Collect is the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design taking place in Somerset House.
Dates: Friday, 28th February to Sunday, 2nd March, with previews on 26th and 27th February.
This year, 14 artists and makers will represent Ireland at Collect, each a craftsperson in their discipline from woodturning to ceramics.
Collect provides a stimulating environment for art collectors to discover new works. It is a vibrant setting where museums and art advisory acquire for contemporary collections, and where interior designers select work with clients looking to enrich their lives through craft.
Introducing the 14 artists and makers selected for this year’s fair, showcasing fresh talent from Ireland:
Paola Di Legge (Mixed Media Constructing); Martin Ryan (Woodturning); Michael Murphy (Woodturning); Alison Nea (Fashion Design); Edwyn James Hickey (Furniture Making); Darragh Mulryan (Glass Gilder); Katharina Treml (Ceramics); Antonio Bozic (Furniture Making); John Farrell (Furniture Making); Maria Atanackovic (Printmaking); Michael Healey (Furniture Making); Noel Donnellan (Ceramics); Claire Mooney (Silversmith) and Richard Butler (Cabinet Maker).
The featured artists were selected from the winners of DCCI Future Makers awards and graduated fellows from the Homo Faber Fellowship programme duos.
Forty leading galleries, dealers and collectives representing over 400 of the most exciting contemporary artists, will gather at Collect 2025 from over 30 countries from across the globe: UK, Asia, Africa, America, Europe and Middle East.
DCCI, supported by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is working in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Crafts Council UK to display this spectacular exhibition of Irish work in London.
We’re thrilled to announce the exceptional group of Irish artists who will represent Ireland at Collect 2025. This year’s participation marks another milestone in showcasing the incredible talent, creativity, and craftsmanship that Ireland has to offer.
Mary Blanchfield
Interim CEO, Design & Crafts Council Ireland
Mary continued:
“Through our continued collaboration with Crafts Council UK, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, we are proud to further elevate the global presence of Irish design. Collect offers a unique platform for these artists to connect with an international audience, reinforcing the importance of Irish craftsmanship within the global cultural landscape.”
We continue to see the strong representation of Ireland on such a large international stage with a display of exemplary craftsmanship and cross-border and channel collaboration.
This is a key objective of the Government of Ireland’s Global Ireland initiative. It is meaningful at the start of March, the month when we encourage countries all over the world to celebrate all that is Irish. Global Ireland is a government initiative to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint in the period from 2018 to 2025.
This is focused on promoting Irish arts, heritage and culture to new generations and new audiences across the world. Collect offers attendees the opportunity to engage with a line-up of 40 prestigious galleries. Hand-picked by an expert advisory panel, together they will present 400 living artists and their works.
It’s a real pleasure to work on Collect again this year with such a special roster of artists and artisans from my home island. This year’s exhibition will examine the ‘art of making’ as a response to the increasing fragility of our ecosystem, as well as our collective responsibility for preserving and caring for its materials.
Maria McLintock
architecture and design curator, lecturer and writer
Independent architect and design curator, Maria McLintock of the Design Museum London, has designed the exhibition with DCCI.
Maria works as an independent curator at the Design Museum, where she has co-developed the shows David Adjaye: Making Memory (2019), Designs of the Year (2019,2020) and Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers (2020) and worked on The World of Tim Burton (2024).
Maria has worked in a curatorial capacity within the Architecture and Design Department at The Museum of Modern Art, NYX and Ikon Gallery, Birmingham.
