Design & Crafts Council Ireland announces Future Makers 2024 winners

Tuesday, 3rd September 2023: Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) today announced the 24 winners of the Future Makers Awards 2024. Established in 2009, Future Makers is a DCCI initiative which recognises talent, potential and creativity. It is a platform to showcase the talent of the next generation of makers, designers, and craftspeople to take the step from training into enterprise and it provides them with much-needed financial support. With a total awards value of €25,000, it is one of the largest prize-funded design and craft award programmes in Europe.

The 2024 Overall Emerging Maker Winner was announced as mixed media constructor Paola di Legge from Co. Dublin, while woodturner Martin Ryan from Co. Tipperary took home the Sustainable Design Award for 2024. Meanwhile, in the student and recent graduates’ category, furniture maker Diane Best from Co. Mayo was announced as the Overall Student Winner. The full list of winners from this year’s awards can be found below.

This year’s competition saw an impressive range of entries from all around Ireland, with each one demonstrating a unique approach to creating beautiful and functional works of art. From furniture and fashion design to ceramics and glassblowing, the shortlisted makers represent the most innovative and creative young designers and makers in Ireland, spanning both student and emerging practitioner categories.

Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said: “The Future Makers Awards highlights the incredible talent and innovation within Ireland’s design and craft sectors. For the past 15 years, the government’s ongoing support of these awards has been instrumental in nurturing the next generation of designers and craftspeople, providing them with the recognition and financial support necessary to further develop their talent. This commitment underscores our dedication to the growth and sustainability of Ireland’s design and craft industries. The diversity and quality of the work this year not only showcases the extraordinary potential of our emerging talent but also reflects the bright future of Irish craftsmanship that we are proud to invest in and support.”

Mary Blanchfield, Interim CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said “We are delighted to announce the winners of Future Makers 2024, an initiative that recognises students and emerging makers that are championing design across Ireland. The level of talent across all categories and awards was very high this year and it was a difficult decision for the judges involved. This year’s winning entries have demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity, and they represent the future of Irish craft, making and design and rewards vision, innovation, and excellence in both making and the creative design process among students and emerging makers”.

Future Makers judge and Irish fashion designer, Anneliese Duffy Fallon, said: “It’s an honour to serve as a judge for the Future Makers Awards 2024 and to witness firsthand the extraordinary talent and creativity emerging from Ireland’s design and craft sectors. This initiative is a vital platform that recognises and empowers the next generation of makers and designers, providing them with the support they need to transition from education to enterprise. The diversity and innovation showcased by this year’s winners is truly inspiring, and I’m confident that they will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Irish design and craftsmanship.”

Award winners from 2023 include ceramicist, Cora Cummins; fashion designer, Olwen Bourke; and ceramicist, Paul Griffin. Award winners over previous years who have gone from strength to strength, in many cases on international stages, include fashion designer Michael Stewart of Standing Ground; ceramicist, Chloe Lennon; jeweller, Genevieve Howard; fashion designers, Natalie B. Coleman and Sorcha O’ Raghallaigh; designer-maker, Úna Burke; furniture designer, Simon Doyle, ceramic artist, Kate O’Kelly; and ceramic artist and educator Owen Quinlan, amongst many others.

The judges for this year’s Future Makers include Victoria Donovan a silversmith with almost 40 years of experience; Irish fashion designer, owner of The Linen Shirt Company and founder of Fashion Connect Ireland, Anneliese Duffy Fallon; Katie Dominy, Co-Founder & CEO of Arts Thread and The Global Creative Graduate Show; Fiona Sheehan, an entrepreneur and brand owner with over 25 years of experience in the design, manufacturing, wholesale, and distribution of Irish-made products; and  Belén Llamas-Ferrier, an apprentice of André Buchs’s and an expert in antique frames and techniques, as well as in the design of contemporary frames.

For further information on Future Makers, visit https://www.dcci.ie/dcci-future-makers/

ENDS