Current Initiatives

Why Design

Why Design is IDI's equality initiative for the Irish Design Sector, striving for a 50:50 gender balance in Irish design businesses, particularly at leadership level. We are hosting annual events and occasional online events called 'having the chats'; visit our social channels to find out more and subscribe to the newsletter

The New Now

A National showcase for graduating designers in Ireland. The New Now was created as a space for creative design graduates who, in 2020 due to covid-19 restrictions, could not have an end of year showcase. Bringing together final year work of graduates of design courses from across Ireland, The New Now provides a central point for employers to review the work of the freshest talent. It simultaneously promotes paid internships and provides mentorship opportunities. 

DesignOpp

DesignOpp is a not-for-proft initiative focused on championing diversity in Irish design so that people of colour can fulfil their creative potential. Our goal is to provide more opportunities for designers of colour, diversify our education systems and create a warm and welcoming community for designers of colour. 

Atlantic TIDE

Thanks to Creative Ireland's Economic Action Fund, Atlantic TIDE (Transforming Ireland’s Design Economy) was launched in 2022 as a unique collaboration between The IDI, The Western Development Commission and other consortium partners in the Atlantic Region. The goal is to accelerate support and opportunities for commercial design businesses in the west of Ireland, along the Atlantic Economic Corridor. The collaborative project aims to boost design enterprise and impact and position the sector at a competitive advantage on the global stage and create sustainable livelihoods and prosperity for all communities in the west.

Find out more about the TIDE initiatives. Keep in the loop and sign up for our LivingWest designers newsletter and get quarterly news packed with Design information into your area.

New European Bauhaus

Working in partnership with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and the Irish Architecture Foundation, the New European Bauhaus is an initiative by the European Commission to imagine a post-Covid future that is Inclusive, Sustainable and Beautiful.

Design Declares

Design Declares Ireland is a growing group of designers, design studios, agencies and institutions here to declare a climate and ecological emergency. As part of the global declaration movement, we commit to harnessing the tools of our industry to reimagine, rebuild and heal our world.

IDI Feed

IDI Feed brings practising designers from across the spectrum of design activity together to share their work and processes over drinks. With each event, speakers discuss what they do in the creative arena to earn a crust, giving their own unique take on what inspires and drives them and what creativity means to them.