The world renowned Kilkenny Design Workshops was established opposite Kilkenny Castle in 1963 and this year, coinciding with the Year of the Gathering, celebrated 50 years of pioneering creativity in the heart of our city.

KDW held a unique position as a semi-state design agency and it’s brief was to promote good Irish design and industrial development through design intervention. It brought together the very best international designers to work with the craft and design industry in Ireland.

The Design Workshops also served international companies such as Rosenthal (ceramics), Fieldcrest (textile design) and Apple Computers.

The Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI) who are synonymous with craft excellence and innovation is holding a programme of international craft and design exhibitions, particularly focusing on Scandanavian and Finnish practitioners, in the National Craft Gallery to celebrate the legacy of the Workshops. Accompanying the exhibitions will be two focussed critical seminars, including the imaginatively titled ‘Invading Norsemen’ Seminar and a reunion of former KDW employees.  Exhibitions and events will running over a number of months  and commence in March 2013.

For further details please contact Muireann Charleton at muireann@ccoi.ie