Callout to Tipp’s designers

Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) has opened a national call for designers, studios and organisations to contribute to Irish Design Week 2025 (November 17-21). Proposals for events, exhibitions or talks should reflect this year’s theme: ‘The Ties that Tie, and the Links that Link’.

As part of this open call, funding is available for selected events. Successful applicants will not only receive financial support but will also benefit from nationwide visibility as part of this year’s Irish Design Week campaign.

Now in its fourth year, Irish Design Week is a national celebration of design as experience, connection and innovation, spanning disciplines from fashion and architecture to digital design and sustainable practice.

This year’s theme is inspired by a quote from William (Bill) H Walsh, founder of the Kilkenny Design Workshops (KDW), which this year marks the 60th anniversary of its opening in 1965. KDW was a key influence on Ireland’s modern design identity, helping to inspire some of the most recognisable innovations and brands we see today.

Irish Design Week 2025 will focus on what comes next and how Irish design can lead in areas such as sustainability, technology, storytelling and social impact, while staying rooted in the values of collaboration and craft.

Since its launch in 2022, Irish Design Week has grown into a flagship national event, attracting some of the leading international design voices to Ireland, including Irish-American fashion designer KidSuper, Canadian designer Bruce Mau, Design Museum London CEO Tim Marlow, and climate expert Sir David King.

The ties that tie, and the links that link invites reflection on the many ways design connects us – through ideas, disciplines, generations, and geographies. It speaks to a shared curiosity and a belief in the power of learning together. When people from different disciplines come together with open minds, they create not only innovative work, but also a culture of discovery and mutual growth.

This year, Irish Design Week celebrates that spirit - the ties and links that connect us across disciplines, generations, and borders, and the potential they hold for shaping a better-designed future.

The full programme for this year will be announced in October, with the flagship events once again hosted at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin.

Mary Blanchfield, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said: “Irish Design Week has quickly become a national stage for the power of design as a source of inspiration and as a problem-solving force that can address critical challenges from climate change to housing. In just a few short years, we’ve seen the week bring together remarkable talent, spark collaborations, and influence conversations well beyond the design sector.

“This year’s theme invites designers, studios, and organisations to take part in shaping a future where Irish design continues to innovate, connect, and make an impact at home and internationally.”

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are now open via www.IrishDesignWeek.ie with the deadline for submissions set for 5pm on Friday, September 12.