Five-year strategy to boost Carlow’s craft and creative sector to be launched
Image via Carlow Enterprise Office
A new five-year strategy aimed at strengthening creative enterprise across County Carlow will be unveiled at a lunchtime event in Carlow town tomorrow, Tuesday 7 July.
Carlow County Council will launch the Craft & Creative Industries Enterprise Strategy 2026–2030 at Teach Dolmain, Tullow Street, with the event running from 12.30pm to 2pm.
The launch will also see the announcement of an upcoming programme of supports for makers and creatives, including two trade missions and new academies designed to build business skills among those working in the creative sector.
The council has described the launch as “a great opportunity to bring Carlow’s craft and creative community together”, and said it is open to craftspeople, designers, creative entrepreneurs and anyone with an interest in the county’s creative future.
The event is free of charge and a light lunch will be provided. Registration is through the Local Enterprise Office Carlow website at localenterprise.ie/carlow.
Separately, Carlow County Council Arts Office has announced two new opportunities for artists living and working in the county, supported by Local Enterprise Office Carlow through the Hands Across Generations programme, which is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
The first is an open call for visual artists to avail of a three-month mentoring opportunity focused on the conceptual, curatorial and material development of an existing project. Artists are invited to submit an outline of a clearly defined project or area of practice such as a body of work, exhibition concept or publication, with the aim of completing the programme with a strengthened project proposal and a clear plan for submission. The closing date for applications is 13 August 2026 at 12 noon.
The second is an open call for artists and facilitators of all genres to join a panel for Carlow County Council. The panel is intended to provide a fair and transparent means of selecting artists and facilitators for opportunities that arise from time to time within the council. Successful applicants will also be offered continuing professional development opportunities, including expert advice in areas such as finance and tax for artists. Applications for the panel are accepted on a rolling basis.
The Arts Office said a key aim of the open calls is to foster a supportive environment for artists at all stages of their careers, ensuring they can “live, work and thrive in Carlow”, in line with the first pillar of the county’s Strategic Arts Plan, Arts for a Flourishing Carlow.
Full application details and forms are available through Carlow County Council’s online consultation portal, and queries can be emailed to artsservice@carlowcoco.ie.
