Breda Fay new GANS representative from Felt makers Ireland recently attended on March 7th (10am – 4.30PM) a meeting by DCCoI for GANs
(Membership organisations that are associated with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) include Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS)
Here is report of the day including information you may find useful including some items you may want to action.
Submissions are currently being invited to Heritage 2030: guilds or individual craftspeople are encouraged to make a submission. The policy apparently has quite a wide remit and deals quite well with heritage in general – buildings, landscapes, etc but it is worrying that there is little mention of Craft, especially traditional crafts. The closing date has been extended to 31st March hoping that there will be a lot more. The remit is quite wide (environment/ buildings/etc.) but has little mention of Craft especially traditional crafts.
Felt makers Ireland members are asked to submit individually to the above- you can do so at the following link:heritageireland2030
There was Discussion on ways to promote and celebrate excellence in Craft and Design – Awards V Distinction; traditional Skill V Creativity; Submission and Refusal; Adjudication – cost and relevance (peers/ other disciplines/ expert); Value of exhibitions in encouraging new involvement V showcase of own craft (commercial value?) Interdisciplinary practice; Value of Dublin = accessibility V Touring exhibition.
The Eurpean Artistic days are set for 7th-10th April. In association with this Felt makers Ireland will hold its usual Sunday Session on Sunday 14th. Helene Dooley will take us through the making of felt with multiple resists. The theme of this year’s European Artistic days is “to promote know how, inherited from yesterday but reinvented today”. Felting which is one of the oldest crafts in society was used to provide the very basics of clothing and shelter, is now emerging as a luxury craft as well as a medium for visual artists.
Dccoi announced the Opening of Tyrone Guthrie Centre Monaghan for 2 Craft residencies- please contact them if interested.
The Council of Irish Fashion & GANS collaboration project was discussed (Anthologies Magazine – blacksmith and fashion) there will be further discussion at meeting (4th April)
Making.ie a new website, the DCCOi have found their magazine was no longer viable – so without this traditional medium to showcase work, it was decided to adapt to the new media of Web page/ Instagram/ twitter. With an Aim to provide a catalogue of craft ideas and initiatives.
We have added this link to our “Community resources “page and we will keep in touch with them in an effort to liaises and promote Felt maker Ireland events.
Ben Elliot from UCD School of Architecture is investigating societies of the past from their material remains: some interesting public seminars. All are Welcome – April 18th 12.00-1300 Barry Raftery Seminar Room Ardmore Annex UCD “CRAFT: HOW TRADITIONAL CRAFTS ARE ABOUT MORE THAN JUST MAKING” benjamin.elliott@ucd.ie this could really apply to felt making and Ben would be interested in talking to members and makers.
NIVAL (National Irish Visual Arts Library) – Renata Pekowska any archival material – pictures/ catalogues/ advertisement/ photos/ your own items of craft and their stories – new premises in NCAD by summer.
Feltmakers Ireland has been lucky to receive funding from DCCoI. With this funding we were able to host a Masterclass in September 2017 with interior architects and felt designers Claudio Varone and Anneke Copier in Farmleigh, Phoenix Park.
We look forward to continued association with the Design Crafts Council.
Feltmakers Ireland 