16th December 2016
Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter details the activities and achievements of the landmark Government-backed initiative promoting Irish design at home and around the world.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, today officially launched Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter, a report on the Government-backed Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) initiative convened by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland throughout 2015 on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.
The aim of ID2015, which emerged as an idea from the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2013, was to bring visibility to Ireland’s dynamic design businesses, supporting them in trading in competitive foreign markets and ultimately creating jobs at home. The programme saw Irish design and designers being celebrated and promoted both at home and in prestigious partner venues in international capitals of design and commerce in order to drive job creation, grow exports and increase competitiveness.
Key outcomes of ID2015 include:
· 476 Irish designers/companies showcased internationally
· 6486 Irish designers/companies showcased on the island of Ireland
· 370 new design businesses registered in Ireland during 2015
· Over 17,000 designers receiving training
· Over 1,500 business professionals receiving design training
· 80+ corporate and strategic partnerships created
Commenting on the publication, Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “Irish Design 2015 showcased to the world the wealth of design talent we have across the island of Ireland. The landmark initiative demonstrated the economic impact of supporting, developing and raising awareness of the Irish design sector. The impressive programme of events and activities clearly demonstrated the benefit of supporting creative communities, and highlighted how user-centred design can generate economic impacts and improve people’s lives. I look forward to working with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland along with other Government departments and agencies in building on the achievements of ID2015. Continued support for our design capability and performance will yield new export sales, create quality jobs all around Ireland and boost Ireland’s international creative brand.”
Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter offers a comprehensive examination of the year, including:
· a series of essays by key participants
· spotlight reports on various projects mounted throughout the year
· group discussions featuring leading Irish and international figures from the sector
· an analysis of the impact of the year’s activities
The ID2015 programme and the work of Irish designers achieved extensive international coverage last year, including features with prestigious titles such as The New York Times, Monocle, Icon, Dezeen, Marie Claire Italy and Elle Decoration. Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland says there has been a surge in recognition and appreciation internationally for the quality, diversity and provenance of work emerging from Ireland but momentum needs to be maintained in order to reap the benefits of ID2015 and ensure a lasting legacy from last year’s initiative.
“With continued support and investment in design and working with public and private partners in the ongoing development of the craft and design sector, ID2015 will have succeeded in being a catalyst for significant change in Ireland’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and in creating vital employment opportunities over the years to come. ID2015 demonstrated to the world the vibrancy and diversity of design and craft practice in Ireland. Key priorities going forward will include developing export markets for design-focused Irish companies, addressing the impacts of Brexit as they unfold, and working with partner organisations and Government in encouraging the strategic use of design for the benefit of society and our economy as a whole,” said Ms. Hennessy.
According to Ms. Hennessy, Ireland’s creative sector is now engaging at a much higher level as a result of the many ID2015 initiatives launched last year, with numerous partnerships established between the design and business communities, creating opportunities for collaborations going forward.
“Delivering the comprehensive programme of events and activities last year would not have been possible without the incredible support across Government departments and agencies and the enthusiastic involvement of a large number of strategic partners, both nationally and internationally, all of which were central to the successful implementation of ID2015. We now need to ensure supports are in place for the ongoing development of design in Ireland. We have so many design-focused companies right across the country that have the ambition and capability to compete and win in competitive international markets,” concluded Ms. Hennessy.
Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter is available to purchase online from Amazon.co.uk and Maven as well as from the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) for €15.00 plus postage and packaging.
As a follow-up to the successful delivery of ID2015, the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland was mandated by Government to work with relevant partner organisations in commencing the development of a design strategy for Ireland. DCCoI has been leading a consultation process working with an advisory group of industry representatives and stakeholders. The resulting consultation paper is due to be completed for submission to Government in the coming weeks and will inform plans for developing Ireland’s design capability and for encouraging design thinking across all sectors.
Ends
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Tara Walsh - tara@elevate.ie / Emer Igbokwe - emer@elevate.ie
About Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter
Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter offers a comprehensive examination of the year of Irish design, a major Government-backed initiative that explored, promoted and celebrated Irish design through events and activities on the island of Ireland and in renowned international capitals of design and commerce. Through a series of essays by key participants in the initiative, spotlight reports on the different projects mounted throughout the year, and group discussions featuring leading Irish and international figures from the sector, Making Design Matter captures the why and the how of the landmark initiative that was Irish Design 2015 (ID2015). It presents a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the impact of the year’s activities, alongside statistics representing the economic footprint of the design sector in Ireland.
ID2015 was pioneering in its target-focused approach to making design matter, with the result that this is the first ever quantitative analysis of the impact of design activity mounted on this scale. Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter is an invaluable tool and reference for designers, educators, policymakers and entrepreneurs, acting as an authoritative record of the activities and achievements of, and participants in, a truly significant moment for Irish design.
Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter was edited by Professor Alex Milton, ID2015 Programme Director, Karen Hennessy, CEO of ID2015 and DCCoI, and Rachel Donnelly, ID2015 Content Editor. The publication is available to purchase online from Amazon.co.uk and Maven as well as from the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) for €15.00 plus postage and packaging.
About Irish Design 2015
Through a year-long programme of events and activities exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design both in Ireland and internationally, Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) showcased the very best of Irish design in order to drive job creation, grow exports and increase competitiveness. ID2015 saw design installations, conferences, exhibitions, talks and more take place on the island of Ireland and at high-profile global design events in London, Paris, Eindhoven, Milan, New York, Chicago and Hong Kong/Shenzhen. ID2015 was convened by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI), in collaboration with partner organisations, on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland. ID2015 partners included: Founding Partners –MCO Projects; Accommodation Partners – The Doyle Collection; Venue Partners – OPW; Exhibition Partners – DAA; Transport Partners – Bus Éireann Expressway; Construction Partners – SISK; and Technology Partners – IBM. www.irishdesign2015.ie
About the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland
The Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) is the main champion of the design and craft industry in Ireland, fostering its growth and commercial strength, communicating its unique identity and stimulating quality design, innovation and competitiveness. DCCoI's activities are funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation via Enterprise Ireland. DCCoI currently has 64 member organisations and over 3,200 registered clients. www.dccoi.ie
Tara Walsh
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