Offaly Local Development Company and Westmeath Community Development have developed an enterprise craft training programme in partnership with Finnish Craft Producers.
This is an Innovative Programme which provides craft makers in both Countries with opportunities to develop new techniques and skills and look at the use of different materials to adapt their current offerings of products or to create new products. It also examines retail opportunities in Finland and Ireland.
The Programme will also feed into an enterprise and product development programme and will look at the marketing and promotion of the craft makers work exploring new technologies and use of e-commerce, social media, retail events etc as avenues for promotion and selling of craft products. This cross fertilisation of skills with makers from both countries and from different disciplines will provide a new platform for all craft makers.
The focus of this project is the development and implementation of a strategically designed professional training and development programme for the creative sector enabling enterprises in this sector to fully realise their talents – creatively and commercially. Key aspects to be delivered on include the necessary mentoring, training and development continuity supports required that will bring businesses from inception phase through to strong, customer-driven businesses that can market and sell locally, nationally and internationally.
Irish Rural Link recently completed a Case Study on the Innocrafts project for the HRN Leader Cooperation Case Study booklet.This study features some examples of cooperation projects funded under the RDP 2014 - 2022.
If you would link to read about other innovative projects under this programme please do so here:
More information on the project (Craftlink) please see the website HERE
