The Crafts Council of Ireland is marking 50 years since the initiation of the Kilkenny Design Workshops (KDW) by celebrating Kilkenny city as a destination for overseas visitors in 2013. CCoI will include in its international programme, three seminal international contemporary craft and design exhibitions at its National Craft Gallery (NCG). They include 'Paradigm: Contemporary Norwegian Arts & Crafts', 'Views on Clay: Contemporary Finnish Craft & design', and a special exhibition celebrating the legacy of the Kilkenny Design Workshops.

Accompanying the exciting craft exhibitions are two internationally focused critical seminars and a mass-creation festival event taking place in Kilkenny City to mark Kilkenny as a centre for craft and design excellence for our overseas visitors.

We are inviting Scandinavian overseas visitors who may have once worked, been involved or connected with the original KDW to come back to Kilkenny for our celebratory event.

We are also calling new international overseas visitors, who are inspired by Irish craft & design to come and enjoy the Irish craft experience in Kilkenny through our exhibitions and events relating to the KDW.