CRAFTED on the Coastline was a special cross-border pop up showcase event, celebrating craft and artistry from nine makers across the Causeway Coast and Donegal.
It took place on Saturday, November 22 in the Bushmills Courthouse.
The event was supported by the International Fund for Ireland, as part of the Connecting Communities project.
Visitors had the opportunity to meet and talk to the talented makers, understanding just how they make their craft and how they came to start their business.
A number of Donegal natives were involved including Lisa McGill, who has produced a series of evocative seascapes capturing the drama and beauty of the Atlantic coast (Donegal) and Siobhan Gillespie from Happy Art who creates colourful, joyful paintings inspired by Donegal’s landscapes.
Also exhibiting as Moira McHugh from Perfectly Thrifted, a sustainable art transforming everyday materials into striking creations and Sandra Smith from Print Barn Folk, a family-run screen printing studio celebrating local heritage with hands-on workshops.
Donegal colour on display. Siobhan Gillespie brings her joyful, landscape-led ‘Happy Art’ to the Crafted on the Coastline showcase in The Bushmills Courthouse.
The day also featured a Mini Makers section, where children of all ages took part in drop-in creative activities that mirrored the makers in the room, including creating a woolly sheep.
Prior to the event, the makers took part in two, in-person training sessions – marketing and AI with Debbie Rymer and storytelling
with Colin Urwin, helping them build their brand, share their
story and present their work
with confidence.
Collectively, the initiative gave each maker a tangible boost in skills, confidence and connection to other creatives.
Whilst all were well experienced in their craft, many lacked support in areas such as marketing, AI, storytelling and branding and presentation.
The training sessions (combined with the shared experience of preparing for and showcasing at a cross-border event) created a space where makers could learn from tutors and from one another. They gained practical tools to strengthen their brand, improve their social media presence, manage their time and communicate their story with greater clarity.
Most of all, the initiative helped build a supportive cross-border network of creatives, an opportunity many would otherwise not have had.
Through the in-person training, during the event and via a Whatsapp group, the initiative provided encouragement, joint problem-solving and a renewed sense of momentum for their small creative businesses.
