Developing the Northeast Design Cluster

What is the Northeast Creative Conversations programme?

The Northeast Creative Conversations programme is a design sector cluster development programme. Its aim is to assist design practitioners to network and build capacity by enhancing their innovation and digital skills to bring their work to new markets locally, nationally, and internationally.

Which design businesses is it aimed at?

The programme is aimed at design businesses* including industrial design, product / service design, visual communications, graphic design, Ui / Ux (User-interface/User-experience) and interaction design, service design and strategic design.

What’s involved:

The NCC programme will offer design businesses capacity building and networking opportunities. In two phases from May to October 2023

Phase 1 – Design Innovation & Capacity Building (May - July) will include:

• An Innovation & Digital Skills Diagnostic to identify capacity building opportunities.
• Five Product / Service Development Masterclasses
  • NCC Masterclass #1 – Thursday 13^th July at 10am – 12noon – AI For Digital Design with JJ Quinlan – Creative Media, DkIT
  • NCC Masterclass #2 – Thursday 20^th July at 10am – 12noon – Data Driven Design with Elena Rimeikaite – Kooba
  • NCC Masterclass #3 – Thursday 27^th July at 10am – 12noon Designing For Behaviour Change with Padraig Walsh – Changeable Behaviour Solutions
  • NCC Masterclass #4 – Thursday 3^rd August at 10am – 12noon Designing Financial Growth with Jeannette Naughton - Prospero 
  • NCC Masterclass #5 – Thursday 10^th at 10am – 12noon Exporting Design Services with Dominic Southgate – Box Clever Design
• Innovation & New Product / Service Development Mentoring
• On completion of the diagnostic and workshops, mentors will work with businesses to implement and adapt new processes and technologies identified to build capacity in each business.

Phase 2 – Design for Export (Aug – Oct) will include:

• Exploring International Design Markets – Export Half-Day Conference
  • 6^th September, Ballymascanlon Hotel, Dundalk – Register here
• Export Market Development Mentoring
• A Study Visit to an International Trade Fair

Programme Events & Networking

The programme will include a series of network building and collaboration events including:

• Northeast Creative Conversation #1 – Creative Spark – June 23rd, download brochure 

• NCC Conversation #2 - Design Cluster Consultation -

  Venue: Creative Spark, Clontygora Drive, Muirhevnamor, Dundalk, A91 HF77 on Monday 13th November 11am – 1pm with invited guest speaker Mary Doherty, Managing Director, Red Dog creative agency and President of Institute of Designers in Ireland.
  To register your attendance please this Eventbrite link.

• Design Cluster Consultation will focus on identifying the design cluster building opportunities in the region.

There is no cost to your participation, however you can have a significant influence on how the design cluster in the Northeast develops though getting involved.

*Programme participation is open to design sector businesses and must be based in counties Cavan, Louth or Monaghan.

For further information on how to register email: info@leo.monaghancoco.ie

This project is a collaboration between: Creative Spark, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Local Enterprise Offices in the Northeast, Monaghan (Lead Partner), Cavan and Louth & the Creative Ireland Culture Teams