Future Makers is a Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) initiative recognising talent, potential and creativity. It aims to support the next generation of makers, designers and craftspeople to take the step from training into enterprise. Divided into student and emerging practitioner categories and covering a wide range of disciplines, it is one of the largest prize-funded award programmes in Europe.

Emerging maker category criteria:

Currently in post-graduate studies in a craft or design discipline or graduated from full-time study between 2-6 years ago at the date of entry to Future Makers. And/or have established a craft or design enterprise in the past 6 years. Proof of education history, self-employed status or company incorporation will need to be supplied.

For more information, visit Future Makers.

Note: Pathway to the RDS Craft Awards 2024

Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s Future Makers Awards is the qualifying competition for the RDS Craft Awards. RDS Craft Awards offers five x €10,000 bursaries for emerging Irish craft makers. To be eligible to apply for the RDS Craft Awards, emerging makers must have received a Future Makers Award in the preceding year. 

For more information, please visit the RDS website