CCI-newsletter-1975-1-March

c/o

Royal Dublin Society Ball's Bridge

Dublin 4

Ireland

telephone 6 8 0 6 4 5

NEWSLETTER No.

1.

March

1975.

It i s intended to issue at regular intervals an unpretentious newsletter which w i l l be available on request to anyone interested in crafts in Ireland.

Member Organisations will receive copies automatically but on receipt of an S. A. E. , the Hon S e c r e t a r y of Crafts Council of Ireland, c/o, Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 will forward copies to any individual.

By doing this, it is hoped we can make a step towards bridging the communications gap until a permanent secretariat i s formed. The success of this modest document will depend on you, the reader, in letting us know what is happening in your part of the country which might be of interest to craft workers elsewhere.

At this point it might be wise to restate the aims and objectives of the Crafts Council:Why? The Crafts Council of Ireland was established by organisations concerned with the economic, cultural and social aspects of handcraft. By coming together and forming a common agreed policy for the development of handcraft in Ireland, these organisations felt that the efforts of each one of them would be rendered more effective. They also felt that there was a manifest need for co-ordination and exchange of information between a l l concerned with the promotion and development of handcraft in this country.

What does the Council do?

The objectives and aims of the Council as set out in its constitution are : (a) to foster and develop crafts in Ireland (b) co-ordinate organisations concerned with crafts in pursuit of mutually agreed policies (c) provide a forum where matters of importance concerning craftsmen and crafts may be discussed. (d) a s s i s t Government in the development of policies related to crafts (e) encourage the development of facilities for the education and training of craftsmen (f) r a i s e standards of craftsmanship and the status of the craftsman (g) provide an information and advisory s e r v i c e for craftsmen and a s s i s t the commercial development of crafts

(h) organise exhibitions (i) support exhibitions and other activities of member organisations (j) undertake such other activities as may be in accord with the objectives of the Crafts Council of Ireland, including the receiving of grants, donations, presentations and such like.

The Council believes that the most important questions facing it are those concerned with the development of education and training facilities and the production of an overall long t e r m plan for handcraft in Ireland. The Executive Committee has been concentrating on these aspects since its formation and has been gathering the n e c e s s a r y data from members on which these policies can be based.

ADMINISTRATION The Crafts Council of Ireland i s temporarily headquartered at Royal Dublin Society thanks to the generosity of the RDS. Miss Betty Searson has succeeded Mr. Desmond Clarke as Honorary S e c r e t a r y and the Council acknowledges with gratitude its debt to M i s s Searson and her staff and to the RDS. The Council has laboured lengthily for the establishment of a permanent single officer secretariat which would serve as an information/ coordination office for the s e r v i c e s to craftsmen which are already available within the county and promote new s e r v i c e s where required. Representation has been made to the Department of Industry and Commerce and we a r e a s s u r e d that a decision will be made in the v e r y near future.

ANNUAL G E N E R A L

MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Crafts Council of Ireland will take place at 2. 30 p. m. on Wednesday 19th March, 1975 in the Science Room, Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Following the Annual General Meeting a talk, illustrated with slides and films, will be given on "The Crafts in Spain" by Mr. Jose Antonio S i e r r a , Director, Spanish Cultural Institute, Dublin.

Member organisations a r e requested to nominate a representative to serve on the Board for the coming year in accordance with the Rules of the Crafts Council of Ireland. Nominations should reach the Hon S e c r e t a r y not later than 10th March, 1975.

Member organisations who have not paid their annual subscription are reminded that subscriptions for 1974 are now overdue.

EXHIBITIONS A l l - I r e l a n d Crafts Exhibition P r e l i m i n a r y plans for an A l l - I r e l a n d Crafts Exhibition are in hand.

T h i s will be organised in cooperation with the A r t s Council of Northern Ireland, the A r t s Council and the Municipal Gallery. It w i l l probably take place in early 1976. F u l l details w i l l be announced in the national p r e s s .

Royal Dublin Society - A r t s & Crafts Exhibition P r i z e winning entries from the National Crafts Competition and other entries of an approved standard will be displayed at the RDS during Horse Show week - August 5 - 9, 1975.

R.D.S. CRAFTSMANSHIP SCHEME. Killarney.

June 24th - 2 8 t h

REGIONAL CRAFT EXHIBITION.

Town H a l l ,

inclusive.

Galway-Mayo Craftworkers Presentation Convent, Tuam, Co. Galway A p r i l 4, 5 and 6, 1975 F o r details of competitions connected with exhibition contact : Mrs

M.

Cribbon, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo.

Company of Goldsmiths of London "Loot" - An Exhibition of T r e a s u r e s under ÂŁ50, Goldsmiths' Hall, 23rd June to 12th July, 1975. T h i s is a selling exhibition of modern designs, mostly gold and silrer but also including plastics and glass. F u l l details including conditions of participation from: Goldsmiths' Hall, F o s t e r Lane, London E C 2V

6BW.

COMPETITIONS National Crafts Competition Over ÂŁ1, 5 0 0 in prize money, 20 categories and special awards are highlights of RDS National Crafts Competition. Closing date July 11, 1975.

Schedules and entry forms from:The National Crafts Competition, Royal Dublin Society, Ball's Bridge, Dublin 4.

Telephone; 780645. Ext. 267

R E G I O N A L ASSOCIATIONS The Crafts Council of Ireland is an Association of Associations; its strength lies in active local groups. The Council can help any local group of craftworkers to form an association and the Executive Board of the Crafts Council is prepared to t r a v e l to a region to meet representatives and a s s i s t in the setting up of an association. T h e r e already exists a strong association in Cork, which has organised cooperative purchasing and their own retail store at 29, Paul Street. Craftworkers in County Kilkenny held a meeting in November, attended by the Executive Board of the Crafts Council and it is hoped an association will be formed. A meeting i s planned in K e r r y for the end of A p r i l . If you are from County K e r r y and are interested in attending, please contact Hon S e c r e t a r y for details.

COURSES The Council r e c e i v e s many requests for information on training courses for craftworkers. If you know of full-time courses, apprenticeships, r e f r e s h e r courses, summer schools, etc. please let the Hon S e c r e t a r y have details and these will be published in the next newsletter.

PUBLICATION B o r d Failte proposes to publish in the near future a guide to crafts in Ireland. The Crafts Council is cooperating on this project and we urge those of you who have received forms requesting details of your workshops and products to return these to;M i s s Blanid Reddin, B o r d F a i l t e , Upper Stephen Street, Dublin 8.

If you have not received notification and would like to be included please contact Miss Reddin or the Hon S e c r e t a r y for details of conditions of inclusion.

OF S P E C I A L INTEREST TO P O T T E R S Mr. David L e a c h hopes to visit Ireland in May. He w i l l be involved in exhibitions, lectures and demonstrations. Details of his itinerary may be had from: Mr. Peter Brennan, National College of A r t & Design, K i l d a r e Street, Dublin 2.

WORKING G R O U P ON T H E P R O M O T I O N AND S A L E O F IRISH GOODS The Council was invited to prepare a submission outlining its views in relation to the task set for the Group. T h i s has been done and a meeting at which the Group w i l l discuss cooperation with the Crafts Council will be held shortly.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L NEWS E U R O P E A N A S S E M B L Y O F T H E W O R L D C R A F T S COUNCIL, DARTINGTON, E N G L A N D - A P R I L 10/12th 1975.

The Council plans to send a representative.

W O R L D A S S E M B L Y O F T H E W O R L D C R A F T S COUNCIL, M E X I C O C I T Y 1976 A little bit early to think about this now but we thought you might like to begin saving for what looks like being a fascinating trip!

F o r detailed news of crafts around the world, we can do no better than recommend you read two excellent magazines published in countries where the crafts are blessed with greater financial endowment than here:C R A F T S MAGAZINE

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C R A F T HORIZONS

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Published by the Crafts Advisory Committee, 28 Haymarket, London SWIY 4SU Six issues per year : Subscription ÂŁ2. 70 Published by the A m e r i c a n Crafts Council, 44 West 53rd Street, New York NY 10019 $12. 50 per year : $3 per issue

POSTSCRIPT T h i s newsletter is p r i m a r i l y for and about the craftworker of Ireland.

It i s up to them individually and through their local associations to let the Council have information about their work and activities, exhibitions, e t c etc. Information for and queries regarding the newsletter should be addressed to: The Honorary Secretary, The Crafts Council of Ireland, c/o, Royal Dublin Society, Ball's Bridge, Dublin 4.