Cork Craft & Design, Ireland’s largest social enterprise for Craftmakers has announced the launch of Cork Craft Month 2023, opening with a Craft Fair in the Marina Market, Cork, on Friday July 28th, with events taking place throughout the month of August.
Cork Craft Month will unveil its full 2023 programme at the opening Craft Fair in the Marina Market in Cork July 29th - 30th, showcasing some of the best in contemporary Irish craft.
With a diverse line-up of over 79 workshops and exhibitions, the programme of events will include master classes, artist talks, trails and demonstrations, all available to explore throughout the month of August, in coordination with August Craft Month.
The opening Craft Fair at the Marina Market will bookmark the beginning of this year’s craft month, celebrating with local artists, crafters and makers, introducing guests to the month ahead with insight into upcoming events to be held across three main locations; Benchspace studio in Cork City, Kilcoe Studio in Ballydehob, and Greywood Arts in Killeagh.
Cork Craft Month’s event calendar is set to incorporate both physical and virtual events, along with free ISL activities, presenting endless opportunities for people of all abilities to enjoy the best of Cork’s local artisan crafts.
Throughout August, a number of core events will be hosted across the county, including Interwoven, an exhibition displaying and celebrating the best of Cork Craft and Design members at the Old Mill Library in Kinsale. This exhibition speaks to the deep connections between Irish craft and design and the society in which they are created.
The Gallery @ No.46 on Grand Parade will host a returning exhibit called Emerge, centred around up-and-coming Cork crafters. This exhibition will include graduating students from MTU Crawford College of Art and Design, Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, St John’s Central College, Kinsale College and Skibbereen College of Commerce.
Cork Craft & Design’s member shop at St Patrick’s Mills in Douglas will also be open, where visitors can purchase handcrafted items ranging from woodwork and ceramics to glass and textiles, while Douglas Village Shopping Centre will be the setting for the celebration of works made by Cork-based makers committed to creating exceptional, functional items, central to home-life. In addition, the highly acclaimed ‘On the Pigs Back’ café, also at St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, will play host to a beautiful selection of local craft pieces, displayed in celebration of Cork Craft Month, and available for purchase.
The full programme of events will be available from July 24th on www.corkcraftanddesign.com
