Design Week will examine the global impact of the Kilkenny Design Workshops

Following on from the success of Design Kilkenny last year, Kilkenny County Council is again staging an Irish Design Week event in November to examine the global impact and continuing influence of the Kilkenny Design Workshops.

Kilkenny County Council is staging a conference on Friday, November 17 as part of Irish Design Week 2023. The event will examine the influence of Kilkenny Design Workshops on business, academia and the creative arts – an influence that continues to this day.

This event takes place in the Parade Tower of Kilkenny Castle between 9.15am and 1.30pm and is a booking only event, with tickets free of charge.

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The first part of the conference sees Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart present Cartoon Saloon’s Folklore Trilogy at an exhibition opening on November 17 in the National Design and Crafts Gallery.

This exhibition is a celebration of Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon’s Academy Award®nominated modern animated classics which comprise the Irish Folklore Trilogy - The Secret of Kells (2009), Song of the Sea (2014) and WolfWalkers (2020).

All three films weave folklore and mythology into the narrative, creating a deep connection between the characters, their adventures, and the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

The second part includes key note addresses from Holger Strøm and Nora Twomey followed by a panel discussion and a questions and answers session. Celebrated Danish designer Holger Strøm spent three years as a staff designer in KDW between 1970 & 1973.

Co-founder and Creative Director of Cartoon Saloon Nora Twomey will speak and illustrate the story and evolution of Cartoon Saloon.

Event MC, Richard Curran will then chair a panel discussion including design historian, consultant and senior lecturer in Design and Visual Culture at IADT, Dr. Linda King; senior lecturer in design at the TU Dublin, School of Art & Design Robert Tully; artist and creator at Nicholas Mosse and guardian of Kilfane Waterfall and Garden Susan Mosse; co-founder and creative director of

Cartoon Saloon IFTA winner and Academy Award®, Emmy and Bafta nominee Paul Young and senior vice president, Fidelity Investment Aidan Kenny.

Closing remarks will be by Mary V Mullin, chairman of the Sir Misha Black Awards for Distinguished Services to Design Education.

Aileen McGrath, Acting Head of Enterprise in Kilkenny County Council explained the background ot the Kilkenny Design Workshops.

“Kilkenny Design Workshops initially set up to create an Irish solution to an Irish problem – has had a global impact and continues to influence Kilkenny’s global brand today. This event is an opportunity to showcase Kilkenny’s design legacy and how this legacy is alive in Kilkenny today, the event will examine this influence across business, academia and the creative arts. We want to showcase Kilkenny Design Workshops to encourage entrepreneurship and expansion across all sectors”.
Design Week Ireland 2023 is funded by the Department of Enterprise Trade & Employment through DCCI.

For more information visit www.belongkilkenny.ie