Annual Report 2020 by Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Design & Crafts Council Ireland Annual Report and Financial Statements

2020

Design & Crafts Council Ireland Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020

Image: Work by Aoife Soden in Curious Treasures, Castle Yard

Work by Daniel Smyth in Hand to Hand, the DCCI Ceramics Design & Skills Course 2020 Graduate Exhibition

Contents About

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Our Vision and Our Mission

Our Strategy 2017 – 2020

2020 In Review

1 Chair and Chief Executive’s Report

2 Our Activities

2.1 Enterprise 21 2.2 Research and Innovation 35 2.3 Knowledge and Skills 49 2.4 Promotion and Awareness 61 2.5 Policy and Advocacy 77

3 Our Business

3.1 Our Clients 87 3.2 Our History 1970 – 2020 91 3.3 Key Programme Statistics 2020 97

4 Our Governance

4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9

102

Corporate Governance Update 103 Our Board 107 Our Team 115 Our Member Organisations 118 Our Committees 120

5 Financial Statements

123

Company Information 127 Directors Report 129 Independent Auditors Report 133 Statement of Comprehensive Income 136 Income and Expenditure Account 137 Balance Sheet 138 Statement of Changes in Equity 139 Statement of Cash Flows 140 Notes to the Financial Statements 141

6 Acknowledgements

152

Image: Work by Genevieve Howard Design

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

About Design & Crafts Council Ireland Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is the national agency for the commercial development of Irish designers and makers, stimulating innovation, championing design thinking and informing Government policy. Our activities are funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) – Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) until July 2020 – through Enterprise Ireland.

We aim to: — raise the standard and profile of this sector, both in Ireland and internationally; — develop commerce potential, and grow exports; — invest in the progression of the next generation of craftspeople through education initiatives; — advocate for the integration of design in Government policy and industry, and the development of Ireland’s design infrastructure. The total economic output of craft enterprises in Ireland is valued at €498 million, of which exports are €125 million1. Furthermore, exports of Engineering, Design, Architectural Design and Specialised Design are valued at more than €1 billion per year2. As at 31 December 2020, DCCI has 57 member organisations and 3,204 registered client enterprises. This represents an increase of 101 registered clients since 2019.

Our Team DCCI’s Executive Team is responsible and accountable for the leadership and day to day management and operation of the organisation. The team acts within the approved policies of DCCI’s Board and is consistent with the priorities of its clients. The Executive Team comprises the CEO and heads of departments. The heads of departments report directly to the CEO and provide regular updates to the DCCI Board on the work of the organisation. The CEO reports to the Chair and the Board of DCCI. DCCI’s office and the National Design & Craft Gallery are located in the Castle Yard, Kilkenny with 23 full time employees. The Centres of Excellence are located in Kilkenny (Jewellery & Goldsmithing) and Grennan Mill, Thomastown (Ceramics).

1. Indecon Economic Consultants, ‘Economic Significance and Potential of the Crafts Industry in Ireland’, 2010. 2. Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI), ‘Policy Framework For Design in Enterprise in Ireland’, 2016.

About DCCI

DCCI provides practical supports to emerging and established designers and craftspeople through a range of programmes and services.

Our Vision Ireland is recognised and valued for its culture of design and craft. Our Mission

We are the national agency for the commercial development of Irish designers and makers. Our mission is to stimulate innovation, champion design thinking, and inform Government policy. About this report

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

This report lists our five strategic aims for the period 2017 – 2020 3 inclusive. It then reviews – at a glance – our work and achievements in 2020 towards these aims before it presents the detail of our work in each of our five core activities.

3. New strategic roadmap adopted in 2020

Our Strategy 2017 – 2020 Our strategic aims are set out below. Enterprise Drive demand for Irish design and craft by strategically investing in export, online and domestic markets. Support clients to understand and satisfy consumer needs. Research and Innovation

To lead research and innovative practice in design and craft in order to embed both as strategic contributors to the future development of Ireland’s competitiveness, economy and society. Knowledge and Skills To collaborate with education, industry and other partners in supporting knowledge and skills development to meet current and future needs.

Promote the work of Irish designers and makers in domestic and international markets. Collaborate with strategic partners in raising awareness of the design and craft sector. Policy and Advocacy Grow awareness of the value of design and craft to society and the economy. Work with Government and stakeholder clients to integrate design thinking into Government policy and industry.

Our Vision / Our Mission / Our Strategy

Promotion and Awareness

2020 in Review

3,204

2018 2017 € € Cash flows from operating activities

Registered client enterprises Guilds, Associations, Networks, and Societies 3,472 80,937 Surplus for the financial year (GANS) Adjustments for: Depreciation of tangible assets 44,995 44,125 (20,283) Transfer to/from capital account (3,130) Dividend received — (20,000)

Decrease/(increase) in debtors 37,094 (58,072) ( 21,858 Increase/(decrease) in creditors

(5,199)

Net cash generated from operating activities 87,136

38,661

€25,000

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of tangible fixed assets (24,712) (40,995) Total prize fund for DCCI’s Future Makers DCCI clients supported for international Awards & Supports 2020 programme — Dividend received — 20,000 development the largest prize craft and design Netfund cashfor from investing activities students and emerging makers in Europe

(24,712) (20,995)

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 62,424

17,666

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 16,053 (1,613) Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year

78,477 16,053

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year comprise:

5,539

12,802

Cash at bank and in hand 78,477 16,053 78,477

Students and members of the public took part in outreach programmes

16,053)

DCCI clients supported through mentoring and development activities (live and on YouTube)

Statement of Changes in Equity as at 31 December 2018

€26.3m

201

At 1 January 224,353 241,520 Orders placed at Showcase 2020 2017 DCCI clients participated at17,167 Showcase 2020 Comprehensive income for the year Surplus for the year — 3,472

3,472

— 24,712 Funds allocated to acquire fixed assets 24,712 Amortised in line with depreciation (44,995) — (44,995) 204,070 20,639 224,709 At 31 December 2018

11 The notes on pages 127 to 136 form part of these financial statements.

56,733

107

Visitors attended National Designof&Changes Craft in Equity Statement Gallery exhibitions (NDCG and touring) for the year ended 31 December 2016

Makers, designers and studios represented in the exhibitions programme

omprehensive income for the year C Surplus for the year Funds allocated to acquire fixed assets Amortised in line with depreciation

— 80,937 80,937 40,995 — 40,995 (44,125) — (44,125)

At 31 December 2016 224,353 17,167

241,520

€54,057

107,129

Funding allocated to develop 25 membership organiastions through Network Support Scheme

NDCG Exhibitions and Education Programme Online Engagement

The notes on pages 127 to 136 form part of these financial statements.

For more key statistics for 2018, please see page 91

2019 Year in Review

At 1 January 2017 227,483 (63,770) 163,713

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Introduction by the Chair

2020 was a challenging year on many fronts for Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI). I am pleased to report, however, that the organisation as a whole responded to those challenges with determination. Our CEO, Rosemary Steen, started her tenure remotely, and immediately set to work strengthening the Executive Team.

13 Andrew Bradley Chair, DCCI

Following the resignation of our Chair, Breege O’Donoghue, in September 2020, I was appointed as Chair in May 2021. On behalf of our members, we acknowledge her contribution during her term at DCCI. The design and craft sector makes a significant contribution to Ireland’s economy. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, a perhaps unexpected, but welcome, consequence was the raised awareness and appreciation of the sector among the public, as people embraced the wellbeing benefits that accrue from handmade objects. With ‘staycations’ being the only option for many Irish families in 2020, our Made Local campaign struck a real chord, as evidenced by

record numbers of public engagement on social media, and strong retail sales recorded in August and September. Many of our members traded steadily once the season got underway, which is an achievement considering the absence of international visitors. Made Local demonstrated that there is a healthy demand for Irish craft, and we plan to continue this promotion again in 2021. These campaigns had the added value of shifting the perception of the sector from niche to mainstream markets. Furthermore, careers in craft and design are no longer considered to be fringe, but rather they now play an increasingly important role in Ireland’s cultural, social and economic development. Finally, we said goodbye to retiring directors Fiona Deegan, Mairead McCorley, John O’Connor and Elaine Riordan, and we thank them sincerely for their contributions. We welcomed our new board members, all of whom have settled in and are already making a positive impact. I would also like to thank the DCCI team for their hard work and commitment throughout this unusual year. I am grateful for their efforts in adapting to

Chair & Chief Executive’s Report

As we considered the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our sector, the Board agreed to commission two specific pieces of work: firstly, an Economic Impact Assessment, previously conducted in 2010, to assess the economic contribution of the design and craft sector to Ireland’s economy. This concluded in May 2021. Secondly, a Five-year Strategic Plan to guide the development and growth of Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

the demands of the year whilst continuing to maintain a considerable workload.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Careers in craft and design are no longer seen to be fringe, but rather they now play an increasingly important role in Ireland’s cultural, social and economic development.

Finally, I would like to thank the Tánaiste and his Department and Ministers of State for their support during the year, and thanks also to the Chief Executive and Board of Enterprise Ireland. I am pleased to present this Annual Report, and we look forward to building on the insights gleaned from this year.

Andrew Bradley Chair, DCCI

Introduction by the Chief Executive 2020 – A year of the Craft and Design Community working together like never before

Rosemary Steen

Chief Executive

Our first priority was to help designers and makers survive the economic impact of the lockdowns, both mentally and financially. We saw thousands of interactions with our webinar series, and we provided telephone support and opportunities via our social media channels. It was a test for us, demanding that we work flexibly and remotely in a

way that, perhaps, DCCI should have been doing earlier. I hope, though, that in our sector’s time of need, we were seen to step up and use our resources in the most effective way. We have done our best to rise to that challenge knowing that 2021 will be no easier. DCCI will continue, I hope, to think creatively, and work swiftly and flexibly to do all we can to bring the best of supports and advice to the sectors we represent. Partnerships

When we looked outwards, we found exciting partners in Creative Ireland, Sláintecare, Kilkenny County Council, Local Enterprise Offices and, of course, Enterprise Ireland – all of whom worked with us on bespoke projects. To all our partners, we say thank you and we look forward to more joint programmes and activities. We need and want you to work with us as part of Ireland’s creative ecology, bringing joy to thousands of people and helping build stronger communities in the process. Together, as people relocate from cities to more rural communities, we can

Chair & Chief Executive’s Report

2020 was a year like no other we have seen in Ireland in this generation. It became a year of one of the biggest crisis our country has experienced. But, in this crisis period, our Design and Craft community worked together and performed like never before. It became a critical element of keeping our country together – not just economically, but as a precious national asset helping many communities across the island. We saw amazing acts of generosity and ambition from the sector from Made Local to the Irish Business Design Challenge. The real strength of our community was evidenced by the persistence it showed under all the pressure of uncertainty and its sheer creative energy driving people forward even in the darkest of days.

use craft and design as the glue to bring diverse groups together to celebrate making and creating.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

During 2020, two members of the executive team moved on to other projects, and we thank them for their service.

Innovation

Sustainability-A craft renaissance

Our resources are finite, and we may not be able to help every designer and maker, but, what we can do is ensure that we support as many as we can. In addition, this period has really brought home the importance of passing skills on to the next generation, and bringing forward the important role that design can make now. We kept moving on the redesign and restructuring of our education offering, while the ceramics students graduated at the end of 2020 – which was one of the most important days for our organisation in 2020.

In the midst of the financial and emotional pain of 2020, the main lesson is that we can make a better tomorrow. It will be a long journey back to normality, but we are wholly committed to that journey. We will be working with national and local government, and will bring a new focus on sustainable practice. I want to thank the board for their support through all the challenges DCCI faced, and there were many. Whatever the financial challenges we face, I believe the tenacity of the craft and design sector will see it emerge to a future that may be a better one.

At the same time, we supported new campaigns on design skills and design thinking, and celebrated companies who found innovative ways to keep going. It was an extremely challenging time for the internal team in DCCI who rose to the challenge of having to find many different ways to support clients and members during the pandemic restrictions. In relation of the DCCI team’s response to the challenge of COVID–19, all staff moved to remote working in March 2020, as part of our business continuity planning. Prior to our return onsite in August 2020, all the necessary social distancing measures and the implementation of good hygiene and cleaning controls were put in place throughout our buildings. We appointed a Lead Worker Representative, and issued all staff with our COVID–19 Response Plan and relevant updated policies. Our return back onsite was short-lived, however, and we reverted to remote working for the remainder of 2020. Our students, on both the Jewellery and Ceramics Skills Training Courses, continued to work safely onsite in compliance with government restrictions, and the Ceramics Course students successfully graduated just before Christmas, five months later than planned.

Rosemary Steen, Chief Executive DCCI

Our Activities

Image: Design Ireland at Maison&Objet

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Our Activities

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

DCCI delivers dynamic programmes to enhance clients’ capabilities to enable them to grow. We achieve this by strategically investing in programmes that support makers to develop export, online and domestic markets. Focus and Strategic Aims

— Develop client capabilities through providing mentoring and support

— Lead the industry to encourage e-commerce

— Increase awareness and sales in the domestic market

During 2020, our Enterprise team rapidly adapted to the sudden challenge brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This required us to:

— Take an innovative approach to how we work.

— Increase our daily engagement with clients.

— Develop our external partnerships. — Invest in projects to create future value.

Our Activities

2.1

Enterprise

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Badly Made Books at Showcase; (from left to right) Louise Allen, Liz Walsh of 29 Bride Street and Oisín Geoghegan at Showcase; Made Local regional launch in Cork.

During the year, the team engaged with clients on a large number of individual programmes, as outlined here. Showcase 2020

Showcase 2020 was officially opened by Dr Orlaigh Quinn, Secretary General at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on Sunday 19 January. DCCI’s annual trade-only fair had 405 exhibitors, of which 201 were DCCI registered clients. Buyers from 27 countries attended, including Germany (+17%), Japan (+23%), Canada (+22%) and Italy (+20%). However, there was a 31% drop in buyers coming from the UK and Northern Ireland, caused by Brexit uncertainty. Despite this drop, overall sales orders placed at Showcase increased by 4.6% to €26.3million. The key features at Showcase 2020 were:

The Design Ireland 4 area, presented by DCCI, featured 67 leading makers selected by a jury of international retail experts for their creativity, innovation, craftsmanship and market potential. The Local Enterprise Showcase was made up of 88 businesses who were supported by their Local Enterprise Offices across the country. A new inspirational short film, SÓ, premiered at Showcase. DCCI commissioned this film to create awareness and appreciation of Irish-made textiles, accessories and apparel. The work of 22 Irish brands featured in the film, set against the dramatic landscape of West Kerry. SÓ was directed by internationally celebrated Irish photographer, Boo George, in collaboration with renowned fashion director Paula Hughes. Specially curated displays of the Best Product Award winners along with an edited selection of the most interesting and innovative products at Showcase. These exhibits were designed to make sourcing easier for busy buyers.

4. Design Ireland® is a registered 2. trademark of DCCI.

The overall winner of the Showcase Best Product Award was Studio Donegal for their Donegal Tweed shirt jacket. This product also won the Best Product Award in the fashion category. The company is a family business based in Kilcar, and is dedicated to maintaining and promoting the art of handweaving.

In the Jewellery category, the Showcase Best Product Award went to Filip Vanas Designs for his 'Mezzoforte' neckpiece and earring set. Czech-born Filip moved to Dublin in 2005 following his graduation from architectural college, and undertook jewellery courses at the National College of Art & Design before launching his brand. He is renowned for his use of unusual materials and minimal aesthetic. Filip also won the Design & Crafts Council Ireland Innovation and Craftsmanship Award at Showcase 2020. McNutt of Donegal won the Showcase Best Home product category for the brand’s beautiful woollen rug. The McNutt family have been weaving quality throws and accessories in Donegal since 1953. The Showcase Best Product Award in the Gift category went to Badly Made Books who are based in Little Island in Cork City. Founded by product designer Seán O’Sullivan, Badly Made Books create books and paper products focused on using sustainable materials, small batch manufacturing and the minimisation of waste.

The Showcase Highly Commended award winners were:

— — — — —

Inner Island and Lynsey de Burca in the jewellery category. 29 Bride Street for their handprinted linen planters and bags. Ballyshane for their beautiful handmade chopping board. Roy Humphreys for his wooden bowl. Saille Baskets for their woven contemporary basket.

Other award winners at Showcase 2020 were:

— — — —

Jill & Gill were awarded the Design Ireland® Award for their boxed original prints Field Day was highly commended by Design Ireland for their Irish Wildflower Seed Bombs Jerpoint Glass Studio was highly commended by Design Ireland for their hand-blown fused glass. The Design & Crafts Council Ireland Innovation and Craftsmanship Award went to jewellery designer and maker Filip Vanas Designs, who also won

Our Activities

A Clockwise from top left

— —

the Best Product award in the Jewellery category The Local Enterprise Showcase Award went to Oxmantown Skincare Highly commended were Monkey Cups for their glass reusable coffee cup, and Berina Kelly Jewellery for her neckpiece and earring set.

Client Outreach

In April, DCCI initiated an extensive outreach programme to check in with our clients to see how they were coping during the COVID-19 emergency. On each call we wanted to ensure that the client was aware of the various DCCI and wider Government supports available. We were also able to answer any questions or queries that they had.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Client Webinar Series

On 23 March 2020 DCCI launched a series of webinars for designers and makers to support the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a new resource platform for craft and design enterprises offering advice on Government supports, creating social media and digital content, e-commerce how to pitch your brand to media, dealing with Brexit and more. The webinars were delivered either by the DCCI team or external experts addressing the needs of clients, and were delivered three times a week for the first three months, and then once a week from July onwards. In total, 2,636 clients benefited from 60 webinars, with a further 10,000 benefiting from viewing the recorded webinars on YouTube. MasterCraft Talks

Also, all clients were emailed several times between April and August. Two hundred and seventy one clients were called and 197 clients were spoken to. Depending on the needs of the client, calls ranged from three minutes to over 45 minutes. The average call time was 18.5 minutes.

In April, we invited clients to apply to design and deliver a webinar talk to our community of designers and makers. This new “peerto-peer” webinar series entitled MasterCraft provided clients with the chance to share expert knowledge and experience with other clients keen to gain new insights.

Reaction from clients the contact was broadly positive, with most clients remaining calm under pressure, but concerned at the time. Questions and concerns raised included:

There were seven talks given during the year, as follows: MasterCraft Topic Client Demonstration of Rosemary Durr large ceramic pot and tableware throwing techniques

— — — — — — — — — — —

Fear that their retailers would not survive the downturn. Fear of not being paid for orders sent. Fear of existing orders being cancelled. Worry that travel restrictions would affect delivery of goods to retailers that are reopening. Concerns about cashflow. Concerns about show cancellations. Uncertainly about developing online sales. Challenges with Export. Challenges with Tourism due to COVID-19. How to apply for the Trading Online Voucher. Topics covered in the DCCI Webinars.

Niki Collier Irish Linen House Lou Brennan Rebecca Marsden

Exploring heritage textiles to develop innovative cross medium techniques Adapting to COVID-19 –Making of Facemasks ‘Ireland’s Hidden Textile Stories’ 3D Fashion and Textiles with Rebecca Marsden

Shane Holland

How a small craft business can survive the COVID-19 crisis

Nigel O’Reilly

Diamond Masterclass with Nigel O’Reilly

The Building Craft and Design Enterprise (BCDE) and Driving Exports programmes are delivered in partnership with Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) nationwide. In 2020, these programmes were adapted for remote online delivery during COVID-19, providing a lifeline of business supports and advice for clients. BCDE provides selected clients with insights on market research, product design, production capacity, costs, business development, e-commerce trade show preparation, and the retail environment. A key element of this programme is a bespoke research trade and retail visit to London, including Top Drawer, Scoop Pure and Collect shows. In January and February of 2020, 28 clients made the visit to London to attend the shows as part of their research missions. Other programme activity in 2020 included:

— —

69 clients from Dublin, Donegal, Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny completed the COVID-19-adapted Building Craft and Design Enterprise programme 2020. 13 clients in the Driving Export programme worked on their export development plans for completion by April 2020.

Workshops and One-to-One Mentoring:

Clients exhibiting at Design Ireland and at Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo 2020 – were provided with one-to-one mentoring sessions in selling and visual merchandising techniques. All DCCI-registered enterprises exhibiting at Showcase 2020, including Design Ireland and the Local Enterprise Showcase exhibitors, were offered onsite merchandising assistance and advice during set-up at the RDS. Sixty clients took part in workshops on website development, branding, export potential, and retail relations.

Tourism

We collaborated with Tourism Ireland on its #fillyourheartwithIreland campaign by providing images from DesignIreland.ie and the #MadeLocal campaign. Tourism Ireland has been working to maintain international awareness of Ireland’s quality tourism offerings despite the travel restrictions. Over 5 million social media followers saw the images and videos of Irish makers. In July, we took part in Virtual Meitheal, a travel-industry trade fair organised by Fáilte Ireland. We met over 50 international tour operators who were keen to learn more about how to incorporate craft experiences into their travel itineraries when visiting Ireland. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

In April, we launched a special access area on the DesignIreland.ie website for use by DFAT staff in embassies overseas to view and purchase craft online, direct from the maker. Following an open call, over 50 Design Ireland makers signed up to participate in this initiative. More makers are signing up to the programme on an ongoing basis. A brochure with examples of products to ‘Wear, Use and Gift’ was issued to all embassies and missions overseas. The brochure highlighted the featured brands and explained the purchasing process. We also hosted a series of webinar meetings for embassy staff around the world to explain how the initiative works. There was a very positive response from attendees who were very excited about the Designireland.ie website and how it can help them.

Our Activities

‘Building Craft and Design Enterprise’ and ‘Driving Exports’ Programmes

Image: SÓ, a short film by Boo George.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

In 2020, it was agreed that NMI and DCCI would jointly commission new work, by way of an open call or competition, on a theme associated with the pandemic. The finished work, envisaged as being created as a personal response to the pandemic, will become part of the Contemporary Collection of Craft and Design at the National Museum of Ireland. The object will be a tangible reminder of this unprecedented year, inviting future museum audiences to reflect on their own experiences long into the future. In July, the open call went out to all DCCI clients, and 51 applications were received. An expert panel assessed applications. The panel was made up of Dr Audrey Whitty, Keeper, NMI; Alex Ward Curator, NMI; and Jean Blanchaert, Gallerist and Curator, Milan. In November, the goldsmith, Annemarie Reinhold, was announced as the winner. Her finished piece will become part of the Contemporary Collection of Craft and Design at NMI in Collins Barracks. She will be creating a ‘Spoon Garden’ inspired by vegetable gardens as her response to COVID-19, with each silver spoon displayed in a wooden block with a cut-out centre. RDS

In February, the winner of the 2020 RDS Irish Craft Bursary, glass artist Edmond Byrne, showed the work he created in partnership with metal artist Adi Toch, at the COLLECT fair in London. The work consisted of a series of sculptural vessels which explored the synergies between glass and metal, and was created through a dedicated period of research funded by the €10,000 bursary. There was a strong response, and some pieces were acquired for the prestigious permanent collections of the V&A, London and the Ulster Museum, Belfast. Michelangelo Foundation

The Michelangelo Foundation launched the Homo Faber Guide in September 2020 as a follow-on to the critically acclaimed Homo Faber exhibition which was held in Venice

in 2018. The guide is a digital platform encompassing a website, social media channels and an app. It features information on Europe’s best artisans, studios, manufacturers, museums and experiences. Through working with the editorial team at Michelangelo Foundation we have ensured that there is a strong Irish presence in the guide. Bluecoat Display Centre

‘In the Window’ is an annual opportunity for a DCCI maker to feature in an exhibition at the Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool during the Liverpool Irish Festival. A maker is selected by a competitive application process. Applicants are asked to propose a body of work that responds to a certain theme. The 2020 theme was ‘Exchange’, and the winner was ceramic artist, Mike Byrne. Mike’s work was on show in the gallery from October to January 2021.

Centre Culturel Irlandais

The Irish Design Residency is a partnership between DCCI and Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, which has been in place since 2015. It offers a DCCI client the opportunity to spend up to three months living and working in Paris in order to develop their creative practice. Ceramist Nuala O’Donovan was selected in 2020 after a competitive application process, and will take up her place after September 2021. Galway City Museum

We advised Sybil Curley and Eithne Verling, the curators of the exhibition ‘Monument’ at Galway City Museum, regarding makers and their work. ‘Monument’ was inspired by the three themes of the Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture programme: Landscape, Language and Migration. Makers Joe Hogan, Cóilín Ó Dubhghaill, Róisín de Buitléar and Alan Meredith were among those selected by the curators for this important show. A sculptural furniture piece, ‘Residual Geometry (Fraxinus No. 2)’ by Alan Meredith was acquired for the museum’s permanent collection.

Our Activities

National Museum of Ireland (NMI)

Design Ireland

The exhibitors were:

In December 2019 we commissioned a complete digital audit of the DesignIreland.ie website with recommendations to improve the functionality, user experience, accessibility, accuracy and content. The objective was to improve the Design Ireland digital brand presence and increase traffic and sales for makers.

In May 2020, we began to implement the recommendations from the audit. Between July and October the changes were made, and 160 clients updated their information and images. The website was relaunched in early November, supported by digital advertising targeting customers in the United States.

As a result of our actions, there were 4.5 million impressions of the Design Ireland brand online in 2020. In total, 386,000 people visited the DesignIreland.ie site – an increase of 466% from 2019. Nearly a fifth of these visitors were overseas. The click-through traffic to the makers’ sites from DesignIreland.ie increased by 319%, and makers reported that sales from Ireland and the US increased significantly.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

International Programmes Design Ireland at MAISON&OBJET Paris, 17-21 January 2020

MAISON&OBJET Paris (M&O) is Europe’s leading home decor fair. The Design Ireland group stand was selected to exhibit in the Today section of the fair in 2020. This is the contemporary design area which receives a high volume of footfall throughout the show. The Design Ireland stand was located on the Red Carpet route, one of the more prominent positions at the show.

— — — — —

Zelouf & Bell Isobel Egan Ceramics A Mullane Designs Alan Meredith Studio John Hanly & Co

Three other DCCI clients were exhibiting at the fair on their own stands: Mullan Lighting, Max Benjamin Candles, and Emmet Kane Woodturning. The Ambassador of Ireland to France, H.E. Patricia O’Brien, visited the show and met with each of the exhibitors. Design Ireland at Museum Store Association Show, 23-27 April, 2020

DCCI planned to exhibit at the Museum Store Association (MSA) annual conference and trade show for the third time in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland (EI). This event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Ireland at Shoppe Object, New York, August 2020

DCCI planned to take a group stand at Shoppe Object in New York for the second time. This boutique show attracts large numbers of independent lifestyle stores. This event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. International Fair Fund 2020

The International Fair Fund (IFF) has been a key element of the International Programme for many years. It is designed to support clients who are ready to access markets abroad by offering financial support to exhibit at international trade fairs. DCCI proceeded with the first of two callouts for the 2020 fund, as the expectation at that point was that the impact of COVID-19 would have passed. Unfortunately, all of the above fairs were cancelled with the exception of the Spring Fair.

The following clients were approved for funding but the fairs were cancelled due to COVID-19: Business Name Fair Name Maison & Objet Julie Clarke Candles Ambiente

Copperfish Lighting

The Celtic Show

Armoura Irish Atlantic Attire

Liberty Fairs

Irish Atlantic Attire

CIFF

Irish Atlantic Attire

The Celtic Show

Irish Atlantic Attire

Pitti Uomo

AAMcAvoy

Maison & Objet, Autumn

We offered all clients impacted by cancellations the chance to carry over the funding to 2021 shows, if that is feasible. US Advantage Programme – On Hold

2020 was expected to be a key year of trade activity for the US Advantage Programme participants. However, as a result of COVID-19, plans for all activity were put on hold, with only one brand, Rathbornes 1488, taking part in a trip to NY Now in New York in February 2020. Consumer Research in Ireland

In May 2020, DCCI engaged in consumer research with Amárach to understand the attitudes to Irish design and craft, and also to understand the impact of the pandemic on consumer behaviour.

Interest and understanding of Irish-made and designed crafts: — A range of products come to mind when thinking of ‘Irish-made and designed crafts’ – the top items being pottery, jewellery and knitwear — 70% are interested in Irish-made and designed crafts — 89% agree that Crafts use authentic skills and approaches throughout their construction — Over 80% of Irish adults also agree that, when it comes to Irish-made and designed crafts, they think the crafts: as pieces of art; ideal gifts; and are of excellent quality — Being ‘Irish-made’ is important for 76% of Irish adults Crafts purchasing behaviour: — 2% purchased an Irish-made and designed crafts item in the previous 12 months — 70% of craft purchases were bought as a gift for someone else — Crafts were most likely to have been purchased from gift shops or craft shops — 32% have purchased Irish-made and designed crafts items online — Post the first lockdown in Ireland, 59% said they were likely to buy in-store, and 43% online — Facebook (43%) and TV (39%) are the main channels where Irish adults learn about Irish-made and designed crafts

Our Activities

The following enterprises were approved for funding: Business Name Fair Name Outcome Black Hen Spring Fair Completed Designs in Feb 2020

Image: Emmet Bosonnet of Kopper Kreation at Showcase.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

The Made Local Campaign

Following this research, and in direct response to the challenges facing the sector as a result of COVID-19, DCCI developed the Made Local campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to: — support and build our community of makers — inspire consumers to buy Irish craft, — motivate retailers to support makers, — attract media attention and drive awareness After securing additional funding through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Enterprise Ireland, Phase 1 of the campaign was launched in July 2020 by the then taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and celebrated actor and author, Amy Huberman. The focus of the messaging was to target ‘staycationers’ – Irish people holidaying in Ireland or daytripping in their locality. The tag line was ‘Made Local - You can own it’, encouraging people to engage with and purchase craft. Phase 2 launched on the 6 November to target the Christmas gifting market. The aim was to build on the impact made with the first campaign and to tap into the consumer desire to buy Irish gifts for Christmas. The tag line was ‘Made Local – Love what you give’. The elements of the Made Local campaigns were as follows: — In-store and in-studio branded point-of-sale material provided free of charge to participants — National and regional print and broadcast media coverage — Targeted social media campaigns across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hash tags: #madelocal #youcanownit #lovewhatyougive — Digital, radio and press advertising – including a radio ad voiced by Amy Huberman and a series of short online videos

Our Activities

The click-through traffic to the makers’ sites from DesignIreland.ie increased by 319% and the makers reported that sales from Ireland and the US increased significantly.

Retailers and makers reported strong sales during the summer months and in the run up to Christmas, and believed that the campaigns resonated with consumers.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

The key successes were as follows: — By December 2020, 241 retailers and 977 makers had joined the campaign — Over 200 new craftspeople applied to join DCCI as a result of connecting with Made Local — The #madelocal had trended No 1 on Twitter on 6 Nov 2020 as a result of the support and engagement of makers, retailers and consumers — #madelocal was also named the fastest growing hashtag in Ireland by Facebook, as reported by ‘Checkout Magazine’, a leading retail trade paper — There were 46,656 visitors to DCCI.ie during the Made Local Autumn/Winter campaign. This peaked at 5,982 visitors on 6 November 2020 for the Nationwide show. Previously, the record for the highest number of visitors on the site in one day was 1,149 on 6 August 2020 — In total, the PR reach for the two campaigns was over 11.5million people — The percentage reach of the radio advertising was 59% — Digital display ad impressions were over 3.8 million — You Tube impressions were almost 842,000, with over 542,000 views — Paid Social (Facebook & Instagram) impressions were over 4.8 million with over 418,000 views

Showcase 2021 Preparations

In January 2020, DCCI announced that a new subsidiary, Showcase Design & Crafts Fair CLG, was to assume responsibility for running Showcase, commencing with the event in 2021. The Chair of this new company was DCCI Board member, Eddie Shanahan. In August 2020, Showcase Design & Crafts Fair CLG announced that the physical event in 2021 would not go ahead as result of the impact of COVID-19. In the Autumn of 2020, DCCI, Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices partnered on planning the Showcase Virtual Showrooms 2021. This much smaller digital-only trade fair focussed mainly on the international markets. In total, 104 exhibitors secured places on the new platform made up of 55 DCCI clients, 23 EI clients and 26 LEO clients. In November 2020, all exhibitors were provided with specialist training via a Virtual Selling masterclass, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland. In addition, Showcaseireland.com was upgraded to include ‘B2B’ buttons for all companies who had wholesale selling sections on their websites.

€26.3m

997

Clients took part in Made Local campaign

Client Webinars held

12,636

Clients engaged with Webinars programme

Clients took part in the Building Craft & Design Enterprise programme

Our Activities

Orders placed at Showcase 2020

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

DCCI’s Research and Innovation programme supports the growth and development of the design and craft sector in several ways. Supports include sourcing additional funding nationally, and through European funding applications, to maximise DCCI’s resources.  The Research and Innovation programme also focuses on developing exhibitions that profile the skills and talent of the sector through the National Design & Craft Gallery. Profiling Irish craft internationally through strategic relationships with the World Crafts Council – Europe, the Michelangelo Foundation, and the LOEWE Foundation is essential to building Ireland’s design and craft profile internationally.

Objective:

To lead research and innovative practice in design and craft in order to embed both as strategic contributors to the development of Ireland’s competitiveness, economy, reputation and society.     Focus and Strategic Aims: Support design-driven innovation

— Grow Ireland’s reputation in design-driven innovation. Champion design thinking

— Embed design thinking across society. Target research and innovation funding

— Explore potential funding mechanisms for design-led innovation and research. Develop engagement through the National Design & Craft Gallery

— Research, define and shape future programming of exhibitions, experiences and events.

Our Activities

2.2

Research and Innovation

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Image: Work by Ceadogán Rugmakers in Curious Treasures at the National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny.

The Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC)

The Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC) was a new initiative by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland, supported by Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland. Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from all sectors were invited to describe their COVID-19 business-related challenges and the innovation solutions they designed to resolve those challenges. The total prize fund was €50k.

Media and Social Media Reach:

Publication Outlet National Print

Reach 4,764,981

National Online

5,749,000

Regional Online

87,850

Regional Print

446,082

Regional Broadcast

95,000

Total:

The initiative launched on 16 September 2020, and the Minister of Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) attended the online awards ceremony on 26 November 2020 along with 145 viewers. An internal and external expert jury panel adjudicated the online applications. Company checks were carried out on shortlisted applications. National media partnership was with the Irish Independent in order to attract widespread MSME interest; businesses were profiled nationally in print and online over the six-week application period. Full report on KPIs, SWOT analyses and future recommendations were submitted to the DCCI COVID-19 Taskforce in Q1 2021. Participant numbers:

11,142,913

Social Media reach from national LEO accounts which referenced IBDC:

Platform Facebook

No of posts 11

Reach 10,875

Twitter

58,660

Linked In

3,074

Total:

72,609

37 Enterprise Ireland Twitter and Instagram IBDC statistics

The Enterprise Ireland Communication Team were supportive in profiling IBDC with Enterprise Ireland Development advisors, which resulted in bringing IBDC to the direct attention of EI clients.

Entries to the Irish Business Design Challenge Medium Enterprises 8

Platform Twitter

Posts 12+

Small Enterprises

Instagram

Stories 8+

Micro Enterprises

156

Total Applications:

187

Total Registered Entrants

467

Media Overview:

A media partnership agreement was developed with the Irish Independent which secured; 1. quarterly page and 6 weekly profiles of different ‘Hero Business’ entities 2. online articles on independent.ie 3. press coverage of IBDC launch and photo call of final winners with Minister English, Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Chief Executive of DCCI

Total engagement

Reach/Impressions 45,272 1,092 46,364

Public voting:

Almost 11,000 people participated in public voting, and over 17,000 engaged with entries online on the IBDC website. The online awards management company, Award Stage, described this level of engagement as unprecedented.  Awards Ceremony:

Winners and runners-up were announced at a Zoom ceremony in Q4 2020. A total of 145 viewers attended the online event. Journalist/ author, Dearbhail McDonald chaired the event, and the opening address was given by Minister Damien English, who highlighted the role of IBDC in promoting and supporting the MSME sector.

Our Activities

Category Medium

International programmes

Runner-up

DCCI continued to develop links with the Michelangelo Foundation which focuses on creativity and craftsmanship. Based in Geneva in Switzerland, the Foundation is an international non-profit organisation that celebrates and preserves master craftsmanship and strengthens its connection to the world of design. It also seeks to rediscover the ability of the human hand to create. It aims to support exceptional contemporary European master artisans using long-held traditions, skills and knowledge to make beautiful objects of lasting value.

DCCI are partners in two international Winner Gourmet Tart Co (Galway) Food programmes – the Michelangelo Foundation Runner-up Keltech (Waterford) and the World Crafts Council - Europe Engineering/manufacture (WCCE). DCCI are also working on the delivery of two EU-funded craft-focused Category Small programmes – Crafting Europe and CRAFTS CODE. Benson (Co Cork) Winner Clothing manufacture Michelangelo Foundation Le Patissier (Dublin) Food

Category Winner Runner-up

Micro Home by Notions (Dublin) Creative Nufields (Dublin) Horticulture

Key achievements supporting DCCI Strategic Roadmap 2020-2021:

S upport created for DCCI clients and MSMEs: Increased public awareness of the need to support indigenous Irish businesses, design, product and services. artnership-building across state agencies: P relationships established with Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

ublicity and profile-raising of DCCI: P 36 pieces of coverage in broadcast, print and online media, regional and national business radio interviews. S trategic supports: new platform created to promote DCCI’s strategic priority Leadership in Design and Design Thinking. ngagement with the Business community: E widespread participation from MSMEs in all sectors, and from outside the DCCI client base. S trong public engagement: over 11,000 people participated in online voting of business profiles; total media and social media reach 11,571,839. arketing support: M photo-call of winners and runners-up with Heads of Local Enterprise Offices in Dublin, Waterford, Cork and Galway.

During 2020, DCCI continued to liaise closely with the Michelangelo Foundation on various programmes and activities including: — submitting Irish makers for inclusion in the European Red List of Endangered Crafts; — recommending highest-level Irish designers and makers for inclusion in Homo Faber Exhibition, Venice (postponed to 2021); — contributing maker content and identifying craft ambassadors for the new HomoFaberGuide.com (Currently, 38 Irish makers, 16 Irish galleries /craft shops, and four craft experiences are represented in the guide); — planning towards hosting craft summer schools (postponed to 2022); — continued participation in Michelangelo Foundation’s Cultural Council to share visions, ideas and strategies.

DCCI has the integral role of monitoring the quality of the artisans selected for the Foundation’s projects and of ensuring that the artisans meet the eleven criteria for excellence defined by The Master’s Touch, which serves as a blueprint for the activities of the Michelangelo Foundation.

After some initial delays and postponement of programmes due to COVID-19, project partners are once again organising Crafting Europe activities in their own countries. These activities are taking place either online or in a socially distanced space, depending on the country. https://www.craftingeurope.com/

World Crafts Council – Europe (WCCE)

CRAFTS CODE

Crafting Europe

DCCI are leading on the delivery of the Crafting Europe programme which received funding under Creative Europe’s large-scale co-operation projects with an associated budget of €1,828,640. In 2020, DCCI appointed a European Project Manager to lead and coordinate the programme which is taking place in eight countries across Europe. Crafting Europe is designed to encourage innovative forms of creation that integrate cutting-edge digital fabrication technologies into the practice of craft-making. Crafting Europe (2019–2022) focuses on three areas: 1. Professional development of craftspeople 2. Development of digital skills 3. Research into the economic impact of the craft sector in Europe.

DCCI is the communications partner for CRAFTS CODE, with project funding secured through Interreg Europe. The total budget for CRAFTS CODE is €1.5m. The project runs from 2019 to 2023. CRAFTS CODE focuses on four areas: How to improve innovation in business models and process Access to new markets I nnovative approaches and tools to modernise the craft sector

Access to finance In 2020, the project held two Inter-regional Thematic Seminar (ITS) events. Due to COVID-19, these took place online. The first ITS was hosted by Finland on 12 and 13 May on the topic: ‘How to improve innovation in business models and process’. The event included speakers from Bulgaria, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Finland and Hungary. By converting the event online, we were able to connect with an audience of 186 on the first day, and 112 on the second. The second event took place on 16 and 17 December. More than 100 people registered each day for the two-day seminar, where project partners, stakeholders and participants of the project shared their ‘Good Practices’ which responded to the topic: How to access new markets and targets’. https://www. interregeurope.eu/craftscode/

Our Activities

DCCI continued to develop links with the World Crafts Council – Europe, which is a broad network representing more than 30 regional, national, professional and affiliate craft organisations across the EU. Louise Allen, DCCI’s Head of Innovation and Development Programmes, was elected President of WCCE in September 2016. Her term ended in October 2020. DCCI’s hosting of the presidency has had a considerable impact on raising the profile of Ireland’s craftspeople. It provides increased access to international opportunities.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

A Clockwise from top right

National Design & Craft Gallery

Exhibitions Programme

Mark Campden with his work in the Generation exhibition at the National Design & Craft Gallery; work by Ryan Connolly; Work by Stevan Hartung in Surface Matters

Established by DCCI in 2000, the National Design & Craft Gallery (NDCG) is Ireland’s leading centre for contemporary craft and design, implementing best practice in line with international standards. Its exhibition’s programme represents the most inventive, skilled designers and makers in Irish contemporary craft and design.

During 2020, there were five exhibitions at the National Design & Craft Gallery: Surface Matters

During the year, NDCG developed and deepened relationships with a number of bodies through strategic partnerships to increase support for programmes. This included partnerships with Kilkenny Arts Festival and Kilkenny Arts Office resulting in financial support for CONNECTED: Kilkenny Sculpture Trail and a specially commissioned film specifically for online broadcast which secured new relationships with cultural venues, such as Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenny Design and Kilkenny Civic Trust, as well as forging new links with hotels, shopping centres, Kilkenny City Council, Kilkenny Tourism and Chamber of Commerce. New touring relationships were established with Luan Gallery in Athlone and Millennium Court in Portadown. The positive relationship with the Office of Public Works (OPW) continued to enable NDCG to present exhibits in the OPW Farmleigh Gallery and Kilkenny Castle Park venues, extending NDCG’s audience reach.

An exhibition of innovative works from the Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s Portfolio Critical Selection 2019-2020. The 24 designers and makers represented were selected by an international panel for demonstrating excellence in craftsmanship, design quality and technical skill. This exhibition launched at Dublin Castle and toured to CCAM Barcelona. The exhibition was curated by Liz Cooper. Generation (12 March – 18 October 2020) Generation celebrated the unique perspective of designers and makers who are custodians of a family tradition of making and creativity, continuing and/or reinventing the work begun by previous generations of their family. For these designers and makers, tradition is not static but is in constant movement. The exhibition was curated by Frances McDonald and Muireann Charleton.

Note: In response of COVID-19 restrictions, NDCG re-developed the Generation exhibition as a virtual experience, through interesting content shared on NDCG.ie and social media. The new format included virtual visits, interviews with makers, and family workshops. A new digital library brought together videos, podcasts and articles on the Generation makers and their stories. Connected: Kilkenny Sculpture Trail (30 July – 26 October 2020)

Designed as an external exhibition, CONNECTED allowed audiences to connect with culture and craft through the works of 27 designers and makers, in safe, socially distanced outdoor settings. Recognised as the home of craft and design in Ireland, this sculpture trail opened up heritage gardens at the heart of Kilkenny city encouraging visitors to rediscover our city through fresh eyes. Over 40 works were located at 18 sites throughout the city, through which NDCG deepened relationships with cultural venues such as Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenny Design and Kilkenny Civic Trust, as well as forging new links with hotels, shopping

Our Activities

Areas of focus in 2020 included skills shared through family legacies; large-scale site responsive installations; and celebrating excellence in Irish design and craftsmanship.  As a creative response to the restrictions of 2020, NDCG rethought how craft exhibitions could be experienced with new approaches to online representation; using Castle Yard; and the curation of CONNECTED a major citywide craft and sculpture trail.

(21 November 2019 – 4 March 2020)

centres, Kilkenny City Council, Kilkenny Tourism and Chamber of Commerce. The exhibition was curated by Susan Holland. Curious Treasures (24 October 2020 – 30 April 2021)

This is a vibrant exhibition celebrating luscious, tactile and quirky work by 12 innovative designers and makers. The pieces each combine careful selection of materials and meticulous skill with creative design to make objects that communicate passion, perseverance and personality. With an emphasis on curiosity and wonder, the selection focused on highly desirable pieces, which would encourage pre-Christmas sales - a ‘Buy + Collect’ webpage was developed to facilitate online sales. The exhibition was redesigned to be presented in the large picture windows facing onto Castle Yard, which ensured the exhibition could be enjoyed despite restrictions. The exhibition was curated by Susan Holland. Garden of Light with Made in Kilkenny Showcase (1 December – 10 January 2021)

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

2020 was a difficult year for all, especially those who lost family members or friends. To acknowledge this, Garden of Light was created as a place to reflect and remember, and was supported by Kilkenny County Council. At dusk each evening, snowflakes began to fall and Castle Yard was transformed into a peaceful, festive, winter wonderland.

Touring Exhibitions

There were four touring NDCG exhibitions in 2020: 1. Crowded Thresholds 7 December 2019 – 25 March 2020

to Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin 2. Crowded Thresholds 14 July – 20 September 2020

to Luan Gallery, Athlone 3. Connected: Kilkenny Sculpture Trail 30 July – 26 October 2020

involved NDCG locating exhibits at 18 venues throughout the city of Kilkenny 4. Generation 13 November 2020 – 21 January 2021

to Millennium Court, Portadown Further exhibition tours that were planned were unable to take place due to restrictions. Key achievements

5 6,733 directly engaged with NDCG physical exhibitions in Kilkenny and on tour. 1 07,169 engaged with NDCG virtual exhibitions on NDCG.ie and social platforms. NDCG gained 472 new followers on our Facebook account in 2020, from 6,720 in January to 7,192 by the end of December. 1 05 makers and 3 collectives were represented in the National Design & Craft Gallery exhibitions programme. 19,836 - Sales of makers works by NDCG € in 2020. 1 8 different venues hosted Connected: Kilkenny Sculpture Trail saw NDCG exhibiting works throughout Kilkenny City. Sales of work from 2020 exhibitions

Surface Matters

3 pieces sold with an overall value of €6,780

Generation

9 pieces sold with an overall value of €7,425

Curious Treasures

11 pieces sold with an overall value of €5,631

Total sales for 2020:

19,836

DCCI’s External Exhibitions Fund (EEF) assists in developing high-quality, independent exhibitions run by individuals, organisations or groups. This annual fund supports a small number of professionally produced exhibitions featuring Irish craft and design in Ireland and abroad. The External Exhibitions Fund aims to: Stimulate and reward the development of professional, gallery-led exhibition skills in makers and curators of design and craft; evelop significant exhibition opportunities D for Irish makers; Enable relationships with international galleries and collectors; I ncrease awareness of activities associated with high-quality design and craft exhibitions through engagement and education programmes; and nhance the reputation of Irish design E and craft in Ireland and abroad External Exhibitions Fund 2020

(EEF) support was awarded to: Ceramics Ireland for Clay/Works a major exhibition of 42 selected makers in Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, with a capsule representing Ireland as Country of Honour at the 7th Argillà Italia International Ceramics Festival (postponed). DLR Lexicon Dún Laoghaire for Unfolding, an exhibition exploring the processes of nine makers. Curated by Angela O’Kelly. Eily O’Connell for a solo exhibition in Iceland. eadford Lace Project Galway for The Space H Between – a window-scape exhibition of 34 lace makers, as part of Galway 2020. Curated by Fiona Harrington. The Hunt Museum Limerick, for Best Costume Goes to.. a major collaborative exhibition showcasing 33 costumes with the Irish Costume Association Project curated by Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, and Entwined in The Fabric – a digital representation of the exhibition.

Sinead Cooke for a collective jewellery and metals show coinciding with Schmuck, Munich (could not take place in 2020). South Tipperary Arts Centre for After the Fall, a woodturning exhibition of eight makers. Curated by Stephen O’Connell. External Exhibition Fund External Assessors

Liz Cooper, curator and project consultant specialising in contemporary craft and design, and Development Manager for Design-Nation, UK; and Fiona Mulholland, curator and interdisciplinary artist with 20 years’ experience in the creative sector, Ireland. Key achievements

7 DCCI External Exhibition Funded Projects, of which 6 were able to go ahead in 2020.

107 Makers were supported to exhibit through. 64,115 Visitors engaged in person and online with projects supported by DCCI External Exhibition Fund in 2020. National Design and Craft Gallery Education and Outreach Programme

The National Design & Craft Gallery’s (NDCG) Education & Outreach programme is central to the exhibition experience. This programme develops content to complement each of its exhibitions. Content such as curatorial, digital and print provides context and helps to engage audiences further. In 2020, the NDCG Education & Outreach programme was reimagined in light of COVID-19 restrictions to engage audiences in safe ways through online platforms with some socially distanced outdoor activities in August and September 2020.

Our Activities

External Exhibitions Fund

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Through virtual platforms, the programme includes a varied schedule of educational activities, such as: gallery tours;

Local, national and international programme partnerships for 2020 included: Department of An Taoiseach and the Government,

family programmes;

RTÉ,

craftsperson in residency;

Office of Public Works,

adult workshops;

National Museum of Ireland,

public engagement events;

National Gallery of Ireland,

designer, maker and curators’ talks;

National College of Art and Design,

production of educational resource materials; and

Institute of Technology Carlow,

professional development masterclasses and seminars. Throughout 2020, the Education and Outreach programme, directly through the NDCG, delivered many events as part of local, national, and European programmes. Events included: Tradfest

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (V.T.O.S) Kilkenny, Kilkenny Education Centre, Kilkenny County Council, Bealtaine, Culture Night, The Ark, C REATE, Kilkenny Arts Office,

DCCI Get Ireland Making,

Open Circle Arts,

Narrative Tools Project,

The Heritage Council,

Bealtaine,

Creative Ireland,

National Drawing Day,

Bookville Kilkenny,

Cruinniu na nOg/Let’s Go Fly a Kite,

Yulefest Kilkenny,

Kilkenny Arts Festival,

Kilkenny Design Centre,

Heritage Week,

Sláintecare/Healthy Ireland (Dept of Health),

Culture Night, and Kilkenny Yule Festival. DCCI’s Education and Outreach team developed and built on key programming partnerships with other national cultural organisations as part of the National Design & Craft Gallery’s ongoing audience development strategy.

Pobail, Libraries Ireland, Local Government Management Agency, and Craft studios and schools nationwide.

Chief Executive’s Report

A Work by Cóilín Ó Dubhghaill in PORTFOLIO

Key achievements

59,897 participants engaged with NDCG programmes linked to the Get Ireland Making initiative. 46

DCG developed a diverse range N of digital content, resources, and online events accessible on the NDCG ie. learning section, and NDCG and relevant partner social media platforms. These modes of virtual engagement enhance the accessibility and experience of our varied target audience groups, while helping to contextualise our exhibitions. 1,688 participants in physical events, as part of NDCG Education & Outreach programme. 59,897 participants engaged with NDCG programmes linked to the Get Ireland Making initiative. Programmes included NDCG Generation and Connect Exhibitions, National Drawing Day, Cruinniu na nÓg/ Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Bealtaine/Narrative Tools Project, European Artistic Craft Days and Heritage Week. 181 participants attended a two-part seminar, Familial Legacies, as part of the Generation exhibition programme. 2020 saw the launch of the NDCG Narrative Tools public engagement project in collaboration with textile artist Caroline Schofield. Self-directed downloadable activities and live online offerings were developed as part of the Connect exhibition programme.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

86 attendees engaged in virtual live talks as part of NDCG virtual Heritage Week programme. In line with COVID-19 guidelines, Culture Night was held at the Castle Yard and Kilkenny Castle Grounds in Kilkenny. Attendance was 424 adults and children (in-person activities), with 450,818 Culture Night virtual engagements. 336 participants attended live online workshops for the NDCG Curious Treasures Exhibition/‘Keep Well’ Festive Programme.

163,902

Engaged with National Design & Craft Gallery

38,348

107

Adults, children and teens engaged in seminars, workshops, talks and craft activities in person and online.

Makers, deisgners and collectives were repersented in the exhibition programmes.

64,115

106

Visited External Exhibition Fund projects.

Designer makers supported by DCCI’s External Exhibitions Fund to exhibit through 6 independent projects.

Our Activities

exhibitions and online programmes

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

DCCI Knowledge and Skills programmes aim to cultivate skills in the next generation of craftspeople and designers, and to raise awareness of the value and impact of the craft and design sector to future makers, consumers and community supporters. In 2020, DCCI’s Knowledge and Skills department focused on finding new ways to educate and engage audiences. Programmes for primary schools through to third level were updated and adapted for hybrid and virtual delivery. Working with our partners, DCCI promoted skills and awareness of Irish craft and design. Objective:

Develop career progression routes

To collaborate with education, industry and other partners in supporting knowledge and skills development to meet current and future needs.

— Develop career opportunities in design and craft.

Focus and Strategic Aims: Develop Centres of Excellence

Identify emerging needs and influence future developments

— Support the needs of key industry sectors by developing relevant Centres of Excellence.

— Build new platforms that address the changing needs of business, communities and societies.

Increase early learning opportunities

— Develop learning opportunities in design and craft across all levels of education.

Our Activities

2.3

Knowledge and Skills

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Clockwise from top: Eve Doyle; Gabrielle Malone; Megan Shelley; Tom Langton

Work to achieve these strategic aims in 2020 and key achievements: Primary Level CRAFTed Learning Skills for Life

Podcast contributors were:

Rosie O’Reilly, fashion designer and sustainability activist Maser, Graffiti artist and business owner

Run by DCCI in partnership with Association of Teachers Education Centres Ireland (ATECI), CRAFTed is a nationwide programme for primary schools supporting the delivery of the visual arts curriculum through hands-on workshops facilitated by partnerships between craftspeople and schools.

Dr Helen Mc Alister, textile artist and educator

In January 2020, DCCI launched the in-school programme in 77 schools. The programme was paused in March when schools closed due to COVID-19. DCCI provided virtual training to the CRAFTed panel in August, and the programme resumed as a hybrid model in 66 schools in September 2020. DCCI provided primary school children and teachers with an opportunity to explore their creativity through face-to-face workshops, virtual workshops and resource packs. Skilled craftspeople explored clay, print, fabric and fibre, as well as metal, wood and willow through the CRAFTed projects, and delivered workshops to over 1,800 children in 2020 through its partnership with the Education Centres.

Alan Meredith, furniture and installation designer

To celebrate 10 years of CRAFTed in classrooms around Ireland, DCCI created a series of 10 podcasts exploring creativity in childhood. The podcasts were hosted by DCCI Education Manager, Aisling Clancy, and featured various craftspeople, designers and educators. This series was also included as part of the Get Ireland Making initiative and is available online: https://www. learncraftdesign.ie/crafted-podcasts

Ailbhe Keane, Founder and Creative Director of Izzy Wheels Cormac O’Conaire, Creative Director of Design Partners Aideen Howard, Director of The Ark

Róisín de Buitléar, visual artist Kate O’Kelly, visual artist Polly Minett, craftsperson, researcher and educator

Chupi Sweetman, founder and designer of Chupi Jewellery Key achievements

77 schools and 1,711 students began CRAFTed in 2020, and 66 schools and 1,584 students completed their CRAFTed project by December 2020. 16 regional planning events took place in Education Centres nationwide. 13 virtual reflection events for primary school teachers, pupils and craftspeople took place in December 2020. 10 Podcasts were created with 406 registered, 278 attendees and 239 playbacks to date. The Department of Education & Skills have approved DCCI CPD course, CRAFTed Approaching the Curriculum through Creativity, for primary school teachers.

Our Activities

A Work by Future Makers Awards & Supports recipients.

Second level 1. DesignSKILLS

This in-school programme was paused in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. 2. DesignCIRCLE

A new online CPD initiative, DesignCIRCLE, was developed in partnership with the Junior Cycle Teachers (JCT) in 2020. This initiative sought to match a designer with up to five post-primary art teachers nationwide, with the designer leading the group through the different stages of a design project. The groups met virtually about once a month, exploring front end design processes; research, brainstorming, sketching ideas, prototyping, sampling, problem solving and redesigning. This initiative was launched in December 2020 with 24 designers and 90 teachers taking part. The initiative is due to finish in May 2021. 3. Careersportal.ie

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Careersportal.ie is Ireland’s leading career guidance website. DCCI provides content to illustrate creative careers and career paths, such as interviews with designers and craftspeople, and descriptions about the types of design and craft careers in Ireland. The website has over 2 million visitors a year, over 4 million page impressions a month, and has 750,000 registered users.

4. THE B!G IDEA

In a new, DCCI-supported Transition Year programme, students undertook a design thinking project based on real world problems. Through interactive monthly workshops with design facilitators, students carried out research to develop an understanding of various problems and their impact. The programme was launched in 2020 with 270 students taking part in the pilot. 5. Continuous Professional Development Training

STE(A)M in Junior Cycle is an elective partnership between Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) and education outreach partners from fields of science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM) and the Arts – the Arts being the ‘A’ in STEAM. Before and during the COVID-19 lockdown, DCCI worked with designer Ruth Duignan and the Rediscovery Centre to develop a workshop focusing on consumerism, ‘wicked’ problems (complex social or cultural problems), waste, origami and pattern cutting. Key achievements

Valuable CPD training provided to 40 Education Panel members STEAM workshops took place in Rediscovery Centre, Dublin, on 25 January, and in the Kilkenny Education Centre on 7 March, providing design-thinking training to 36 post-primary school teachers.

The Centre for Excellence in Ceramics at Grennan Mill, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny; and The Centre of Excellence in Jewellery and Goldsmithing at Castle Yard, Kilkenny. DCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Ceramics delivers a two-year intensive skills-led programme training highly motivated students to be the next generation of professional designer-makers. The Centre of Excellence has strong links with the ceramics sector in Ireland and abroad. Due to COVID-19, the Centre of Excellence closed from April 2020 until September 2020. With commitment from the students and course staff, the course was extended until December 2020. Health and safety measures were introduced which allowed the Centre to reopen. In December 2020, 12 students on the twoyear Ceramics course graduated with a Level 7 Diploma in Arts from Maynooth University. Key achievements

The course held its annual open day for prospective students on 26 February, which had good attendance and positive feedback. Due to COVID-19, the intake of new students in 2020 was paused. 12 students were able to return to the Centre of Excellence in Ceramics in September 2020 to complete their final term with success. Students participated in the DCCI-funded Applied Arts Ireland and Northern Ireland series of online lectures. The course hosted two online talks featuring two UK-based high-profile ceramic artists, Kyra Cane and Matthew Blakely. Students were invited to create new designs informed by objects from the national Museum of Ireland (NMI) for a collaborative project between DCCI and NMI. The newly designed objects created by the graduates will be showcased alongside the museum objects for the ‘InForm’ exhibition at Collin’s Barracks. The exhibition is due to open in May 2021 (depending on COVID-19 restrictions).

The work of graduates Jennifer Alford and Antonio Julio López Castro as part of the InForm exhibition were acquired by the National Museum of Ireland for its permanent collection. Jennifer Alford and Antonio Julio Lopéz Castro were also recipients of DCCI Future Makers Supports. The 2020 Graduate Exhibition ‘Hand to Hand’ was held at the National Design and Craft Gallery from14 January to 28 February 2021. Due to COVID- 19 restrictions, this was a virtual show. Three student awards were presented: — Claire Dooley – Student of the Course, — Lydia Smith – Course Manager Award, — Katharina Treml – Chief Executive Purchase Award. A virtual ‘Meet the Makers’ graduation event was held on 3 February. The students spoke about their inspiration, processes and plans for the future.DCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Jewellery and Goldsmithing offers highquality education enhanced by industrytrained specialists, providing guest lecturers in all aspects of gold and silversmithing. Twelve students on the two-year Ceramics course completed their first year of studies in July through blended learning. The students returned onsite in September 2020 with social distancing and other measures in place to continue the second year of the course.

Our Activities

Third level 1. Centres for Excellence

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Work by Saidhbhín Gibson in Curious Treasures in Castle Yard

CRAFTed workshop

Key achievements

Eimear Conyard, course manager, liaised with Maynooth University to adapt all modules for online learning from March to July 2020. All course work was collated into digital format to facilitate online assessments. Students successfully completed their first year of studies. A new ‘Bench to Business’ module was developed and delivered by the course manager, a technician, and a selection of tutors who are experts from within the jewellery industry: — Kate Hopley, Gemmologist — Ana Izquierdo, Dublin Assay Office, Assay Master — Klarissa Higgins, Consultant in Social Media and Online Marketing and Writing for Web — Helena Malone, Goldsmith designer and maker — Emer Ferran, Enterprise Development Programme Manager DCCI An extra workshop space was secured onsite in Castle Yard, Kilkenny allowing for social distancing and health and safety measures to be implemented. Students were able to return to the workshops in September to begin their second year of studies. In 2020, graduates from the previous year were successful in winning a number of awards. Lydia Clayton and Eve Doyle were awarded Future Makers Awards in 2020. Mark Newman was awarded an RDS Craft Award bursary of €10,000. Annemarie Reinhold was awarded a Golden Fleece Award of €10,000. Course leader Eimear Conyard went on maternity leave in October. Lee Harding and Sé O’Donoghue of Da Capo Goldsmiths covered the leave as joint course leaders of the Jewellery and Goldsmithing Course. Both are highly skilled gold and silversmiths and bring 25 years’ experience as designers, makers and educators to the role. DCCI worked with Kilkenny County Council to secure €1 million funding under the Regional Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), and a further €200,000 through Leader to redevelop Session’s House in Thomastown, Kilkenny. This new state-of-the-art building will be the DCCI’s

new Centre of Applied Learning, Skills and Innovation in Jewellery. Eimear Conyard and Marie Kelly Wilgaard worked closely with architects Bluett O’Donaghue on the internal architecture and design. It is expected that building work will start in 2021 once restrictions allow. 2. Future Makers Awards and Supports Programme

DCCI’s Future Makers Awards and Supports programme supports students and emerging designers and makers. The programme assists at a crucial early point in their design and craft career. It is one of the largest prize-funded design and craft award programmes in Europe. Divided into student and emerging practitioner categories, it covers a broad range of disciplines. The programme recognises and rewards vision, innovation and excellence in making and the creative process. Stage 1 judges for 2020 were contemporary design and craft consultant Frances McDonald, and homewares buyer Paula McCoy. Stage 2 judges were textile artist/ educator Nigel Cheney and glass artist/educator Rachel Dickson.

Key achievements

The total prize fund for Future Makers 2020 was €25,000, which was divided into 28 awards and support packages. There were over 232 applications. A virtual awards ceremony took place on 2 December. Over 100 guests attended. This event can be viewed online; https://youtu.be/ p2GOuMYkylI The awards event was launched by leather designer and former Future Makers award recipient Úna Burke. Master of Ceremonies was Toby Scott, DCCI Board Member. The Future Makers programme continued its partnership with the RDS Craft Awards. Future Makers 2020 awards recipients were eligible to apply for five RDS bursaries of €10,000 each. See rds.ie/craft for more information. There was extensive coverage of the awards across national and regional media. Full details are on page 71.

Our Activities

A Opposite from top:

3. Applied Arts Ireland

The Applied Arts Ireland and Applied Arts Northern Ireland group organises a yearly programme of lectures across third-level institutions. In 2020, internationally renowned makers participating in a series of 11 lunchtime lectures. A further two lectures will take place in 2021. The audience for this series were 3rd level students, lecturers and professional makers. DCCI sponsored the series. Key achievements

3 0/09/2020: Zoe Preece, ceramic artist in conversation with Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD) 07/10/2020: Torbjorn Kvasbo, ceramic artist in conversation with BSA/Ulster University 14/10/2020: Lin Cheung, jewellery designer in conversation with BSA/Ulster University

2/12/2020: Samar Mogharbel, ceramic artist in conversation with GMIT 9/12/2020: Stine Bidtrup, glass artist in conversation with NCAD 13/01/2021: Sibylle Peretti, glass/multimedia artist in conversation with NCAD 20/01/2021: James Rigler, multimedia artist in conversation with Belfast Metropolition College Throughout the series 1,013 registered for the events, 600 virtually attended the live recording, 140 viewed the event live on Facebook and 4,381 viewed the series on Facebook after the events.

21/10/2020: Jonathan Keep, ceramic artist in conversation with GMIT

DCCI Education Panel (Professional Development for Makers)

28/10/2020: Matthew Blakely, ceramic artist in conversation with DCCI CoE in Ceramics Skills and Design

DCCI’s Education Panel is a key resource that helps to deliver and develop our education programmes. In 2020, the panel consisted of over 100 professional makers and designers. The panel are Garda vetted and have received Child Protection Training. DCCI also provided continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities during the year, for example training in facilitating workshops online.

04/11/2020: David Cushway, Ceramics and multi-media in conversation with CIT Crawford College 11/11/2020: Judith Schaechter, glass artist in conversation with CIT Crawford College 18/11/2020: Grainne Watts, ceramic artist in conversation with LSAD

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

25/11/2020: Kyra Cane, ceramic artist in conversation with DCCI CoE in Ceramics Skills and Design

Key achievements

e DCCI Education Panel recruited new Th members to increase the regional spread. In addition, a broader variety of disciplines was included. Thirty-nine members from across Ireland attended an annual CPD day at the children’s cultural centre, The Ark, in Dublin, held on 1 February 2020. The keynote address was by Oscar-winning graphic designer for film and TV, Annie Atkins, and practical workshops were facilitated by prominent Irish creative practitioners Siobhán Clancy and Helen Barry.

Partnerships create more powerful programmes, as they combine sector expertise and resources. Key partners in 2020 included: Creative Ireland IDI Association of Teachers’/Education Centres Ireland (ATECI) Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) The Ark Applied Arts Ireland National Museum of Ireland Allied Irish Banks THE B!G IDEA. Education and Outreach

Throughout 2020, the education and outreach team developed educational resources and established partnerships in addition to projects directly related to NDCG (page 98). Key achievements

Tradfest 2020: DCCI partnered with The Ark to deliver Tradfest Children’s Craft Clubs in January. Activities included Sensational Soapmaking with Gosia Sobkowicz, Songbook Binding with Sandi Sexton and Creations in Clay with Marta Golubowska. In total, 230 children participated in these workshops. Further Education Work Experience Programme: In Q1, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, a student at VITOS Kilkenny, completed a work experience module with the education team, where she focused on conducting research on makers and helping to develop content for social media for NDCG. Christmas Workshop in Schools: These workshops were delivered in partnership with Kilkenny Education Centre.

Festive Primary School Craft CPD: This programme with Maura Brennan was inspired by nature and the winter season. Fifteen teachers attended online. Festive Post Primary School Teachers Craft CPD: Six teachers attended the online sessions led by Jaqui Ryan. My Animated Christmas Tale: This online workshop with Kim Sharkey was for very high-risk category primary school students and their parents/guardians. Thirty-six participants attended. Christmas Card Making & Festive Christmas Tree Decorations: This was an online session for 32 participants from Inchicore National School, Dublin. Key partners in 2020 included Key achievements

Tradfest 2019: DCCI partnered with The Ark to deliver Tradfest Children’s Craft Clubs on 26 and 27 January. Activities included Seanchaí Masks with Sandra MacAllister, Felted Folklore with Jane Groves, and Willow Weaving with Cathy Hayden. There were 423 participants over the two days. St Patrick’s Day: The overall festival theme was based on biodiversity. The tagline was ‘Bring The Bees Back’. Irish candle maker and beekeeper, Ailbhe Gerrard of Brookfield Farm, delivered a talk on beekeeping. There were also demonstrations on beeswax candle-making techniques. Crafternoon Tea: This DCCI event attracted individuals and groups from a variety of local organisations, including Open Circle Community Arts, Retired Teachers Association, local nursing homes, Rehab Care, and Kilkenny Active Retirement. Many of these were first-time visitors. Ninety participants enjoyed screen-printing and cupcake decorating

Our Activities

Partnerships

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

In 2020, graduates from the Jewellery & Goldsmithing Skills Course were successful in winning a number of awards including Future Makers, an RDS Craft Award bursary of €10,000, a Golden Fleece Award of €10,000.

Bord Bia Bloom: There were over 5,000 participants in the Crafts Village at Bloom, where DCCI presented age-diverse, free learning opportunities across a variety of craft disciplines. These were held in DCCI’s Irish Craft Village at Bloom. Dropin workshops included glass engraving, textile printing, weaving, mask making, experimental drawing, and clay activities. DCCI Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) demonstrations and workshops included patchwork, lacemaking and blacksmithing techniques. Heritage Week: DCCI held a Constance Spry flower-arranging workshop in collaboration with the Kilkenny Arts Office and Rothe House. It was inspired by the Herstory Kilkenny project, celebrating historical Kilkenny women. Participants were members of Open Circle Community Arts and the Herstory Kilkenny Project. Savour Kilkenny: DCCI ran screen-printing workshops on and offsite for adults and children in partnership with Savour Kilkenny and Kilkenny County Library Service.

€25,000

1,662

Pupils participated in the CRAFTed programme

Individual primary schools participated in the CRAFTed programme

Post-primary teachers and 24 designers participated in the DesignCIRCLE initiative

of Ireland’s newest ceramicists graduated from DCCI’s Ceramics Skills and Design Course and exhibited their work in the virtual exhibition ‘Hand to Hand’ at the National Design & Crafts Gallery

Our Activities

Awarded to 25 students / recent graduates and emerging makers in DCCI’s Future Makers Awards & Supports programme 2020

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

One of the key aims of DCCI’s Promotion and Awareness programme is to generate publicity and raise awareness of the quality and diversity of the work of Irish designers and makers both in Ireland and abroad. 61

Objective:

To promote the work of Irish designers and makers in domestic and international markets, and to collaborate with strategic partners in raising awareness of the design and craft sector.

Focus and Strategic Aims: Increase awareness

— Build awareness of the sector through DCCI initiatives. Create promotional opportunities

— Collaborate with partners and media to promote Irish design and craft. Engage audiences

— Exploit digital communications to engage with existing and new audiences. Empower clients and membership organisations

— Guide clients and membership organisations in their promotion.

Our Activities

2.4

Promotion and Awareness

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Breege O’Donoghue, Amy Huberman, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Rosemary Steen at the launch of Made Local; Oisín Geoghegan, Dearbhail McDonald, Paul McKeown, and Rosemary Steen at the launch of the Irish Business Design Challenge with model Noma Odigie.

Work to achieve these aims in 2020

Despite the extraordinary circumstances imposed by COVID-19 in 2020, DCCI continued to deliver most of the programmes, initiatives and exhibitions on its calendar, making changes and delivering virtually where appropriate. International events and many other large format events, such as MAISON&OBJET, Bloom and Gifted, did not go ahead, though we marked them in other ways. In the year that was, the work of DCCI became even more essential to supporting our members and clients through this challenging period. We focused on designing and delivering programmes that addressed business development needs, and took advantage of new opportunities, particularly in moving business online and encouraging consumers to think locally and sustainably through our ‘MadeLocal’ campaign. Communications played a vital role in making sure our stakeholders were aware of the ongoing programmes, and in keeping the flag flying for the Irish design and craft sector. We engaged with our clients, members and students and educated them on the value of the contribution they could make to preserve and, indeed, grow the Irish craft and design sector on an immediate and ongoing basis. Raising Awareness

DCCI is focused on promoting the quality and diversity of the work of Irish designers and makers. We liaise with our client enterprises, member organisations, design and craft students, partners and the media to raise awareness of the enormous contribution the design and craft sector makes to the Irish economy, culture and tourism. This increase in awareness is a key part of the successful delivery of all programmes contained within our Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020. Therefore, many of the publicity and promotion activities and achievements reported here also feature in other sections of this Annual Report.

The specific contribution of the Communications Department is through leveraging compelling content and engagement channels including print media, PR, social media and partnerships to raise awareness and interaction. We also advocate on behalf of the sector through public affairs opportunities. Partnerships and Relationship Building

Throughout 2020, DCCI continued to develop strategic partnerships to create promotional opportunities for the design and craft sector and the organisation itself. In this year more than any other, the importance of collaboration became apparent. We worked successfully with partners and local, national and international media across print, broadcast, and online platforms. Government departments

We collaborated closely with Government departments and agencies and several partners on promotional activities. We worked with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) on the strategic planning and delivery of major events and programmes. Before the pandemic hit, one such campaign was the launch of Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® in January. We also liaised with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) regarding plans for an Embassy login on Design Ireland and the development of an Embassy Brochure featuring work from Design Ireland. We also liaised with DFAT to promote five Irish designers and makers participating in the Design Ireland showcase at MAISON&OBJET Paris, and other DCCI clients with their own stands at the show.

Our Activities

A Opposite (from top):

Enterprise Ireland, LEOs, OPW and others

Media partners

Throughout the year, we worked regularly with Enterprise Ireland, and the network of LEOs, especially in promoting Showcase, both in the lead up to and during the annual tradeshow. We worked with FleishmanHillard who had been appointed to support PR for Showcase 2020, in the lead up to and during the show across national and regional media. In addition, we liaised with Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs on promotional plans, input on press release content and international media attending Showcase, and with DETE on the opening day press release. Visits to Showcase by international media were co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland’s network of overseas offices. This resulted in international coverage of Irish designers and makers following the show.

In January DCCI worked with RTÉ’s Nationwide team on planning and recording a TV episode dedicated to Showcase 2020, which featured several participating exhibitors. We also linked with Enterprise Ireland to arrange an interview with an international buyer for a rounded episode on the trade fair. Nationwide’s coverage of Irish designers and makers continued throughout the year and DCCI liaised with the Nationwide team about opportunities for featuring Irish design and craft, resulting in numerous features.

The launch of the Design Ireland shop at Dublin Airport in December continued to be a priority in January, both in terms of collaborating with ARI and daa and raising awareness of it in the media.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

In September, for the launch of the Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC), we worked with DETE, EI and LEOs to plan promotional support, photocalls and logistics – all within COVID-19 guidelines. In the months after, ahead of the IBDC awards night, DCCI continued to work with partners on promotional activities for entrants to the competition.

We worked with RTÉ at the beginning of 2020 on the Generation exhibition. Booking and developing a radio advert with RTÉ with the assistance of RTÉ Supporting the Arts and planning other promotional activity as part of this support. The radio ad subsequently ran across both RTÉ Radio 1 and Lyric FM. Local councils, education authorities and others

We worked with local councils and education authorities to manage the temporary closure of the Centres of Excellence in March 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdown. We also worked with Kilkenny County Council on plans to relocate the Jewellery and Goldsmithing Centre of Excellence to Sessions House in Thomastown. We also worked with Kilkenny County Council on the Connected Sculpture Trail across Kilkenny, bringing art and design outdoors. Throughout 2020, we liaised with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to promote DCCI exhibitions at OPW sites, including Farmleigh Gallery. The call for applications for the Future Makers Awards & Supports Programme 2020 was announced in March, we liaised with partners such as the LEO network and third level design colleges to spread the word on the call out and reach target audiences. We also promoted the RDS Craft Awards as part of the Future Makers campaign.

In April we worked with Creative Ireland, Healthy Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to launch Get Ireland Making, a new series of online workshops and activities. Get Ireland Making was part of a Government-led inter-agency initiative. We further liaised with RTÉ Culture on support for the Get Ireland Making initiative and Let’s Go Fly a Kite! For Cruinniú na nÓg through their online and social channels. We worked with FleishmanHillard and CARAT throughout the launch day of the #MadeLocal retail campaign to secure #1 trending topic on Twitter and a ‘blue wave’ across Instagram and Facebook. We liaised with DETE on planning the official launch photocall on 23 July to boost sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, and coordinated DETE, EI and LEOs in supporting the campaign. For phase two of the campaign launch, we used a similar approach on 6 November where DCCI again worked with FleishmanHillard, DETE and Enterprise Ireland. Partnering to support others

DCCI together with Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) announced the opening of the first call for their new Crafting Business Programme as part of the wider three-year Crafting Europe Project. This project is being run across eight countries, including Ireland. September also brought celebrations for Culture Night. DCCI and the National Design & Craft Gallery worked with Arts Council Ireland and the local authorities to provide COVID-safe events and support the promotion of outreach activities. DCCI worked with the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) on plans for a joint COVID-19 commission. In November DCCI and NMI worked on the announcement that silversmith Annemarie Reinhold had been selected to create a sculptural piece for the NMI’s permanent collection. This commission will help capture the essence of this unique time in our history, for future generations.

We continued to work with the National Gallery of Ireland for National Drawing Day, the Arts Council for Bealtaine activities, and the Heritage Council on providing workshops to follow along at home during Heritage Week. In December we started planning for the Keep Well campaign. This involved work with Sláintecare and Healthy Ireland to establish projects under the campaign’s strand ‘Switching off and Being Creative’. It also involved work with Libraries Ireland to promote events and facilitate the collection of activity sheets by members of the public. DCCI worked with Showcase Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs to pivot Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® to a new innovative Virtual Showroom format for January 2021, in response to the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initiatives led by others

During the year, DCCI helped to promote activities led by other organisations. This included supporting the publicising of craft events and festivals throughout Ireland, including Cork Craft Month, which is run by Cork Craft & Design each August, and August Craft Month which is co-ordinated by CRAFT NI on behalf of the craft sector. We also worked to support Bord Bia’s Bloom at Home activities and promoted them to DCCI clients and members and members of the public. In addition, we supported campaigns by retail partners, including Champion Green by the Kilkenny Group and on their Green Friday campaign. The organisation supplied content to BEDA for newsletters, in liaison with DCCI CEO and Board, worked with Argillà Italia on communicating the postponement of their Ceramics Festival to Spring 2021, and liaised with Government Information Services on the inclusion of DCCI in COVID-19 communications.

Our Activities

Partnering on online initiatives, including training and social media

The call-out for applications for the Future Makers Awards & Supports Programme 2020 was announced in March. We liaised with DCCI partners such as the LEO network to spread the word on the callout and reach target audiences. DCCI promoted  he RDS Craft Awards as part the Future Makers campaign. Media Coverage

Communications are integrated into everything we do at DCCI. In 2020, we undertook widespread publicity campaigns highlighting our clients and Irish craft and design. We led PR campaigns to increase awareness of the design and craft sector, boost the industry and increase engagement with the public. All DCCI activities and events in 2020 were undertaken with the goal of creating opportunities for our clients. Throughout the year, DCCI supported clients and partners in press and promotional activity. Through our press announcements, media engagement, briefings, photocalls and diary notices, social media coverage and partnership events, we maintained national awareness of our activities and programmes, and of our designers and makers. DCCI also worked with organisations on joint marketing and PR promotions. This co-ordinated approach both sustained and created further awareness of the design and craft sector in Ireland, leading to additional opportunities for clients.

Showcase - Ireland’s Creative Expo®

Showcase in January 2020 was covered widely in the run up to and following the trade fair. Key achievements:

RTÉ’s Nationwide devoted a full programme to the trade fair, and Ireland AM highlighted the trade fair and a selection of exhibitors. Broadcast coverage included reports on both RTÉ’s Six One News and RTÉ News at 9. The Showcase preview event, including the presentation of Fí in New York, was featured in a spread in Irish Country Magazine, Sunday Independent Living and Social & Personal. Coverage of Showcase Ireland included articles in the Sunday Independent Business, Sunday Independent, Sunday Independent Living, The Irish Times Magazine, Sunday Business Post Magazine, Irish Country Magazine. A feature on SÓ in the Irish Examiner Property. Online coverage included articles on IrishExaminer.com and bizplus.ie.Followup articles on the tradeshow appeared in Irish Independent Business and Irish Independent Weekend. Exhibitors were featured in the Irish Independent, the Herald, the Gloss and the Irish Times.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

There were numerous articles on participating designers and craftspeople across regional print media. An interview with fashion director Paula Hughes also appeared in Galway Now. The Showcase Awards were highlighted in the Irish Arts Review. The trade fair and the Showcase Awards also received extensive coverage across all regional media. Showcase also continued to receive extensive post-show coverage across all regional media.

Generation

Made Local

The Generation exhibition in the National Design & Craft Gallery gained pre-launch national print coverage as a result of national and regional outreach.

Made Local was covered widely across print, broadcast, online and social media channels.

The exhibition received a double-page spread in the Business Post Magazine, a piece by Deirdre McQuillan in the Irish Times Magazine and a piece in the spring issue of Irish Arts Review. The exhibition took on a virtual format during the first COVID-19 lockdown and continued to receive coverage across all media. Generation exhibitor Ryan Connolly was featured in the Irish Times (14 March) and Northern Standard (12 March). Hugo Byrne was featured on Live95fm.ie (10 March). Generation was featured in the Irish Independent and received further coverage in Irish Arts Review spring issue. Generation exhibitor and knife maker, Hugo Byrne, was profiled in the Irish Times Magazine. Generation was included in the Irish Daily Mail and in various print publications throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The launch of the campaign by writer and actor Amy Huberman, and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, on 29 July was covered by the Irish Times, Irish Examiner, the Irish Independent, Irish Country Magazine, Irish Daily Mail, Business Plus, VIP Magazine, The Sun, Business Post, RTÉ.ie, Evoke.ie, bizplus.ie, and broadsheet.ie. Made Local was widely covered across regional print and broadcast media. #MadeLocal was trending #1 on Twitter throughout the day, and a blue wave spread across social media platforms, initiating conversation about Irish craft and design and igniting support for items made locally.

The launch of the second phase on 6 November received an equally positive response, with #1 trending on Twitter again, and designers and makers, media personalities and general public sharing their love of Irish craft and design. Get Ireland Making

Following the launch of the Get Ireland Making campaign on 3 April 2020 there was coverage across media which continued throughout the year Get Ireland Making Video Statistics:

Videos completed

Webinars held

Webinar audience registration

854

Webinar participants

751

Instagram Reach

123,168

Facebook Reach

233,713

Facebook engagement

10,039

Twitter Impressions

93,937

YouTube views

17,893

Our Activities

Key achievements

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Work by Ciara Allen, Professional Development Support winner in the Future Makers Student & Recent Graduate category

Go Fly a Kite Cruinniú na nÓg

Get Ireland Making CRAFTed Podcasts Statistics:

CRAFTed Podcasts

CRAFTed Podcasts registered

406

CRAFTed Podcasts attended

278

CRAFTed Podcasts playbacks to date

217

Instagram Reach

70,086

Facebook Reach

51,739

Facebook engagement Twitter Impressions

1,308 43,073

Get Ireland Making Media Statistics:

Get Ireland Making featured in the Irish Independent Weekend magazine and Irish Examiner on 25/4

DCCI collaborated with Creative Ireland to deliver ‘Go Fly a Kite’, a national campaign to encourage children and young people to create their own unique kites to fly as part of Cruinniú na nÓg on Saturday 13 June. We had five makers involved in the initiative: Ed Devane, Rebecca Marsden, Laura McNamara, Gabriella McGrath and Heather Gray. Go Fly a Kite Statistics:

Videos completed Webinars held

4 maker videos + 1 animation promo video 4 (also recorded and added to our YouTube channel for playback)

Impressions on Twitter

25,559

Gemma Tipton – profile on Hugo Byrne for Irish Times magazine. Published on 16 May.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite views on YouTube People reached on Facebook

50,672

Michelangelo Foundation profiled the GIM initiative via their channels on 2 May. This included a short video by DCCI board member, Mary Palmer, introducing the initiative.

People reached on Instagram

11,214

Article in Irish Country Magazine, 15 May, on how Get Ireland Making campaign is giving artists the platform to share calming craft projects people can recreate at home. RTÉ Culture have shared Get Ireland Making videos and craft hacks on the site. Irish Times Magazine included Get Ireland Making in their Summer 2020 Parents’ survival guide. Irish Independent Weekend, Weekend Hotlist, 25 April. Irish Examiner Weekend, ‘trend of the week’, 25 April. Thejournal.ie included Get Ireland Making in their online events feature, 2 May.

648

Webinar audience registration

138

Webinar participants

216

Key achievements

Workshops were regularly featured on RTÉ.ie and the overall initiative was covered by the Irish Times Magazine, the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine and the Irish Examiner. DCCI’s participation in Cruinniú na nÓg with Let’s Go Fly a Kite! received coverage in the Irish Examiner and on RTE.ie. The Get Ireland Making programme of events was featured by journal.ie, Country Magazine’s website and regional media. Workshops and live webinars that brought the skills and talents of Ireland’s craftspeople and designers into the homes of communities and families were covered across media nationally and regionally. Knife maker and Generation exhibitor, Hugo Byrne, recorded his process for Get Ireland Making, and was profiled in the Irish TimesMagazine. Let’s Go Fly a Kite! was also covered in the Killarney Advertiser and across regional print and broadcast media.

Our Activities

The Irish Business Design Challenge

National Design & Craft Gallery

The call-out for entries to the Irish Business Design Challenge was covered across a variety of media formats.

DCCI promoted the exhibitions and events programme at the National Design & Craft Gallery, providing PR support for touring exhibitions.

Key achievements:

Selected entrants to the competition were highlighted in a partnership with the Irish Independent, facilitating further communication on the callout and showcasing the various entry levels. The competition was covered in the Irish Independent Business, and BizPlus.ie. Call-outs for entries were covered by the Kilkenny People and across regional print media. Broadcast media, including Radio Kerry, highlighted the competition.

Winners were featured across national and regional media in Irish Interiors. Design Ireland

An online advertising campaign across social media that focused on driving traffic to designer and maker websites resulted in an increase in web traffic to the Design Ireland website, and increased social media followers. Key achievements

Conor Pope became aware of the Design Ireland website and continued to feature it regularly on his weekly ‘best websites for online shopping’ in the Irish Times, and directed people to it through his appearances on Virgin Media’s Six O’Clock Show. The opening of the Design Ireland store at Dublin Airport was covered in Irish Times Property and TRAVEL Extra. DesignIreland.ie featured on thecollegereview.com.

Key achievements

Culture Night at the National Design & Craft Gallery was featured on the RTÉ Six One News where Education & Outreach Co-ordinator, Caroline Loughman, spoke about the creative offerings on the day. Culture Night was also covered in the Kilkenny People, Munster Express and on KCLR 96FM. The Connected Sculpture Trail was covered in the Irish Times, in local media including the Kilkenny People and in various regional media such as the Munster Express. Bealtaine and National Drawing Day at the National Design & Craft Gallery were promoted in local and national media and gig guides.  Narrative Tools was covered in the Irish Arts Review. Crowded Thresholds at Farmleigh received a full-page article in the Irish Arts Review spring edition. The re-opening of touring exhibition Crowded Thresholds in Luan Gallery was covered in the Westmeath Independent, and the exhibition was featured in the Limerick Leader and other regional media as well as in the Irish Arts Review. The National Design & Craft Gallery was listed as one of 10 best things to do in Kilkenny in an article on Irelandbeforeyoudie.com.

Future Makers

The call for applications for Future Makers 2020 was covered in several publications, and award winners featured across media receiving coverage in local and national articles. Key achievements

Future Makers call for applications was covered by the Irish Examiner and Irish Country Magazine. The initial call-out for applications to the Future Makers Awards & Supports programme appeared on visualartists.ie. Boosted posts on social media created an online conversation amongst relevant audiences. Through liaising with partners, such as the LEO network, news of the call-out was shared throughout networks. Future Makers Awards & Supports recipients were featured across regional media following issuing regionalised press releases.

Other

In addition to key campaigns as outlined on previous pages, a wide range of DCCI programmes, initiatives and events were featured in the media. Key achievements

The appointment of Rosemary Steen as CEO of DCCI was covered in the Business Post, Marketing.ie, Northern Standard, womenmeanbusiness.com and visualartists.ie. Market Development Director, Brian McGee, took part in a discussion on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show on the topic of ‘Green Friday’. This was also covered on Radio Kerry and CRC radio. The announcement of jeweller Seliena Coyle as the RDS Irish Crafts Bursary 2020 winner was highlighted in the Irish Arts Review. DCCI’s Jewellery & Goldsmithing Course was featured in The Gloss. DCCI’s Webinar series was highlighted on thejournal.ie.

Our Activities

The opening of the Design Ireland store at Dublin Airport was covered in Irish Times Property and TRAVEL Extra.

Articles on the development of a new space for the Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills & Design Course were included in the Kilkenny People, and on KilkennyNow.ie. Irish Aran knitwear featured in the Irish Independent with a quote from Market Development Director Brian McGee on the impact Aran has made across the global fashion scene. This was also included in the Irish Daily Mail, Irish Examiner Weekend and RTÉ.ie. Crafting Business with LIT featured in the Limerick Post, the Clare Herald and the Nenagh Guardian.

DCCI, working with the Bluecoat Display Centre to find a new Irish creative to celebrate, featured in the Limerick Leader as Limerick-based artist Mike Byrne’s work was selected to be showcased at the event. An obituary of master jeweller Rudolf Heltzel (the research for which was assisted by the DCCI Comms team) was published in the Irish Times. DCCI clients and GANS covered in media included:

Molloy & Sons on IrishCentral.com. The Headford Lace Project in the Connacht Tribune.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Blacksmith Patrick Strahan in the Farmers Journal. Jeweller and DCCI Centre of Excellence in Jewellery & Goldsmithing graduate Kim Magee in the Evening Echo. Design Ireland members Debbie Millington in the Irish Daily Mail, Sinead Roberts in the Medical Independent, McKernan Woollen Mills in the Irish Times. Emer Roberts was interviewed in the Medical Independent, and a number of Design Ireland members were featured on IMAGE.ie. DCCI Ceramics Course graduate Etaoin O’Reilly was featured in the Argus. Cork Craft Month and DCCI support of it was included on thecork.ie. PORTFOLIO member Joe Hogan was profiled in the Irish Examiner Property.

Audience Engagement

Throughout 2020, DCCI used various communications tools to promote Irish craft and design, and engage audiences both in Ireland and globally. Data relating to our registered clients and member organisations was edited, if requested, under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Online Activity and E-Communications

DCCI maintained and updated our corporate website (dcci.ie) throughout 2020 to ensure consistency and accuracy in delivering information to website visitors. It remained the go-to resource for DCCI news, events, opportunities and activities. Our clients were directed to the website from social media and, in the earlier parts of the year, our monthly ezine CRAFTlink. This ezine provided details on DCCI and industry opportunities, press releases, sector updates and information on exhibitions in the National Design & Craft Gallery. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, timely sharing of information became more important than ever. DCCI pivoted our direct communication format from a monthly ezine to a weekly update flyer. The flyer provided details of upcoming webinars and online events to support designers and makers throughout the pandemic. Important updates from our CEO and Board were shared via a separate flyer to all DCCI clients to keep them informed of developments. Used in conjunction with social media, this was an effective and efficient way to share information with designers and makers.

DCCI has many different audience sectors to target, and accordingly uses different digital platforms as part of its reach. Social media is an integral element of this communications strategy. DCCI channels share information and provide a platform to showcase our designers and makers. Social media and online platforms also form a central plank in our education and outreach work, and, in 2020 they created a space where designers, makers, consumers and buyers could come together whilst being apart. The purpose of DCCI’s various social networks is to:

Communicate and engage with DCCIregistered clients, member organisations, the design and craft sectors, DCCI stakeholders and partner organisations, and the public; Promote discussion and information-sharing about the design and crafts sector in Ireland; Provide links to information about DCCI client membership and GANS (Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies); Inform followers about industry and funding opportunities, events and exhibitions; and Promote the design and crafts sector as a whole, sharing news updates, announcements, successes and events. Following a review of our social channels, an internal audit and the drafting of a social media strategy in 2019, engagement across our chosen channels and platforms continued to grow steadily throughout 2020. This collectively expanded the number of fans and followers of Irish design and craft, and created further awareness of the sector nationally and further afield. Facebook and Instagram were used as the primary platforms as they are favoured by the design and craft community. Twitter and LinkedIn were used as secondary platforms, favoured by DCCI partners. YouTube was used to host videos of webinars, craft activities and business supports, which engaged additional audiences. Key accounts for the year

were the corporate and client-focused DCCI account, retail and consumer-focused Design Ireland, and the National Design & Craft Gallery which focused on engaging gallerists, exhibitors and members of the general public. In 2020, DCCI:

shared information on COVID-19 business supports, government funding and how to keep safe during the pandemic, collaborated with partner organisations to promote joint activities, engaged with media influencers to share the word on DCCI campaigns, and worked with business development mentors on webinars for makers Key Publications

DCCI’s Annual Report is produced in both Irish and English each year in compliance with our obligations under the Official Languages Act 2003. We make a range of our publications publicly available. This includes our annual reports, exhibition catalogues and research, which are added to our archive of materials. Other publications include business guides and education and industry reports, as well as Kilkenny Design Workshops publications. Older DCCI materials, such as Craft Review 1987 – 1991; Crafts Council of Ireland newsletters 1975 – 1993; and Stopress 1997 – 2010, are all made available on the digital publishing platform, ISSUU, through our website. In 2020, the Freedom of Information (FOI) section of DCCI’s website was maintained in compliance with Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. This Act requires FOI bodies to prepare and publish as much information as possible in an open and accessible manner on a routine basis outside of FOI.

Our Activities

Social Media

Throughout 2020, in line with campaigns and announcements, DCCI created dedicated hubs of information on our website. Some of the information hubs created in 2020 were:

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

#MadeLocal trended #1 on Twitter throughout launch days, and a DCCI ‘blue wave’ spread across social media platforms, initiating conversation about Irish craft and design and igniting support for items made locally.

DCCI’s webinar series for designers and makers to support the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. These webinars offer expert advice in areas such as government supports, creating social media and digital content, ecommerce, how to pitch your brand to media, and more. MasterCraft Talks were housed in a dedicated online presence through a webinars hub on the DCCI website. MasterCraft Talks are peer-to-peer webinar sessions hosted by DCCI. They provide designers and makers with the opportunities to gain insight and learning from other makers. The Get Ireland Making hub housed the schedule for live webinars, workshops recordings and information on the initiative. The COVID-19 Hub accommodated information relevant to the pandemic along with supports for designers and makers, including a regularly updated FAQ document, Webinars, MasterCraft Talks, Minding your Mental Health, Getting Ireland Back to Work Safely and Get Ireland Making. Government announcements were added to the hub and information was continually updated, published and promoted in response to COVID-19.

€5m

Estimated reach through media coverage secured

38%

Pieces of coverage achieved for Showcase 2020

Average ‘opened by’ rate of DCCI Update Flyer (industry benchmark is 20%) by subscribers

29,870

1,638,400

Number of social network referrals from Design Ireland Facebook to DesignIreland.ie

Tweet impressions in 2020 (increase of 580% from 2019)

Our Activities

116

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) collaborates with partner organisations to champion design thinking and ensure that design is central to the development of Government policy. Objective

To grow awareness of the value of design and craft to society and the economy, and work with Government and stakeholders on the integration of design thinking into Government policy and industry.

Focus and Strategic Aims Embed design policy

— Work with Government and stakeholders to embed design policy. Empower membership organisations

— Support DCCI membership organisations in building creative communities. Develop a design society

— Develop a framework for evaluating design and craft. — Grow recognition of the value and importance of design and craft to the economy and society.

Our Activities

2.5

Policy and Advocacy

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Work by Jennifer Alford, Professional Development Support winner in the Future Makers Student & Recent Graduate category.

Work by Katie Spiers, Materials Support winner in the Future Makers Student & Recent Graduate category.

Advocacy in Ireland

DCCI works closely with a number of government departments and agencies to raise awareness of the contribution that designers and craftspeople make to Ireland’s economy and culture. The Future Jobs Ireland programme recognises the significant potential that the design and craft sector offers for creating sustainable employment in the regions, and for growing exports. DCCI reports directly to Enterprise Ireland and to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In 2020, DCCI was represented on the Expert Group for Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) which is an independent advisory body consisting of officials from across government departments. It advises government on future skills needs and associated labour market issues that impact on the national potential for enterprise and employment growth. The current focus of the EGFSN relates to Ireland’s design skillsets, particularly those of digital, product and strategic design. The chair of the group is DCCI Board member, Andrew Bradley. DCCI reports quarterly on activities undertaken as part of the Design Skills Action Plan. The Together for Design report was published in 2020. DCCI is participating in the Design Skills Implementation Group tasked with implementing the findings of the report. We lead a working group tasked with developing a framework, improving awareness of design and its various specialisms for second-level students. This group has engaged with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and Careersportal, and is creating new opportunities and events to raise awareness of design careers in 2021 onward.

International Advocacy Michelangelo Foundation

DCCI continued to develop links with the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship. The Foundation is an international non-profit organisation that celebrates and preserves master craftsmanship and strengthens its connection to the world of design. It wants to help people rediscover the ability of the human hand to create. It aims to support exceptional contemporary European master artisans using long-held traditions, skills and knowledge to make beautiful objects of lasting value. During 2020, DCCI liaised closely with the Michelangelo Foundation on programmes, including:

Michelangelo Foundation summer schools to foster exchange of skills and networking for young makers.

Next of Europe – a curated exhibition of European craft masters who have shared their skills with younger generations. The exhibition, curated by Jean Blancheart, is part of Homo Faber 2020 (rescheduled to 2021) which takes place on Cini Giorgio, Venice every two years. Young Ambassadors programme which brings some of the most talented students of craft to Homo Faber. The Michelangelo Foundation Cultural Council is composed of 30 craft experts and representatives from organisations across Europe. Louise Allen represents World Crafts Council-Europe, DCCI and the Irish design & craft sector. The Homo Faber Guide which will be published in 2020, identifies the most talented craftspeople and designers in Europe. The guide is developed by the Michelangelo Foundation in consultation with the Cultural Council. European Red List of Endangered Crafts: identifies and classifies crafts according to their endangered status. DCCI have contributed a list of Irish Crafts at risk for inclusion on the Red List. There were no new inclusions in 2020.

Our Activities

A Opposite (from top):

World Crafts Council – Europe (WCCE)

WCC Europe Presidency

The World Crafts Council – Europe (WCCE) is a broad network representing more than 30 regional, national, professional and affiliate craft organisations across the EU. Louise Allen, DCCI’s Head of Innovation and Development Programmes, was elected President of WCCE in September 2016. Her term ended in October 2020.

Louise Allen officially stepped down as President at the GA as she had served her term. Louise has been succeeded by Elisa Guidi (Italy) for the next year, and then followed by Laura Miguel Baumann (Spain) in 2022.

The World Crafts Council – Europe (WCCE) General Assembly and Conference (GA) took place online in September. Originally the event was due to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, but was moved online due to COVID-19. The event was hosted by Louise Allen (WCCE President) and Shauna Sweeney (WCCE Coordinator). The morning session, which was open to WCC Europe members only, was attended by 36 participants from across Europe. The agenda for the GA included the succession of the President of WCC Europe (to replace Louise Allen), board elections, discussion on WCCE’s Strategy for 2020-2023, and the location of the next GA. The successful candidates were elected to the board: Ana Cristina Mendes – CEARTE Elizabeth Myroshnychenko - Handicraft Chamber Ukraine

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Nicky Dewar – Crafts Council UK The General Assembly included a seminar on ‘Craft and Resilience’, and featured three guest speakers: Stefano Micelli, Sophie Rowley and Adrianus Kundert. There was an attendance of 66 users. The assembly also confirmed that DCCI, Ireland, would host the GA in 2021 (as part of DCCI’s 50th Anniversary) and that CEARTE, Portugal would host the GA in 2022.

Key achievements

Virtual Meetings: The board of WCCE decided to host quarterly virtual meetings with its members as a response to COVID-19. These meetings allow for the network to stay connected, and offer an opportunity for members to discuss the challenges they are currently facing. 27 May. The newsletter with the registration link and survey on the Impacts of COVID-19 was circulated to all members in advance of the virtual meeting. 9th September. This conference took place as part of WCCE’s General Assembly in the afternoon and had a total of 66 attendees. 27 November. This was a public event and focused on the theme Craft and Tourism. In total, 134 registered for the event and 119 attended. Crafting Europe Manifesto and Action Plan: The manifesto has been translated into eight languages including Portuguese, Spanish, Georgian, French and is available on WCCE and members websites. The manifesto has received over 1,200 signatures to date. https:// wcc-europe.org/support-the-manifesto-forthe-future-of-fine-crafts-in-europe/ Craft Cities: Farnham (UK) was assessed and approved by a WCCE panel as WCC Craft City in March 2020. The panel consisted of Rosy Greenlees (Crafts Council UK), Jane Friend (Consultant, Farnham) and Marion Poortvliet (Crafts Council Netherlands). Kilkenny, Ireland made application to become a Craft City in 2020. The assessment process will not complete until 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instagram Takeover: WCC Europe created an #instatakeover with members in September 2020. Using the @wcceurope account to encourage active participation, members were encouraged to take over the Instagram account and showcase their organisation, highlight events and reach new audiences.

Membership: Since the last General Assembly, WCCE has had the following new members join WCCE: LOEWE Foundation (Affiliate Members)

Key achievements

In 2020, 30 GANS were awarded funding. In total, €54,057 was granted for a range of activities such as branding, marketing, craft fairs and festivals, photo shoots, media presentation, workshops, masterclasses, forge-ins and seminars. The list of funding awards is presented here: Member Organisation Benchspace Cork CLG

Awarded € 3,500

Borris Lacemakers

500

Bridge Street Studios

1,500

Clare Crafts

1,500

Cork Craft & Design

8,000

Guilds, Associations, Network and Societies (GANS)

Cork Textiles Network

2,000

The member organisations of DCCI, which include Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) as well as corporate bodies, play a pivotal role in DCCI’s activities and supports in Ireland. The engagement of DCCI’s member organisations and its registered clients is instrumental in informing DCCI’s strategic plans for developing the design and craft sector. It enables the delivery of many DCCI initiatives across the island of Ireland. As of 31 December 2020, the total number of GANS was 57.

FORM Designmade in Carlow

1,500

Glass Society of Ireland

2,000

Headford Lace Project

1,500

INSIDE CRAFT

2,000

Institute of Designer in Ireland

3,500

Irish Artist Blacksmith Association

2,000

Irish Basketmakers Association

1,557

Council of Irish Fashion Designers

3,000

Irish Guild of Embroiderers

1,000

DCCI’s Network Support Scheme provided funding for several GANS during 2020. This financial support scheme, which is offered on a match-funding basis, is available to organisations that are subscribed to DCCI. The aim of the scheme is to provide funding for activities that develop and professionalise DCCI’s collective organisations.

Irish Patchwork Society

1,000

Irish Society of Stage and Screen Designers

1,000

Irish Woodturners Guild

3,700

In 2020, we received 30 funding applications which were reviewed by an internal DCCI panel and an external panel. The total amount of funding requested was €73,726.00 and the total amount awarded was €54,057.00.

Romanian Cultural Institute Georgian Heritage Craft Association

Network Support Scheme

Feltmakers Ireland

800

Louth Craftmark Designers Network 1,500 Made in Kilkenny

1,500

Making.ie

1,000

Na Píobairí Uilleann

2,500

Society of Cork Potters

1,000

St. Angela’s College GANS

500

The Handweavers Guild of Cork

500

The Leitrim Design House

2,000

West Cork Craft and Design Guild

2,000

Total

€54,057

Our Activities

Creative Europe – Crafting Europe Large Cooperation Project: Eight out of the nine project partners involved in Crafting Europe are members of World Crafts CouncilEurope. The project, valued at €1.8 million and focused on the need to build capacity within the crafts sector across Europe, commenced in 2020.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Work by Megan Maguire, Materials Support recipient in the Future Makers Student & Recent Graduate category

Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) Information Days 2020

The information days provided a valuable forum for the member organisations to network and receive updates on DCCI programmes and activities. They also provide the opportunity for DCCI to receive feedback about the sector and discuss shared challenges and opportunities. Four meetings were held in 2020, of which three were online. 4 March at Dublin Castle

30 July

19 October

7 December

Topics and presentations included: DCCI Branding DCCI projects update Information Session on AGM and nominations to the DCCI Board Presentation by Irish Basketmakers Association Corporate Governance – Dr Nicolas Marcoux Governance Specialist, Institute of Public Administration Social Media updates – Cheryl Stanley, Ballyshane and Chupie Insurance queries – Padraic Smith & Co, Insurance Company. DCCI External Exhibitions Fund Overview of Made in Ireland and DCCI 50th Exhibition

The Society of Cork Potters – presentation featuring their book celebrating their 40th anniversary Overview from North Down & Ards – one of the councils that has been a major supporter of August Craft Month, Northern Ireland Key Challenges for GANS Members as a result of COVID-19

Cancellation of events: This is impacting on income for individual members. Some individuals have lost deposits on exhibitions and trade events. There was particular concern about cancelled festivals and events over the summer period, as these are often a driver of income throughout the year. Financial: There is concern regarding limited resources and access to funding. Rents: Further concern regarding payment of rents for premises, including studios. Government Subsidy: One individual noted they were unable to avail of the subsidy as they are teaching part-time. Additional Activities

3204 registered client enterprises 57 member organisations or GANS (Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies) Postage Scheme 2020 – 7,500 labels were ordered at a cost of €37,125 by members of 27 different GANS organisations

Headford Lace – Video presentation.

Keep Well Campaign – One of the projects developed before Christmas 2020 was the Craft your own Star activity cards, and 40,000 stars were dispatched for children through the library network to libraries, schools, direct provision centres, hospitals, and so on

The Society of Cork Potters

Four GANS heritage videos produced

The Irish Business Design Challenge

A Lace award was developed in 2020 for awarding in 2021

Overview of Calendar of DCCI events for 2021 DCCI Made Local campaign Sláintecare – Keep Well Campaign

Business to Arts – Bank of Ireland Arts Fund The Wheel – Ireland’s National Association of Community and Voluntary Organisations, charities and social enterprises.

A Professional Development (GPD) Scheme for member organisations was developed and awarded A Craft & Design Bursary was awarded in 2020

Our Activities

New Group Professional Development (GPD) Scheme for Member organisation

New Craft and Design Residency Bursary 2020 at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre

This scheme launched in 2020. DCCI will supplement professional development costs for member organisations where a clear commercial, promotional or strategic need is identified.

This residency bursary opportunity was established in 2020 and is open to makers working in any design and craft form, currently based in Ireland. The aim of the residency is to assist and encourage both established and emerging practitioners, and provide an opportunity to research and work alongside others in a unique and creative environment. Saidhbhín Gibson was the successful recipient in 2020.

There are two main conditions: Applicants must be able to demonstrate the need and potential impact for the organisation, A minimum of six members must participate in the training. Fifty per cent of the costs (to a maximum of €1,000) will be provided by DCCI. The balance must be match funded. The Glass Society of Ireland was the sole recipient of funding under this scheme in 2020.

Heritage Council and DCCI partnership

The Heritage Council and DCCI developed a partnership agreement to create joint projects in 2020 /2021. As part of this agreement and to coincide with Heritage Week 2020, four videos were produced to highlight and document traditional skills. The following GANS were selected for inclusion in the video project: Headford Lace Project The Irish Basketmakers Association Irish Artist Blacksmiths Association

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

The Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers

3,204

7,500

Total number of member organisations or GANS (Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies)

Postage labels were purchased at a discount cost of €37,125 by members of 27 different GANS organisations

€54,057

GANS participating in Sláintecare Keep Well Campaign

Provided for 30 member organisations in 2020 through DCCI’s Network Support Scheme

Our Activities

Total number of registered client enterprises

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Ireland’s design and craft sector makes a vital contribution to our culture, society and economy. It is diverse, vibrant and innovative. Our client enterprises come from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines, producing an eclectic range of work, whether abstract pieces or functional objects. Located throughout the country, these enterprises provide sustainable regional jobs. Our ambition is to support and build on Ireland’s craft and design heritage and traditional skills while encouraging design innovation in everything our clients do.

Our Business

3.1

Our Clients

Breakdown of register of client enterprises by county as at 31 December, 2020 Client Enterprise Register by County

Derry 19

Donegal 97

Antrim 78

Tyrone 25

Armagh 11

Fermanagh 15

Monaghan 36

Sligo 65

Mayo 110

Leitrim 52

Roscommon 28

Cavan 22

Longford 16

Louth 63 Meath 79

Westmeath 48 Galway 173

Dublin 684 Offaly 34

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Wicklow 153

Laois 48

Clare 95

Limerick 64

Kerry 118

Kildare 114

Tipperary 75

Carlow 50 Kilkenny 125

Waterford 98 Cork 331

Wexford 123

Down 106

Republic of Ireland Dublin

Breakdown of register of client enterprise by discipline as at 31 December, 2020

684

Disciplines Textiles

785

Cork

311

Jewellery

486

Galway

173

Ceramics

483

Wicklow

153

Woodworking

262

Kilkenny

125

Furniture Making

240

Wexford

123

Glass Making

187

Kerry

118

Kildare

114

Metal Working including Blacksmithing

112

Mayo

110

Paper Working/Paper Making

Donegal

Printing

Waterford

Mixed Media Construction

Clare

Candlemaking

Meath

Stoneworking

Tipperary

Leather Working

Louth

Basketry

Sligo

Soapmaking

Limerick

Musical Instrument Making

Carlow

Toymaking

Leitrim

Silversmithing/Hollowware

Westmeath

Bookmaking/Bookbinding

Laois

Spinning

Monaghan

Lettering

Offaly

Roscommon

Cavan

Longford

Northern Ireland Down

106

Antrim

Tyrone

Derry

Fermanagh

Armagh

Rep. of Ireland Clients Northern Ireland International Clients Overall Total of Registered Client Enterprises

2,881 252 69 3,204

Other: Slateworking/Mosaics/Thatching/ Fresco Painting/Horology/Flytying Overall Total Registered Client Enterprises Associate Register Students

3,204

338

Craft Enthusiasts (formerly called Hobbyists)

418

Semi Professionals (formerly called Associates)

593

Representatives of Educational Bodies (formerly called Craft Lecturers)

112

Temporarily Inactive/Dormant

Overall Total of Registered Associates

1,511

Our Business

Breakdown of register of client enterprises by county as at 31 December, 2020

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Key dates in the history of Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

Our Business

3.2

Our History 1970 – 2020

1970

World Crafts Council (WCC) hosts their General Assembly in Ireland 1971

Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI) set up in Dublin as a voluntary body under the auspices of the RDS 1976

CCoI becomes a limited company, receiving funding from the Minister for Industry and Commerce and from the Industrial Development Authority 1977

Showcase begins as the National Crafts Trade Fair 1980

CCoI business and skills training opens in Kilworth, Co. Cork

1986

CCoI administration moves to Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin G Work by glass artist Laura Quinn, Exhibition Support recipient in the Future Makers Awards & Supports Emerging Maker category

1989

CCoI business and skills training moves to the former Kilkenny Design Workshops in Kilkenny City 1990

CCoI opens the Ceramics Skills & Design course in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny 1993

CCoI opens the Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills & Design course in Kilkenny 1997

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

CCoI administration moves from Dublin to Castle Yard, Kilkenny 2000

CCoI opens the National Craft Gallery in Castle Yard, Kilkenny 2011

CCoI designates 2011 as Year of Craft and celebrates the sector in partnership with Craft Northern Ireland and a network of strategic partners throughout Ireland and internationally 2013

G Still from SÓ – a film by Boo George, produced and commissioned by DCCI to promote Irish makers overseas.

CCoI marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Kilkenny Design Workshops (KDW) and a proposal is made at the Global Irish Economic Forum to designate a year to celebrating and promoting Irish design

2014

CCoI changes its trading name to the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) following the signing of a service level agreement with Enterprise Ireland and launches Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) 2015

DCCoI convenes the year-long Governmentbacked ID2015 initiative exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design throughout Ireland and internationally to drive job creation, grow exports and increase competitiveness 2016

A study on the design sector commissioned as part of ID2015 results in the publication by Government of ‘Policy Framework for Design in Enterprise in Ireland’ and DCCoI is mandated by Government to work with partner organisations in leading the development of a design strategy for Ireland G Work by ceramicist Cathy Burke, Studio Support recipient in the Future Makers Awards & Supports Emerging Maker category

2017

DCCoI publishes ‘Ireland – the Design Island: A consultation paper towards a National Design Strategy’, leading to the establishment of the country’s first Ministerial-led National Design Forum

2019

DCCoI updates its trading name to Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI). The Design Ireland store is officially opened at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport. It is operated by The Loop with the store name brand under licence by DCCI. 2020

G Work by fashion designer Olwen Bourke, Exhibition Support recipient in the Future Makers Awards & Supports Emerging Maker category

2020 saw some changes in personnel in DCCI. The Board Chair, Breege O’Donoghue, departed, and Andrew Bradley was appointed Chair. Louise Allen (acting Managing Executive, 2019) left to pursue an exciting opportunity in the Office of the Attorney General, and John Tynan

Our Business

2018

DCCoI collaborates with partners in advocating for the development of design infrastructure, leading to the provision for a National Design Centre as part of the National Development Plan 2018 – 2027 and funding of a National Design Innovation Hub for the South East under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund

Image: The Connected Sculpture Trail in Kilkenny Castle Park.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

(Head of Education) took early retirement. We thank them sincerely for their service, and we wish them all the best for the future. COVID-19 required us to make significant changes throughout the organisation. We had to adapt to different ways of working and different ways of engaging with our clients. This included an increased support of designers and makers through an enterprise development programme of webinars, a Made Local nationwide retail campaign, and the Irish Business Design Challenge. We also enabled all DCCI staff to work remotely, and, for the first time ever, we had a virtual AGM. All our board meetings were held online also. Another very significant event in 2020 was our leasing of Sessions House in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. DCCI has plans to develop this former courthouse into the first purpose-built property – jewellery and goldsmithing school – that DCCI has acquired in its history.

G Showcase 2020

Our Business

G Still from SÓ – a film by Boo George, produced and commissioned by DCCI to promote Irish makers overseas.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

In this section, we present a summary of the involvement of member organisations, clients, partners and others in DCCI programmes and events during 2020. Due to COVID–19, some events were cancelled (not listed), therefore, the number of participants or instances were lower than previous years.

Our Business

3.3

Key Programme Statistics 2019

Enterprise

Webinars held Clients viewing webinars (live and on YouTube) MasterCraft Talks held

12,636 7

Clients opting in to the Made Local campaign

997

Retailers taking part in Made Local campaign

241

Orders placed at Showcase 2019 Clients participating at Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® Design Ireland clients at Showcase Businesses attending Showcase to buy

€26.3m 201 67 2,767

Businesses participating in OPTIMISE Design Ireland programme

Makers supported through the International Fair Fund

Registered clients exhibiting at MAISON&OBJET, Paris

Makers featured in PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection 2019 – 2020

Makers featured in PORTFOLIO overall programme (Critical Selection plus wider programme) Building Craft and Design Enterprise workshops delivered

24 140 5

Participants on the Building Craft and Design Enterprise programme

Enterprises selected for Driving Export Programme

Clients who benefitted from one-to-one mentoring sessions

Showcase exhibitors receiving merchandising mentoring

Research and Innovation

National Design & Craft Gallery funding applications submitted

Visitors to National Design & Craft Gallery exhibitions in NDCG

47,219

Visitors to exhibitions (Offsite / touring)

56,733

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

NDCG Exhibitions & Education Programme Online Engagement

107,129

Exhibitions included in the 2020 programme (Kilkenny and touring)

Exhibitions toured to other galleries

Designers and makers involved in the exhibitions programme

107

Irish designers and makers involved in the exhibitions programme

106

External exhibitions fund recipients

Makers supported to exhibit through External Exhibition Fund

Sales from exhibitions in 2020

NDCG Local, National and International partnerships

Culture Night Engagement online and onsite Viewers of RTÉ Six One News Segment on NDCG Culture Night Applicants registered to compete in Irish Business Design Challenge Prizes awarded in the Irish Business Design Challenge

23,583 405,818 467 6

Knowledge and Skills

Total prize fund for Future Makers Awards and Supports 2020

€25,000

Regional Education Centres partnering with DCCI for delivery of CRAFTed

Individual Primary Schools participating in the CRAFTed programme

Pupils participating in the CRAFTed programme Craftspeople participating in the CRAFTed programme Teachers participating in CRAFTed-based CPD workshops DCCI Skills courses embedded with Level 7 standards achieved Students and general public participating in outreach programmes including workshops, masterclasses and talks

1686 66 148 2 5,539

Promotion and Awareness

Media clippings for the Showcase 2020 campaign

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Followers on DCCI’s Facebook (+24.5% compared to 2019)

12,805

Followers on DCCI’s Instagram (+116% compared to 2019)

11,691

Impressions DCCI tweets earned in 2020

1,638,400

Followers on Design Ireland’s Facebook (+19% compared to 2019)

8,722

Followers on Design Ireland’s Instagram (+8% compared to 2019)

15,942

Policy and Advocacy

Registered client enterprises

3,204

Registered associates

1,511

Information days and online meetings for GANS hosted by DCCI

Projects awarded to GANS under the Keep Well Campaign

Clients availing of Network Support Scheme funding Funding awarded in Network Support Scheme

30 54,057

Craft Heritage videos produced

Craft and Design Residency Bursaries awarded

Programmes through the EU Michelangelo Foundation

EU-funded programmes

Our Business

Member organisations

Image: Cheryl Stanley of Ballyshane at Showcase.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

100

Our Governance

101

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

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DCCI is a company limited by guarantee without share capital. It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association and operates under the aegis of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment. 103

Our Governance

4.1

Corporate Governance Update

Image: Work by Róisín de Buitléar in Generation

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

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Our Board

The Board maintained a strong focus on corporate governance during 2020 to ensure that its corporate governance operated to the highest level of standards. Induction for new Board members took place online with the Institute of Directors in Ireland on 21 October, 2020, before the new members’ first Board meeting. New members were briefed on their responsibilities as among other relevant matters. The Board commenced an external Board Evaluation Review in Quarter 4 2020. Our Compliance

DCCI is committed to complying with its responsibilities as a government-funded body. Our expenditure complies with the Public Spending Code which sets out the obligations of public bodies to treat public funds with care, and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained whenever public money is being spent or invested. We are also committed to meeting our current obligations under:

the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, 2016; the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995; the Freedom of Information Act, 2014; and the Official Languages Act, 2003.

We continue to recognise and fulfil our obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). DCCI is also committed to improving energy efficiency in line with our obligations under:

the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP); the European Communities (Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services) Regulations 2009, and SI 426 of 2014.

The Board is responsible for overseeing the broad strategy and policies for the organisation. It is responsible for the systems of internal financial control in the company, and for ensuring that the company has processes and procedures in place to ensure that the systems are effective. It performs these functions directly and through the operation of specific Board committees in accordance with approved terms of reference.

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There is a formal schedule of matters reserved for the decision of the Board in accordance with best practice. Responsibility for implementing policy rests with the Executive Management Team of DCCI. The Board provides the appropriate level of skill and experience to support the strategy of DCCI.

Our Governance

The Board of DCCI (the Board) is responsible for the governance of the company in line with best practice, and for adhering to the obligations of the company as set out in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. We are required to comply with the provision of the Code insofar as it is applicable to the structure and nature of the company.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

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Ministerial Appointees

Board Attendance

Paul McKeown

The table below summarises the attendance of Directors at Board meetings during the year ended 31 December, 2020.

Toby Scott

Nine Board meetings were held in 2020:

Breege O’Donoghue (Chair – Resigned 28 September 2020)

Director

Andrew Bradley (Chair – 22 October 2020)

Board Meetings Attended

Andrew Bradley

9/9

Trish Brennan

2/9

Fiona Deegan

6/9

Breda Fox

0/9

Mairéad McCorley

7/9

Edmund Shanahan

Paul McKeown

8/9

Trish Brennan (elected – 2 September 2020)

Maeve Murphy

2/9

John C. O’Connor

7/9

Breda Fox (elected – 2 September 2020)

Breege O’Donoghue

7/9

Mary Palmer

8/9

Maeve Murphy (elected – 2 September 2020)

Donagh Quigley

6/9

Rachel Quinn

9/9

Neil Read

2/9

Fiona Deegan (resigned – 2 September 2020)

Elaine Riordan

7/9

Toby Scott

8/9

Mairéad McCorley (resigned – 2 September 2020)

Edmund Shanahan

9/9

Elected Representatives (and resignations)

Mary Palmer Donagh Quigley Rachel Quinn

Neil Read (elected – 2 September 2020)

John C. O’Connor (resigned – 2 September 2020) Elaine Riordan (resigned – 2 September 2020)

Board members also sat on a number of committees and sub-committees. For details, please visit section 4.5 Our Committees on page 120

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Our Governance

4.2

Our Board Members

Ministerial Appointees Andrew Bradley Chair

In 2017, Andrew was a ministerial appointment to the Board of Design & Crafts Council Ireland and became Chair in 2020. Throughout his career, he has been an active member of the Institute of Designers in Ireland and was President from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, he led the establishment of Design Skillnet and Chaired this enterprise-led training initiative for three years. Soon after qualifying as an Industrial Designer in 1984 at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin, Andrew realised that his career interests lay in mentoring companies to promote the potential of design. As he set out on a career in design management, he secured a scholarship for a Masters Degree in Environment Design at the University of Calgary, Canada, graduating in 1989.

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An entrepreneur in the Irish design sector, Andrew has been creating, developing, and communicating brands for the past 25 years. Today, his company Bradley: The Brand Agency, specialises in working with SMEs using creative thinking processes to create brands that drive businesses forward. In addition to his professional practice, Andrew is a skilled leader with significant Chair and Board experience. Alongside his DCCI role, he was appointed to the Board of Irish Sailing, the national governing body for the sport in 2020.

Paul McKeown

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Paul McKeown is an Executive Director at Enterprise Ireland leading a Directorate which incorporates its People and Policy, Corporate Services and Regional Development Divisions. He is also the agency’s Chief Financial Officer. Before joining Enterprise Ireland, Paul was Director of Finance at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. He started his career in KPMG and, during his five years with the firm, he managed a wide portfolio of clients. Paul is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, and holds Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) and Master of Accounting (M.Acc) from University College Dublin.

Toby Scott

Toby Scott is currently Innovator in Residence at the United Nations Population Fund, where he applies design thinking to address some of the most challenging problems relating to gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and infant mortality. Previously, Toby was a director of the UK Design Council, a director of Arts Council England, as well as head of Creative Industries for the UK Government. He established the Irish Centre for Design Innovation and led the Design4Growth pilot programme. As an entrepreneur, he is co-founder and Learning Director of FRAMLABS, which uses design thinking to create future value for progressive companies. Toby is also a team member of Knowinnovation, a creative company which works with academics, NGOs and businesses to solve ‘Wicked Problems’ (difficult social or cultural problems) through collaborative problem solving. He led Know innovation’s first virtual Ideas Lab that included 100 people and is passionate about the power of creativity and the power of technology to share that widely.

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Breege O’Donoghue Chair

Breege is a former board member and Group Director at Primark, and, after a 37-year career, continues her involvement with the company in an ambassadorial role. She is a trustee of both the Primark Better Lives Foundation and the Primark pension plan.

A graduate of UCD, Breege has received many accolades for her work, including the UCD Lochlann Quinn School Alumnus of the year award in 2015, the award of Chevalier of The Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur by President François Hollande in 2016; being honoured as a UCD Business – Smurfit Patron of Excellence in 2017; awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy (honoris causa) from the Technological University Dublin; and being named Most Distinguished Leader at The Irish Times Business Awards 2019. Also in 2019, Breege was the recipient of the 2019 RDS Gold Medal for Enterprise. Breege resigned from her position as Chair of DCCI on 28 September 2020.

Our Governance

Over the years, Breege has held a variety of government-appointed positions on the board of a number of state companies, including An Post and Aer Rianta. She was Chair of the Shannon College of Hotel Management, Chair of the Labour Relations Commission, and was a Trustee and a Council Member of IBEC.

Elected Representatives Trish Brennan

Trish was elected to the DCCI Board in September, 2020. She is currently Head of Fine Art & Applied Art at CIT Crawford College, where she has developed and supported several new programmes including the BA in Contemporary Applied ArtCeramics, Textiles & Glass, the MA in Art & Process, and the Certificate in Art Textiles. She is also involved in hosting the annual symposium, MAKE, which celebrates making, craft and materiality. Trish has strong experience of serving on committees and boards, having served on the National Sculpture Factory board of directors for over 10 years. She has also represented CIT Crawford College at DCCI’s GANs in recent years.

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Trish studied Photography at Westminster University (1991) and graduated with an MA Art in the Digital World, NCAD (2002). Alongside working in education and photography, she has broad experience of community arts, acting as programme manager and producer for several projects and events. Trish has also worked with large institutions including CIT, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s Arts Office (Festival of World Cultures, Poetry Festival), and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (Education & Community). Trish believes that creative practice, engagement and heritage links strongly to our quality of life, and aims to support GANs to further a culture of excellence in craft and design.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Fiona Deegan

Fiona Deegan works as Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Kilkenny and was formerly CEO of the Kilkenny County Enterprise Board. From her many years’ involvement with small businesses, Fiona has an in-depth understanding of the needs of designers and craftspeople in terms of developing enterprise capacity. She was instrumental in the development of the original concept in 2009 for MADE in Kilkenny, which was set up to foster excellence in crafts and to encourage the growth of the professional craft industry. Fiona is experienced in developing and implementing strategy, managing budgets, setting high standards and delivering results. Fiona resigned from the Board of DCCI on 02 September, 2020

Breda Fox

Breda was elected to the DCCI Board in September 2020. Breda joined the Galway County & City Enterprise Board (now the Local Enterprise Office Galway) in 2010, and has led the service delivery of the agency since then. During her time in this role, training and advisory supports have increased threefold, and 37 client’s businesses have transitioned to Enterprise Ireland to continue to develop and grow. Prior to joining the Enterprise Board, Breda was Finance Director at The Point (now the 3 Arena) in Dublin throughout the 1990s. During this time, she was also one of the youngest people ever appointed to a state board, serving as a non-executive Director of An Post for five years. Enterprise support work included The Point (now The 3 Arena), Dublin as Finance Director in the 1990’s. In 1999, Breda took on the role of Finance Director of Transitions Optical, and, two years later, became Supply Chain & Customer Service Director for Europe.

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In 2006, Breda started her own business advising start-up and established businesses in the West, including input on projects for locally based multinationals and helped clients with funding, efficiencies, cost-cutting and positioning for growth/recovery. Breda is particularly passionate about the design and craft sector, and works tirelessly to support the sector in her day-to day-working life.

Mairéad McCorley

Mairéad set up the first Cork Craft & Design retail space in 2011 and has been actively involved in many facets of the Irish craft sector over the past 20 years. Developing a business, Silverstone Dimensions Handmade Jewellery, from its inception through the boom and recession has given her first-hand experience of the many challenges of running a craft business. Mairead resigned from the Board of DCCI on 02 September 2020

Our Governance

Mairéad McCorley is a founding member of Cork Craft & Design, a multi-disciplinary group of over 100 members. Within the group she has acted as Treasurer, Administrator and Co-ordinator of Cork Craft Month.

Maeve Murphy

Maeve was elected to the DCCI Board in September, 2020 and brings a wealth of experience to the role, including managerial experience, having had involvement with Local Authority arts offices, national resource organisations and national festivals of international repute. Through establishing an SME, Forest & Flock, and successfully managing it from a vision to a thriving Irish craft and design enterprise, Maeve gained a comprehensive understanding of management, finance, planning and development in business. While working with Cork Craft & Design as the Operations Manager and Programme Coordinator of Cork Craft Month, she gained insight at first-hand into the experience of the many challenges facing small creative industries and start-ups in Ireland today from a makers perspective.

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Over the course of her career, Maeve has fostered relationships with a broad range of individuals, organisations and community groups. She is a dedicated supporter of craft makers and businesses, and believes that networking and sharing ideas helps makers and businesses to develop and compete in today’s global market. Maeve aims to represent small creative industries working in today’s challenging marketplace to continue delivering excellence in Irish Craft to customers and admirers nationally and globally.

John C. O’Connor

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

John C. O’Connor is a Director of Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), whose new city centre campus at Grangegorman will provide potential opportunities for collaboration with Design & Crafts Council Ireland in relation to training, education, hothousing, workshops and exhibition space in the East Quad arts centre which is scheduled to open in September 2020. John is also Dean of the College of Arts and Tourism, and previously served as Head of the Dublin School of Creative Arts. He was responsible for establishing the first professional design practice Masters programme with the Design, Print and Packaging Skillsnet in 2008. Prior to that, he led the development of the only full time honours degree programme to be delivered on an offshore island in Ireland, the BA in Visual Art on Sherkin Island John resigned from the board on 02 September 2020

Mary Palmer

Mary Palmer is a multi award winning maker who both teaches her craft and provides a professional quilting service. She has been involved with Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) for many years, initially as a committee member with the Irish Patchwork Society. Mary is one of the founders of Cork Textiles Network and the cross border initiative, Quilters Guild of Ireland. She has been an active committee member of both and is also active with Cork Craft and Design, a multidisciplinary group for designers and makers based in Cork

Donagh Quigley

Donagh Quigley has a background in traditional music. After finishing a traineeship in thatching in his early 30s, Donagh started out by himself as a thatcher and began growing his own straw. Once the recession hit, he was forced to re evaluate and come up with something new–it needed to be scalable and of benefit to the end user. Donagh and his wife Gemma began creating handmade soap in their kitchen using only natural ingredients, which led to them launching The Handmade Soap Company at Showcase–Ireland’s Creative Expo® in 2010. The Handmade Soap Company now employs 21 people in an upcycled mill in Slane, Co. Meath. The product range has expanded over the years and the company now exports widely. Donagh has extensive real-world experience of building and scaling a craft business

Rachel Quinn

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Rachel Quinn graduated with a Diploma in Fine Art from Sligo IT in 1995 and gained work experience in a variety of contexts before starting her own award-winning ceramics business. A founding member of Made in Sligo, Rachel worked closely with the Sligo Local Enterprise Board and the Sligo Leader partnership to initiate a network of 15 microcraft producers. She has been involved in several projects at local and national level, including festivals, teaching, community-initiated projects and is a member of the Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s CRAFTed programme.

Neil studied ceramics and stained glass at Edinburgh College of Art and, after gaining a post-graduate qualification, he established a studio in Edinburgh. From 1978 – 1980, he was photographer and Supervisor of Cataloguing at Edinburgh City Museums. In 1980, Neil exhibited at the Trinity Arts Workshop. In 1982, he moved to Dublin to take up a position as ceramics lecturer at the National College of Art and Design, becoming Head of Department of Ceramics, Glass and Metals (1987-2010). Over the course of his career, Neil has been Chair of the Royal Dublin Society’s craft competition, the Irish Contemporary Ceramics, and the Golden Fleece Awards. He was also a member of the committee of the Glass Society of Ireland (GSoI) (1993-1998) and the Crafts Council of Ireland (1994-1996). He currently serves on the board of the GSoI. With substantial experience in the sector, Neil also served as an external examiner at the Glasgow and Crawford Schools of Art, and DCCI’s Pottery Skills Course. He sees his DCCI role as an opportunity to support individual makers and help raise the profile of small businesses of quality and excellence at home and internationally.

Our Governance

Neil Read

Neil was elected to the DCCI board in September, 2020. A practising maker with a studio in Dublin, his work is showcased in the National Museum of Ireland, the Office of Publics Works, the Royal Museum of Scotland and the Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute and FuLe International Ceramics Museum, China.

Elaine Riordan

For the past 27 years, Elaine Riordan has been actively involved with craft and design at a local, national and international level. She has been Chair of Ceramics Ireland, an organisation of about 260 members throughout Ireland, since 2009. In this capacity, she organises workshops, curates exhibitions and organises other fundraising activities every year, along with co-ordinating the three-day International Ceramics Festival which happens every two years. Elaine has taught across the disciplines of ceramics, fashion knitwear and textiles, and animation and motion design in Limerick School of Art & Design since 2004. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) and was part of the Local Organising Committee for the International Academy of Ceramics 46th General Assembly that took place in Dublin in 2014. She was also the National Commissioner for European Ceramic Context, Bornholm, Denmark in 2014.

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Elaine resigned from the Board of DCCI on 02 September, 2020.

Edmund Shanahan

Edmund Shanahan specialises in business and product development for the fashion, textiles, craft and retail sectors. His clients include designers, craft makers, retailers, State agencies, blue chip corporations and emerging talent in both the Irish and international marketplaces.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Edmund is Chair of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers and Chair of Showcase Ireland. He lectures on the Retail Ireland Skillnet Retail Management Practice Degree Programme at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). He developed the CREATE project with Brown Thomas to identify and develop Irish designers and makers with the potential to sell in store alongside the world’s leading brands. He is a regular commentator on business and lifestyle issues across various media outlets.

4.3 Our Team Rosemary Steen, Chief Executive 1

Programme Manager

Jennifer Walsh, Executive Assistant to CEO and Data Protection Officer

Ciara Garvey, Development Manager, Collector and Tourism Programmes

John Tynan, Head of Education, Training and Development 2 Aisling Clancy, Education Manager 3 Eimear Conyard, Jewellery Skills & Design Course Manager Seamus O’Donoghue and Lee Harding, Joint Jewellery Skills & Design Course Managers 4 Klaus Hartmann (Independent Contractor) Ceramics Course Technician (p/t) Gus Mabelson, (Independent Contractor) Ceramics Skills & Design Course Manager 5 Klaus Hartmann and Karen Morgan, Ceramics Skills & Design Course Co-ordinators (p/t) 6 Caroline Loughman, Education & Outreach Co-ordinator Amanda Walsh, Education, Training & Development Administrator Marie Wilgaard Kelly (Independent Contractor) Jewellery Course Technician (p/t) Innovation and Development Programmes

Louise Allen, Head of Innovation and Development Programmes 7 Mary Whelan, Client Liaison Officer Nikola Tomić, European Programme Project Manager 8 Shauna Sweeney Innovation Projects Co-ordinator 9

Emma McGrath Trade Development Manager 10 Joanna Sammons, Digital Marketing Manager 11 National Design & Craft Gallery

Susan Holland Exhibition & Programme Curator Brian Byrne, Gallery Co-ordinator Public Affairs and Communications

Susan Brindley, Head of Public Affairs and Communications Ciara Gannon, Communications Officer Deirdre O’Reilly, Communications Manager Operations

Mary Blanchfield, Head of Operations and Company Secretary Julie Jackman, Finance Assistant Nuala McGrath, HR and Corporate Services Manager Notes

1 from 17 February, 2 up to 12 May, 3 from 3 February, 4 maternity cover, from 5 October, 5 up to 4 February, 6 from 3 February, 7 up to 11 September, 8 from 16 November, 9 from 2 November, 10 up to 27 November, 11 from 17 August

DCCI acknowledges the valuable contribution of: Hannah Farrell, Market Development Projects Administrator;

Brian McGee, Market Development Director

Sinead Phelan, NDCG Exhibition & Programme Assistant;

Nicola Doran, Retail Programme Manager

Carrie Lynam, Co-ordinator for CRAFTed.

Mary Dunne, Market Development Officer

We also recognised the contributions of the many short-term contractors who assisted the organisation during the year.

Market Development

Emer Ferran, Business Development

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Our Governance

Education, Training and Development

Executive Team Rosemary Steen, CEO

Rosemary Steen was appointed CEO of the Design and Crafts Council in January 2020. Rosemary came to DCCI after successful team leadership roles with both EirGrid and Vodafone Ireland. Earlier in her career, Rosemary worked with IBEC where she served as Director of the Irish Textiles Federation, and was also a member of the National Economic and Social Council. Rosemary has a MA in Business Studies from UCD, a BA (Moderatorship) from Trinity College Dublin in Economics and Philosophy, and a Diploma in Legal Studies from DIT. Outside of her work with DCCI, Rosemary also works in roles to support inclusion and diversity in the voluntary and education sectors.

116 Brian McGee, Market and Enterprise Development Director

Brian is an honours graduate in Industrial Design from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, and holds an MBA (Hons) from the University of Limerick, along with a diploma in Digital Marketing from the Marketing Institute of Ireland. In his career, Brian has worked in design and marketing roles with leading consumer goods companies, including Newell Brands, Krups and Waterford Crystal. As Market and Enterprise Development Director at DCCI, Brian is responsible for the commercial development of Ireland’s Design and Craft sector, with particular focus on e-commerce and exports growth.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Mary Blanchfield, Head of Operations

Mary joined the Design & Crafts Council Ireland in 1998 as Finance Manager and now leads the Operations Team as Head of Operations since 2014. She is a senior executive tasked with overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the organisation. Mary works closely with the Board of Directors of DCCI as Company Secretary, and she is responsible for overseeing that the company and its directors operate in line with relevant legislation. She is also Company Secretary of Showcase Ireland Events Ltd (DCCI Joint Venture Company), and Showcase Ireland, a wholly owned DCCI subsidiary company. In 2020 as the COVID-19 virus spread across the world, remote working practices were developed and implemented in order to ensure all DCCI employees were operating in a safe manner and in line with government guidelines. Mary was responsible for overseeing the introduction of a range of health and safety measures and processes to minimise the risk of contracting or spreading the virus while continuing to deliver the day-to-day business of the organisation.

Susan Brindley, Head of Public Affairs & Communications

Susan joined DCCI as Head of Public Affairs and Communications in 2009. Susan manages her team in the delivery of the business objectives in support of DCCI’s Strategic Plan. Her team are accountable for developing the Irish Craft Brand, domestically and internationally, through an effective marketing strategy. Susan started her marketing career promoting Irish design and craft, and before joining DCCI, she held several marketing management positions within the software industry in Ireland.

John Tynan, Head of Education, Training & Development (up to 12 May)

John joined DCCI as Head of Education, Training and Development in 2010. He has many years’ experience as a senior inspector of skills training and education. He is an experienced assessor of vocational education in Ireland, prior to joining DCCI he worked across Ireland leading teams for Centre of Excellence status.

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During his time with DCCI, John was responsible for leading and overseeing the DCCI Centre of Excellence Strategy, and implementation of the Centre’s related projects and activities. He retired from his position with DCCI in May 2020.

Louise is a high achiever with excellent communication skills who combines strong leadership with a high level of diplomacy. Louise's core skills include a proven ability to transform concepts and ideas into solutions to meet future needs. This combines with an ability to identify synergies and build relationships with key influencers in a wide range of sectors. Her range of experience includes leadership, strategy development, curation, design and innovation in education and enterprise, stakeholder engagement across Government and the EU and international relations.

Our Governance

Louise Allen, Head of Innovation and Development Programmes

4.4 Our Member Organistaions

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The Crafts Council of Ireland is a Company Limited by Guarantee, trading as Design & Crafts Council Ireland. It comprises member organisations and institutions which share DCCI’s aims and objectives and are involved in the promotion of contemporary and traditional crafts and design. The members of the company include: Subscribers to the Memorandum of Association (also known as founder members)

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Unincorporated Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) which the Board admits to membership Bodies corporate which the Board admits to membership

Founding Members

DCCI had four founding members: Patsy Duignan (RIP) Mary V. Mullin Blanaid Reddin (RIP) Betty Searson (RIP) In addition to the four founding members, as at 31 December 2020, DCCI had 12 Corporate Members, 23 Member Organisations by Discipline and 24 Member Organisations by Region.

Crawford College of Art and Design Irish Countrywomen’s Association Limerick School of Art and Design Na Píobairí Uilleann National College of Art and Design New Ross Needlecraft Limited (The Ros Tapestry)

The Leitrim Design House West Cork Arts Centre West Cork Craft & Design Guild Member Organisations – by Discipline

Blackstack Studios Ceramics Ireland Contemporary Tapestry Artists (CTA)

National University of Ireland, Maynooth

Council of Irish Fashion Designers

Royal Dublin Society

Feltmakers Ireland

School of Art, Design and Printing at Dublin Institute of Technology

Filament Fibre Artists

St Angela’s College

Guild of Irish Lacemakers

University of Ulster

Handweavers Guild of Cork

Member Organisations – by Region/Other

Association of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) Benchspace Cork Bridge Street Studios Ceardlann, Spiddal Craft and Design Studios Clare Crafts Cork Craft & Design (CAD) Cork Textile Network Group Craft Granary Donegal Designer Makers FORM Designmade In Carlow Headford Lace Project Inside Craft Louth Craftmark Designers Network MADE in Kilkenny Made in Sligo Made in Westmeath Making (Irish Craft Discussion Forum) Offaly Crafty Original Kerry South Wexford Craft Network The Design Tower

Glass Society of Ireland

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Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) Irish Artist Blacksmiths Association (IABA) Irish Basketmakers Association (IBA) Irish Guild of Embroiderers Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Irish Patchwork Society Irish Society of Stage and Screen Designers (ISSSD) Irish Woodturners’ Guild Mountmellick Development Association Ltd. Peannairí Society of Cork Potters The Quilters Guild of Ireland Traditional Lace Makers of Ireland No new member organisations joined DCCI in 2020, two were removed.

Our Governance

Corporate Members

4.5 Our Committees Note: Figures in brackets below indicate the number of committee and sub-committee meetings the Directors were eligible to attend and how many they actually attended during the year ended 31 December 2020. Each committee and sub-committee reports to the Board after each meeting. Audit and Finance Committee

120

The role of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee is to support the Board in relation to its responsibilities for issues of risk, control and associated assurance. It ensures the internal control systems, including audit activities, are monitored actively and independently. Fiona Deegan – Committee Chair

(4/4)

Paul McKeown

(4/4)

Mairéad McCorley

(4/4)

Rosemary Steen

(2/2)

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Nominations Committee

The role of the Nominations Committee is to regularly review the structure, size and composition (including the balance of skills, experience, independence, knowledge and diversity, including gender) of the Board, and make recommendations to the Board with regard to any changes. Elaine Riordan - Committee Chair (8/8) Mary Palmer

(8/8)

Donagh Quigley

(8/8)

Strategy Development Sub-Committee

This Sub-Committee is convened by DCCI to review and assist the implementation and delivery process of the DCCI’s current Strategic Plan. Andrew Bradley Sub-Committee Chair

(5/5)

Fiona Deegan

(5/5)

John C. O’Connor

(5/5)

Rosemary Steen

(4/4)

Culture & Community Sub-Committee

This sub-committee works with the DCCI team to assist and review the activities and programmes (where relevant) which support the cultural and social value of craft. The focus of the sub-committee is to represent DCCI members and recognise the wider impacts and values of the craft sector. Mary Palmer – Sub-Committee Chair

(6/6)

Rachel Quinn

(5/6)

Elaine Riordan

(6/6)

Mairéad McCorley

(6/6)

Commercialisation Sub-Committee

This sub-committee is convened by DCCI to take oversight of, approve and review the commercial development of DCCI programmes and activities. Eddie Shanahan Sub-Committee Chair

(4/4)

Donagh Quigley

(4/4)

Rachel Quinn

(4/4)

Client & Member Support Taskforce Committee

This Taskforce Committee was convened in March 2020 as part of DCCI’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Mary Palmer – Chair

(25/25)

Paul McKeown

(16/25)

Donagh Quigley

(21/25)

Edmund Shanahan

(25/25)

Rosemary Steen

(23/25)

Joint Venture Company Showcase Ireland Events Ltd. Board

121

Edmund Shanahan – Chair Mary Blanchfield Company Secretary Tony Donegan Gerry Murphy Brian McGee Subsidiary Company Showcase Design & Crafts Fair CLG

Edmund Shanahan – Chair Mary Blanchfield – Company Secretary Sean Davis – Enterprise Ireland Rachel Quinn Patrick McHugh

Our Governance

Donagh Quigley

Image: View of Curious Treasures at Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s National Design & Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny.

Design & Crafts Council Ireland

122

123

Design & Crafts Council of Ireland

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Financial Statements For the financial year ended 31 December 2020 Crafts Council of Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee t/a Design & Crafts Council Ireland

DCCI Annual Report 2020

Articles inside

About Design & Crafts Council Ireland

Our Strategy 2017 – 2020

1 Chair and Chief Executive’s Report

Our Vision and Our Mission