'Made in Sligo' to feature strongly at Showcase 2011
Fifty craftspeople and artists are being supported by their local Enterprise Board at next week’s Showcase event in the RDS. Made in Sligo, a group of 12 local craftspeople are to feature strongly at Area A in the Sligo County Enterprise Board section.
The Made in Sligo group will be part of the artists, craftspeople and designers from eighteen County and City Enterprise Board areas are meeting international buyers at the balcony area at Showcase this year, representing a 45% increase over the 2010 figures.
The Creative Expo, which is organised by the Crafts Council of Ireland, is seen by industry experts as one of the most important trade events for Ireland’s craft sector and runs from Sunday, January 23rd to Wednesday, January 26th.
Many of the Enterprise Board-supported craftspeople along the balcony area of the Main Hall are first-time exhibitors and are expected to attract considerable attention from the 5,500 buyers in attendance.
Speaking in the run-up to Sunday’s official opening, Liam Kiely from the Sligo County Enterprise Board said: “The Boards are asking buyers this year to 'Look up' at what’s on display in the balcony area. We are hoping buyers will visit our 'Made in Sligo' display at stands F22 - F25. The worked extremely hard with the support of the agencies to bring 'Made in Sligo' to this stage and Showcase is their way of bringing the brand to a national and international audience”
To help craftspeople make the most of the selling opportunity, the County and City Enterprise Boards are publishing a dedicated brochure for Showcase buyers, which will be distributed free of charge to visitors. The Enterprise Boards are also subsidising the costs of trade stands and many craftspeople will receive one-to-one coaching from experienced mentors.
In all, over 350 craftspeople will be taking part in Showcase, including fifty craftspeople supported by the Enterprise Boards on the balcony area. Buyers from seventeen countries are expected to attend and the event is promoted internationally by Enterprise Ireland. Further details on Made in Sligo are available by visiting www.madeinsligo.ie. Details on Showcase are at www.showcaseireland.com