Careers in Art, Craft & Design

Sectors

Art, Craft & Design

About

This is the sector for visually creative people and those who enjoy handcrafting their own goods. Design can cover a broad range of roles, including drawing advertisements and products, or designing websites. The craft sector is made up of small companies and self-employed crafters, they apply their specific skills to create high quality goods. In contrast to industry they produce much smaller amounts of their products, but put a higher amount of care and craft, spot the name, into each piece. They may sell products themselves in markets or their own stores or export them abroad.

Skills

design, communication, independence, leadership, researching information, time management, adaptability, attention to detail, project management, visual media, writing, creativity, managing resources, teamwork, education & training,

Key Facts

48,000

employed in design roles in 2014

Policy Framework for Design in Enterprise in Ireland, 2016

105

million euro, price of the most expensive painting by an Irish-born artist, Francis Bacon's Three Studies of Lucian Freud

Journal.ie

3,923

design enterprises in Ireland in 2015

Profile of Business in the Traditional Design Sectors

79%

of Design & Crafts Council of Ireland clients are ouside Dublin

Annual Report Design & Crafts Council of Ireland 2017

Labour Market Information

While there are no general issues noted in the National Skills Bulletin 2018, there have been indications from Enterprise Ireland that client-companies are finding it difficult to source suitably qualified staff to work in animation. As a result, an apprenticeship for a CGI Technical Artist has been proposed.

In this Sector...

Visual Arts

Visual artists produce anything that is pleasing to the eye, including drawings, paintings, sculpture, architecture, photography, prints and film. A talent and flair for business is essential, as you will most likely be self-employed.

The Crafts Industry

The Craft Industry often goes hand-in-hand with the tourism industry. Many craft businesses are small and based in rural areas. The job therefore demands a broad range of skills from employees such as sales, marketing and management.

Design

Design is a plan or a blueprint for a visual work or product, but can also include a full concept of how something will function and what purpose it will serve. Career areas include fashion, automobile manufacturing or video games to name but a few.

Graphic Design

Graphic Design has become one of the leading industries recently thanks to the explosion of social media and the need to deliver content and advertising in a visually pleasing way.

Making a Living in Art

Selling art to make a living can prove a difficult task. Many artists combine their art creation with another career or part-time job.

Career Opportunities with Gaeilge

If you can speak Irish, then opportunities await you...

Career Opportunities with a Foreign Language

Being able to speak a Foreign language opens new possibilities...

Advice from Experts...

If you want to know more about working in the in the sector, hear what the experts have to say.

Career Opportunities

There is a diverse range of careers in craft and design which are equally challenging, innovative and fulfilling. A wide range of options are open to you by simply following your desire to express yourself through your skills and creativity.

Posted by Design & Crafts Council of Ireland

Qualifications Required

There are a number of routes to becoming a highly skilled craftsperson or designer.

Posted by Design & Crafts Council of Ireland

Career Advice for the Design Sector

It is advisable to get experience where you can. Try volunteering, maybe think about an internship or other work experience to give you a taste of the area you feel you might be interested in.

Posted by Design & Crafts Council of Ireland

View All Experts

In This Sector...

National College of Art and Design - NCAD

Studying Art at NCAD

The National College of Art and Design occupies a unique position in art and design education in Ireland. It offers the largest range of art and design degrees in the State at undergraduate and postgraduate level.