Tag: Fine Craft

Open Call: August Craft Month – (Un)Bound Exhibition CraftNI Gallery – Belfast

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

CraftNI‘s August Craft Month 2025 exhibition is now accepting applications. Makers are invited to address the contexts of the open call below –

“Do you feel the tug of elements of tradition that are important to you in your craft? Is it the traditional techniques, in use for centuries, that you love to use in a contemporary way? Or is it the traditional values of crafts which are one of your drivers? Co-operation, place, community?

Perhaps you feel released from the bonds of tradition, your chosen discipline enabling you to pursue your ideas freely. Or perhaps you want to turn your creative focus inwards, towards the concept of binding and/or unbinding.”

Deadline for applying: Friday, the 27th of June.

For more information, visit the CraftNI website – https://craftni.org/august-craft-month-exhibition-2025-unbound/

Instagram @augustcraftmonth25 and @craft.ni

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: FORM Designmade in Carlow – 10th Year Anniversary Show

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Green and white poster for FORM Co Carlow 10th anniversary exhibition on the 18th of March, 12-5, at the Granary, Borris House, Co Carlow, R95Y2T1


The 10th Anniversary exhibition of FORM Designmade Carlow will be on the 18th of May, at The Granary, Borris House.

FORM is a group of designers, makers, and craftspeople living and working in the Carlow region of Ireland. Feltmakers Ireland member Leiko Uchiyama is a member of FORM.

When: Saturday, the 18th of May, from 12-5 PM.

Where: The Granary, Borris House, Borris, Co. Carlow, R95 W983

The FORM Anniversary exhibition is supported by Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

The group’s Instagram – @formdesigncarlow

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: European Craft Alliance – 3 Online Talks about the Craft Sector

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ECA Spring Online Program of Events - 12th of March, and the 2nd and 8th of April.

Join the European Craft Alliance (ECA) for a series of individual events that explore the evolving landscape of the craft sector from the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion. One can book for all three or just one event.

‘Unveiling the Potential of the Craft Sector. A Study of Production and Business Opportunities’

Wed, 12 March, 11 AM CET

This event explores the results of the ECA’s latest study, which uncovers over 100 possible opportunities for craftspeople to strengthen their businesses and offers insights into emerging consumer trends and growth strategies. The event will also present a Craft Business Toolkit.
For more info & to book – https://europeancraftsalliance.org/online-presentation-study-unveiling-the-potential-of-the-craft-sector/

‘Understanding the New Technological Context for Craftsmanship’

Wed, 2 Apr 2025, 11 AM CET

This presentation explores integrating digital design and fabrication technologies in the European craft sector. It will highlight the opportunities and challenges faced by craftspeople, including the barriers to adopting new technologies.

For info and to book – https://europeancraftsalliance.org/online-presentation-understanding-the-new-technological-context-for-craftsmanship/

‘Crafting Social: How Creativity and Entrepreneurship Can Foster Social Inclusion’

Tue, 8 April 2025, 11 AM CET

This event explores how the creativity and entrepreneurship inherent in crafts contribute to social inclusion. It explores how various crafts economically empower people with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and other vulnerable groups while supporting mental health and well-being.


For more info & to book – https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ljusg_2DRZWNQv0tFHrV4w#/registration

The European Crafts Alliance’s Instagram – @eca.crafts

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Sharon Wells – Made in Wicklow Makers’ Showcase – Powerscourt House, Enniskerry

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Sharon Wells with her piece
Poster for the month-long Made in Wicklow events

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Sharon Wells is part of the Made in Wicklow makers group and has a piece in the ‘Head, Heart and Hands Showcase’ of 30 craft practioners at the Powerscourt House in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

Sharon’s piece is titled, ‘Portach Álainn/Beautiful Bogland’.

When: Saturday, the 1st to Sunday, the 9th of February, from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Join Sharon for a ‘Day on the Bog’ at a Meet the Maker event at 12 PM this Saturday.

Book via Eventbrite through Made in Wicklow events – https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/meet-the-maker-a-head-heart-hands-series-3941853 There are nine additional Meet the Maker events available for booking during the show.

Instagram: @sharonwellsart @made_in_wicklow @powerscourt_estate

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Reminder: Golden Fleece Award Application Deadline is Friday

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The mission of the Golden Fleece Award is to provide resources for practising contemporary visual artists and makers to innovate and develop their artistic vision. In the previous year, only 20% of the applications received for the Golden Fleece Award were made by craft practitioners. Let’s change that this year!

The annual award supports artists working in all forms of visual, craft and applied arts at critical junctures of their careers. Applicants should reside in, or originally from, the island of Ireland.

Two €10,000 awards will be made in 2025, one in each of the two categories: Visual Art and Craft + Applied Art.

The submission deadline is 5pm on Friday, the 29th of November, 2024.

Note: Just over 240 applications were received for the 2024 Golden Fleece Award – 197 for Category 1: Visual Art and 45 for Category 2: Craft + Applied Art! (This is a much smaller number than applicants to the Arts Council of Ireland’s Agility Award. According to their Twitter/X, “We received a record number of 3,279 applications for our 2024 Agility Award”). 

One can also read the past Golden Fleece Award applications to understand the judging better.

For more information, visit the Golden Fleece Award’s website – https://www.goldenfleeceaward.com/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Events: Butler Gallery Craft Fair 2024 and Meath Made at the Venue

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Feltmakers Ireland aims to share our members’ events: Here is the first of the ‘craft fair season’. Please email your events to feltmakersie@gmail.com

Butler Gallery Craft Fair

This weekend, Feltmakers Ireland Guild member Emily Thompson is participating in the Butler Gallery‘s Craft Fair in Kilkenny, which showcases 30 Irish makers.

Butler Gallery will be filled with handmade, quality Irish craft from makers of ceramics, jewellery, and glass, as well as textiles, wood, metals, and precious metals, along with paper, leatherwork, and mixed media.

CRAFT FAIR WEEKEND OPENING TIMES

Friday, 1st November, 2 PM – 8 PM
Saturday, 2nd November, 10 AM – 5 PM
Sunday, 3rd November, 11 AM – 5 PM

For more information, visit the Gallery’s website – https://www.butlergallery.ie/whats-on/butler-gallery-craft-fair

Meath Made Exhibition at the Venue

Guild member Lucia Errity has artwork in a group show with five other members of the Meath Made collective. The exhibition is at the Venue Theatre in Ratoath, Co Meath, from the 1st of November to the 3rd.

For more information about the exhibition, visit the Meath Made’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/meathmade/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Awards: Golden Fleece Award Application Open

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The mission of the Golden Fleece Award is to provide resources for practising contemporary visual artists and makers to innovate and develop their artistic vision.

The annual award supports artists working in all forms of visual, craft and applied arts at critical junctures of their careers. Applicants should reside in, or originally from, the island of Ireland.

Two €10,000 awards will be made in 2025, one in each of the two categories: Visual Art and Craft + Applied Art.

The submission deadline is 5pm on Friday, the 29th of November, 2024.

Note: Just over 240 applications were received for the 2024 Golden Fleece Award – 197 for Category 1: Visual Art and 45 for Category 2: Craft + Applied Art! (This is a much smaller number than applicants to the Arts Council of Ireland’s Agility award: According to their Twitter/X, “We received a record number of 3,279 applications for our 2024 Agility Award”). One can also read past shortlisted Golden Fleece Award applications to understand the judging better. For example, here is a link to shortlisted artist and tapestry weaver Frances Crowe’s application – https://www.goldenfleeceaward.com/artists/frances-crowe

For more information, visit the Golden Fleece Award’s website – https://www.goldenfleeceaward.com/


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Open Call: Loewe Foundation Craft Prize

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The prestigious Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is now open to applicants. It seeks to acknowledge and support international artisans of any age (over 18) or gender who demonstrate an exceptional ability to create objects of superior aesthetic value. The Foundation aims to highlight craft’s continuing contribution to our time’s culture by identifying work that reinterprets existing knowledge to make it relevant today.

Deadline: 30th of October.

For more information, visit their website – https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2025

For inspiration, visit the impressive archive of the award’s past finalists and winners – https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2024#archive

There is an interactive online exhibition site with behind-the-scenes images for last year’s finalists and winners – https://craftprizeexhibition.loewe.com/

Lastly, other than basketry, there aren’t that many textiles among the past finalists. However, in 2023, Liam Lee was awarded for his needle felted furniture – https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2023#craftprize2023

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Homo Faber 2024 – Venice

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Homo Faber 2024 is a celebration of contemporary craftsmanship curated by the Michelangelo Foundation. This September, weave your way across San Giorgio Maggiore island to see up close more than 800 objects handcrafted by over 400 skilled artisans from 50 countries across the world. The exhibited objects celebrate the key milestones in human life explored in 10 exhibition spaces, which also feature live artisan demonstrations.

When: 1 – 30 September 2024
Where: Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy.

For more information, visit the website – https://homofaber.vivaticket.it/en


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Opportunity: MAKE: GROW: FLOURISH – Craft Business Training Programme

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The World Craft Council of Europe (WCCE) presents MAKE: GROW: FLOURISH, a comprehensive business training programme that understands the specific needs and challenges faced by craft enterprises seeking to expand and thrive within the competitive marketplace.

To foster a trusted environment, this programme will offer a mix of workshops, group discussions, resources, writing and exercises, all designed to help you construct a business plan. This programme provides a unique opportunity for participants to build a peer support network across Europe.

The online training programme will be conducted in English. 30 places are available. 

Programme duration: 25 April – 2 July 2024
Deadline for applications: 1st of April

For more information, visit their website – https://wcc-europe.org/opportunities/call-for-applications-%e2%86%92-makegrowflourish-craft-business-training-programme/


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.