Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) has announced its representatives taking part in Collect 2026, the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design.
Among the is Dublin-born but Clare based metalworker Jane Murtagh who graduated in Fine Art, Dun Laoghaire School of Art, 1979 and is now based in Cratloe.
Collect represents leading international artists, designers and makers and the fair focuses on exclusivity, curation and vision, raising the profile of contemporary craft and design to a collectors’ market. Taking place in Somerset House, London from Thursday, 26th February to Sunday, 1st March 2026, this year, 16 designer makers will represent Ireland and exhibit their work under the theme of Four Seasons.
Collect is a global marketplace for museum curators, interior designers and collectors to source the finest contemporary craft and design from a wide range of exhibiting disciplines and materials. The 16 designer makers selected for this year’s fair representing Ireland include Mary Palmer (Textiles) from Cork and Seliena Coyle (Mixed Materials / Jewellery) from Derry, who will exhibit for the first time this year, alongside returning designer makers Andrea Spencer (Glass); Cara Murphy (Silversmith); Cathy Burke (Ceramics); Emer Roberts (Jewellery); Helen O’Shea (Mixed Materials / Embroidery); Jane Murtagh (Metalwork); Jennifer Hickey (Ceramics); Paola Di Legge (Mixed Materials); Hugo Byrne (Bladesmith); John Lee (Furniture / Woodwork); Michael Rice (Ceramics); Mike Byrne (Ceramics), Noel Donnellan (Ceramics) and Zelouf & Bell (Furniture / Woodwork).
40 leading galleries, dealers and collectives representing over 400 of the most exciting contemporary designer makers will gather at Collect 2026 from countries across the globe including the UK, Asia, Africa, America, Europe and the Middle East. Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI), supported by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, is working in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Crafts Council UK to display this spectacular exhibition of Irish work in London.
Commenting on the opening of Collect 2026, Mary Blanchfield, CEO Design & Crafts Council Ireland said: “Collect 2026 marks an exciting new chapter for Ireland’s vibrant design and craft community. The artists joining us this year exemplify the innovation, skill, and creative vision that continue to define Ireland on the world stage.
Our partnership with Crafts Council UK and the Department of Foreign Affairs remains central to strengthening Ireland’s global design footprint, and we are delighted to champion these remarkable makers as they share their work with international audiences. Collect provides an invaluable opportunity to celebrate Irish craftsmanship, and we are proud to support our artists as they inspire, engage, and contribute to the evolving global conversation on contemporary craft.”
Julia Ravenscroft, Curator of the DCCI area commented: “This year’s presentation by leading Irish designer makers brings a fresh perspective to the rhythms of the four seasons. Furniture will sit alongside textiles, ceramics, and woodwork, jewellery, metal work, glass and found materials, with each piece echoing subtle shifts in light, colour, and form.
Spring’s renewal, summer’s abundance, autumn’s reflections, and winter’s clarity appear as gentle thematic threads rather than overt motifs, allowing the work’s individuality to come to the fore. Collect 2026 will highlight Ireland’s vibrant creative community, showcasing designer makers who balance innovation with rigorous material understanding. The result will be an engaging experience that invites visitors to sense the seasons in unexpected ways.”
For more information on Collect 2026, please visit www.dcci.ie or follow the conversation @dccireland