Craft workers told to broaden their horizons
AN ENTERPRISE boss has told County Wexford craftworkers to broaden their horizons by travelling abroad for design ideas and marketing their wares to a worldwide audience online.
Tom Banville, Head of Enterprise at Wexford Local Enterprise Office was speaking at the launch of a Wexford Craft Trail Christmas Fair in Wexford Arts Centre which is open until Christmas Eve with late trading until 8.30 pm on Friday, December 23.
The exhibition and fair features high quality work by members of the craft fair including pottery by Paul Maloney, Patricia Howard and Mairead Stafford; taptestries by Terry the Weaver; silk scarves by Mairéad Cairbre; Gráinne Kenny Design; Ceadogán Rugs; fused glass by Annette Whelan; hats by milliner Patsy Flood O’Connor; sculptures by Gilly Thomas, metal sculptures by Lina Varnelius, pots by Kiltrea Bridge Pottery and beautiful furniture by Padraic Parle.
Mr. Banville encouraged people to make a point of visiting the fair before it closes as this is one of the first times all the craft group have exhibited together in the one location.
Addressing the craftworkers themselves, he stressed the benefits of networking and collaborating rather than working in isolation and encouraged the members to make trips abroad to places like London, Italy and Sweden to see what is going on in craft design there.
‘There are a lot of opportunities out there. You could have customers on the other side of the world that you don’t know about yet,’ he said, encouraging the craft makers to look online to sell and promote their products.
A grant of up to €2,500 is available to any business seeking to trade online.
Mr. Banville said craft makers are well-placed to market their unique products to a worldwide audience. ‘They have something authentic with a good story behind it that people can relate to,’ he said.
The Local Enterprise Office has worked with many craft businesses over the years, providing training, mentoring or grant aid.