Join the Makers Directory

Photo: ‘Dublin 100’ – box framed with embroidery on Irish Linen; Maker: Deborah Toner; Photo credit: Deborah Toner

Join the Craft NI Makers Directory

Craft NI’s Maker Directory provides a contemporary online home for the Northern Ireland craft sector and a vibrant hub for all who wish to see, buy and learn about local craft. It supports our mission to build an integrated, entrepreneurial and vibrant contemporary crafts sector in Northern Ireland which we are doing via advocacy and profiling; developing partnerships and regional infrastructure; and raising quality awareness.

The new Directory is easy to use, and is part of Craft NI’s attractive new website, itself a resource for craft audiences in Northern Ireland and beyond. The Directory brings in new technologies to help Makers connect with their audiences, customers and collectors more easily than ever before. Selected through a juried process, if we are known by the company we keep, the Directory will enable makers from across disciplines to take their place in a rich and diverse representation of many of Northern Ireland’s talented makers who have achieved Excellence in Craft.  

Benefits for Makers

Specifically, the Maker Directory and Craft NI will support and showcase the sector with:

• Directory located in Craft NI’s new and attractive website benefitting from our attention to SEO, online advertising and organic social media activity; 
• Promotions through Craft NI’s social media channels, with the potential to reach audiences of over 27,297 through our social media channels.
• Craft NI promotion and profiling of individual Directory members with regular Spotlights On…makers, techniques and processes, designed to enthuse and educate craft audiences in Northern Ireland and beyond; 
• Promotion of the Directory as a resource for commissions, opportunities, call-outs and opportunities 
• a focal point for our social media and other online activities all-year round with emphasis on key events such as Christmas and August Craft Month.
• use of The Maker Directory logo, giving a clear indication of the quality standard that all Directory participants must have achieved. 

Here is a link to four sample entries.

Deepen your audience connection

Each Maker Directory listing will include a section for:  

• Profile summary
• Capacity for large number of hi-res images
• Embed videos of your creative processes
• Biography and artist’s statement
• Direct links to maker’s own websites, stockists, e-commerce, email and socials
• Contact details of your choice
• Downloadable marketing collateral including Directory logo and individual QR code unique to each maker, for your own use. 

QR Technology

New to the Directory will be a unique QR code for any viewer or buyer with a smartphone, to take them straight to your Directory entry, with access to the compelling content that you’ve been able to place there. This allows you to continue to tell the story of your work and practice in more depth with every encounter at a trade show, fair, exhibition or art fair. Or include them in your price labels to connect your story to the object. 

There is no fee to be a member of the Craft NI Directory, but we hope over time to increase the range of benefits that Directory Participants can avail of, as part of their Directory participation.

How to become a member

The application process is straightforward and an application can be submitted at any stage, with judging taking place four times a year. 

Upcoming Application Deadlines:

31 December 2024 (notifications 31 January, 2025)

30 March 2025 (notifications 30 April)

29 June 2025 (notifications 31 July)

30 September 2025 (notifications 31 October)

Link here for eligibility and quality criteria

Link here for the selection process

Link here to application form