DCCI Announces Launch of New Exhibition ‘From the Ground Up: The Transformation of Irish Clay’ at the National Design & Craft Gallery

Today, Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) announced the launch of From the Ground Up: The Transformation of Irish Clay, a new exhibition taking place at the National Design & Craft Gallery from Saturday, 21st March to Saturday, 18th July 2026.

Bringing together 43 of Ireland’s leading ceramic artists, the exhibition, curated by John Goode, represents over one thousand years of combined creativity and craftsmanship. Collectively, they showcase the strength, diversity, and vitality of Irish ceramics today, with each artist contributing a unique voice and vision. Celebrating technical mastery and innovation across traditional, contemporary, and experimental approaches, the exhibition’s pieces reflect the deep connection between material, maker, and place. Grounded in Irish earth yet open to the world, From the Ground Up: The Transformation of Irish Clay, highlights clay as a medium continually renewed by the imagination and skill of today’s makers.

Mary Blanchfield, CEO, DCCI said: “We’re delighted to welcome ‘From the Ground Up: The Transformation of Irish Clay’ to the National Design & Craft Gallery. The participating artists reflect and position the medium of ceramics as a vital contributor to Ireland’s contemporary design and craft landscape. This exhibition embodies DCCI’s commitment to championing Irish design, celebrating the creativity, skill, and vision of Ireland’s ceramic makers, and the distinct voices, practices, and regional traditions that make Irish ceramics so unique. It highlights DCCI’s ongoing investment in the future education of ceramics, with the launch of applications opening for the new DCCI Academy Ceramics Skills and Design degree course. We celebrate the hard work and dedication of these artists, and we look forward to what the future holds.”

Tracing the evolution of Irish clay from deep local roots to an international presence, the exhibition spans generations and techniques and the artists’ practices embody both continuity and transformation. These ceramic artists have exhibited widely across Ireland internationally, including throughout Europe, the United States, South America, Japan, China, and India demonstrating the global significance of Irish ceramics as a discipline grounded in locality yet engaged in worldwide conversations on art, design, material culture, and sustainability.

John Goode, curator, writer and ceramic scholar added: “Irish ceramics are experiencing a remarkable moment. This exhibition celebrates artists who are pushing clay into new territories of meaning, form, and expression—affirming the global significance of Ireland’s vibrant ceramic community.”

‘From the Ground Up: The Transformation of Irish Clay’ opens on Saturday 21st March at 3pm and closes on Saturday 18th July 2026. Admission to the exhibition is free.

Visit https://www.dcci.ie/events/transformation-of-irish-clay/?campaign=dcci-ndcg for more information.

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]  

About Design & Crafts Council Ireland 

Design & Crafts Council Ireland is the national agency for design and craft in Ireland, we support designers and makers to develop their businesses in a sustainable way, and advocate for the societal benefits of design and craft. 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 

Editor’s Notes 

Listed below are the 43 ceramic artists exhibiting and their county.