Galway Design week explores and celebrates creativity with GMIT

A special open forum on Design and Creative Enterprise will be held in GMIT’s Centre for the Creative Arts and Media tomorrow, 4 November, from 2 to 5pm.

Design and Creative Enterprise in the West is an interactive discussion which will focus on the future potential of design in the West of Ireland. It will explore creative industries in terms of networking, commercialisation and technology.

Key topics include the role of design and designers in cultivating a creative landscape in the West and methods of communicating design, creativity, quality and innovation. It will cover the creation of outstanding design by utilising and exploiting new technologies and pathways for building network, and will  also explore international market potential for design and creative enterprise.

The speakers for this forum are Marc O’Riain, President, Institute of Designers of Ireland, John Tynan, Head of Education, Training and Development, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, Patricia McCrossan, Managing Director, Golden Egg Fashion Innovation Awards, Leon Butler, Chairman, Design Network West, and Paddy Tobin, Head of the Centre for Creative Arts and Media, GMIT.

 

Immediately following the forum, the Centre for Creative Arts and Media at GMIT will launch a new programme in Creative Enterprise with full funding from the Springboard programme. This course provides a range of new venture skills for aspiring creative entrepreneurs as well as real-life project challenges and the integration of industry and practitioner guest speakers and contributors.

Dr Paddy Tobin, Head of the GMIT Centre for Creative Arts & Media (CCAM) says: "This is a very exciting time for Design and Creative activity in Galway and the West. For example, the energy and expectation surrounding the Capital of Culture bid is typical of the positivity generally in the creative sector in the west. In CCAM we have a new programme in Creative Enterprise starting this week, and we are developing new undergraduate programmes in Design and Design & Technology and a new postgraduate programme in Creative Practice. We are also developing a Creative Enterprise Hub and a Creative Pathways support framework to provide flexibility and options for students and support for graduates towards international internships and enterprise startup. The design and creative sector has enormous potential in the West and festivals like Galway Design Week and organisations like Design Network West will help realise that potential."

A major feature of this programme and outcome for participants is the development of a full business plan for creative enterprise. This programme was developed in consultation with Design Network West, who are involved in supporting and mentoring all course participants.

Galway Design Week is an annual festival that showcases Galway’s dynamic and diverse culture of design, providing an opportunity to experience the unique footprint our region has on national and international design practice. For more information on Galway Design Week, which runs right through to 8 of November, go to www.galwaydesignweek.com