Design & Crafts Council Of Ireland Future Makers Awards

Last week designers, craftspeople, Future Makers Award winners and fans of Irish design gathered in the Liquor Rooms, Dublin for the presentation ceremony of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland Future Makers Awards & Support Programme. At the ceremony, Irish fashion designer Nathalie B Coleman, a previous winner and member of this year’s judging panel, presented the 27 emerging designer-makers with their awards including student fashion designer Alanna Plekkenpol who was awarded this year’s overall Future Makers Student Award.

Divided into student and practitioner categories, Future Makers Awards & Supports promote and distinguish imaginative use of skills and excellence in design for creative students and graduates at a critical stage in their career. The 2015 winners, who represent a broad range of disciplines from practitioners and students throughout the country, were chosen for their experimentation, quality of making and imaginative use of skill. The 2015 selection panel featured Gregory Epps, international designer and founder of RoboFold, fashion designer and former Future Makers award winner Natalie B. Coleman and internationally renowned basket maker Joe Hogan. With a total prize fund of over €25,000, Future Makers Awards & Supports is one of the biggest award programmes in Europe for students and emerging makers. The annual programme rewards the next generation of Irish creatives, helping them develop an exciting future in the craft and design industry. The announcement comes during a pivotal year for Irish creativity as the year long government backed initiative Irish Design 2015 promotes and celebrates Irish design talent both in Ireland and internationally.