Today, Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) announced the shortlists for Future Makers 2026 and the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award 2026. Future Makers is a Design & Crafts Council Ireland initiative which recognises the talent of the next generation of makers, designers, and craftspeople looking to take the step from training into enterprise and provides them with much-needed financial support. The David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award supports master craftspeople in later stages of their careers, recognising years of dedication, outstanding contribution, and the potential to continue shaping their craft through the support of a new project.
Both the Future Makers 2026 and David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award 2026 winners will be announced at a ceremony taking place on Wednesday, 9th September in the Dining Hall in Trinity College, Dublin. Both awards showcase DCCI’s commitment to and investment in supporting craftspeople at every stage of their careers, whether they are just starting out or long established.
Divided into student and emerging practitioner categories, Future Makers covers a wide range of disciplines. It is one of the largest prize-funded design and craft award programmes in Europe, with each winner receiving a mentoring package valued at €1,000 in addition to the award. In total, Future Makers 2026 will offer an award fund of €63,000.
The David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award honours the legacy of film maker, David Shaw-Smith, whose Hands documentary series captured the skill, heritage, and spirit of Irish craftspeople. The winner of this year’s David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award will receive €5,000. In addition to this, the five shortlisted makers will each receive €2,000 in project support funding, bringing the total support to €15,000, which will strengthen sector impact and opportunity.
This year, the judges for the Future Makers awards include:
- Michael Stewart, the Irish Couturier behind Standing Ground. Michael is known for his sculptural silhouettes worn by global figures such as Beyoncé and Florence Pugh and was named the Emerging Maker Winner in DCCI’s 2022 Future Makers Awards.
- Julia Ravenscroft, a curator specialising in contemporary craft and design, working with DCCI on national and international exhibitions including Ireland’s presentation at Collect.
- Leah Capaldi, a London-based artist celebrated for her pioneering work at the intersection of sculpture and performance with exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery, ICA London, and Matt’s Gallery.
- Brankica Zilovic, a Paris-based textile artist whose work spans drawing, embroidery, and large‑scale textile installations exploring memory, mapping, and materiality. She exhibits internationally and teaches at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD).
- Jack Doherty, a master potter renowned for his soda-fired porcelain vessels and innovative single-firing technique. Former Lead Potter at the Leach Pottery, he has exhibited internationally for over five decades.
The judges for the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award 2026 are:
- Mary Gallagher, an Irish curator and former director of the Blue Egg Gallery, known for championing contemporary craft across ceramics, textiles, wood, and glass. She has curated major exhibitions including Bravura (2024), strengthening national visibility for Irish makers.
- Peter Young, a Dublin-based stained-glass artist trained at Central Saint Martins, with public and private commissions throughout Ireland and the UK. His work is represented in national collections, and he has lectured at NCAD for over twenty years. He won the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award 2025.
- Daniel Shaw-Smith, a painter and printmaker who’s figurative, narrative work has been exhibited widely in Ireland and the UK. He has contributed to preserving and promoting the legacy of his father, filmmaker David Shaw-Smith.
Mary Blanchfield, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said: “Supporting our creative talent at every stage of their journey is vital for the future of Irish craft and design. This year’s shortlisted makers across the Future Makers Awards and David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award showcase the exceptional breadth, creativity and skill within Ireland’s craft and design community. Across a diverse range of disciplines, the shortlisted makers demonstrate a deep respect for traditional craft skills and a bold approach to contemporary making, with work that is innovative, considered and highly accomplished. Together, they reflect the strength of Ireland’s craft and design talent today, from established makers whose practice has helped shape the sector to the emerging practitioners bringing fresh ideas and new perspectives to its future.”
Future Makers judge Leah Capaldi, said: “DCCI’s Future Makers Awards prove that when artists are given time, space and support, creativity thrives. Ireland’s commitment to culture is uniquely inspiring, valuing artists and creative ambition in ways few countries do. The future is in safe hands and it’s proudly, unmistakably Irish.”
Fellow Future Makers judge Brankica Zilovic added: “It was a privilege to discover such ambitious and generous emerging talent. Future Makers celebrates not only making, but also curiosity, experimentation and the courage to imagine differently!”
David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award judges Mary Gallagher, Peter Young, and Daniel Shaw-Smith said: “We were impressed and encouraged by the skill, commitment and adventurous spirit of many of the applications. They do justice to the late David Shaw-Smith, whose passion for Irish craft was unbounded.”
The winners of Future Makers 2026 and the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award 2026 will be announced on Wednesday, 9th September at Trinity College Dublin.
For further information on Future Makers visit https://bit.ly/4qCoksz and for further information on the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award visit https://bit.ly/3SaZeEJ
ENDS
For more information, please contact Eimear Harding, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, DCCI, 083 023 8743 or email [email protected]
For further press information please contact Claire Feely, Emma Kelly, Laura Daly or Eliza Gallagher at Elevate PR, 01 662 5652 or email [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
For press queries regarding Michael Stewart please contact ModusBPCM on [email protected]
Notes to the Editors:
Future Makers Award Shortlist:
Emerging Maker – Discipline – County
- Ailbhe Beatty – Textile Making - Wicklow
- Ashley Shak-Penn – Textile Making – Dublin
- Catreeney Harkin – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Donegal
- Ciarán Gell – Furniture Making – Dublin
- Clodagh Molloy – Jewellery Making – Dublin
- Conor Casey – Musical Instrument Making – Clare
- Eva Lynch – Silversmithing / Hollowware – Wicklow
- Fabio Oliveira – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Cork
- Hannah McGrenera – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Cork
- Liam Stapleton – Musical Instrument Making – Sligo
- Marta Ozog – Ceramics – Dublin
- Michael Murphy – Woodturning – Kildare
- Vinh Truong – Ceramics – Dublin
Students and Recent Graduates – Discipline – County
- Alex Lambe – Fashion Design – Meath
- Anna Cali – Fashion Design – Dublin
- Axel Jordan Nieto Calvino – Furniture Making – Galway
- Camille O’Connell – Textile Making – Waterford
- Chloe Vambeck Courser – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Wicklow
- Cillian Curran – Furniture Making – Galway
- Daniel Fahy – Fashion Design – Dublin
- Eimear Malone – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Carlow
- Ellen Colbert – Fashion Design – Dublin
- Emily Molan – Furniture Making
- Clare Emma Heeran – Furniture Making – Leitrim
- Enda Arcos – Furniture Making – Galway
- Eoghan Prunty – Furniture Making – Wicklow
- Eoin Dalton – Furniture Making – Clare
- Evan O’Toole – Fashion Design – Dublin
- Filip Hrubec – Furniture Making – Galway
- Isabel Robinson – Furniture Making – Kilkenny
- James Murphy – Furniture Making – Dublin
- Kate Murphy – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Galway
- Kc Croucamp – Furniture Making – Galway
- Louis Oakes – Furniture Making – Galway
- Marcus Walshe – Furniture Making – Wicklow
- Mathieu Francois – Furniture Making – Cork
- Naomhan Joyce – Furniture Making – Galway
- Natalia Jastrzembska – Jewellery Making/ Goldsmithing – Dublin
- Patrick Orr – Furniture Making – Dublin
- Peter Baird – Furniture Making – Antrim
- Pierrick Jean – Musical Instrument Making – Dublin
- Rebecca Shotunde – Fashion Design – Dublin
- Roberts Zujans – Fashion Design – Limerick
- Sarah McGath – Fashion Design – Galway
- Shane Commane – Ceramics – Kerry
- Sophie Meleady – Glass Making – Wexford
- Tadas Kasparavicius – Furniture Making – Cavan
David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award Shortlist:
- Maker – Discipline – County
- Bernadette Tuite – Ceramics – Cork
- Shane Holland – Multi-media Sculpture – Meath
- Jane Murtagh – Metalwork – Clare
- Martha Quinn – Stone Sculpture – Sligo
- Stevan Hartung – Furniture Making – Wicklow
- Michael Andrew Ray – Glass / Ceramics – Cork
About Design & Crafts Council IrelandDesign & Crafts Council Ireland is the national agency for craft and design in Ireland, we support designers and makers to develop their businesses in a sustainable way, and advocate for the societal benefits of craft and design. DCCI’s activities are funded by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment via Enterprise Ireland. DCCI currently has 68 member organisations and over 3,500 registered clients.
www.dcci.ie @dccireland
