We are so looking forward to this.

Design Pop, Cork’s new food and design festival, has released the programme for this year’s instalment and it’s a feast of brain food (and real food) that celebrates creativity, collaboration and local talent.

Taking place in various locations across Cork, including Thompson House, Elizabeth Fort, Emmett Place, and Blackrock Castle, from August 28th-30^th 2020, this year’s theme for the festival is Resilience, which will be explored through the pavilions, talks, and conversations with over 16 free events and two special ticketed events.

In line with the current Covid-19 regulations, each event will be 45 minutes long and restricted to a capacity of 50 in the venue at all times.

Here’s how it will all roll out:

Launch night: Friday, August 28th

Graphic art duo The Project Twins, James and Michael Fitzgerald, will speak about their studio and some of their most interesting projects to date. Founding Director of The Glucksman, Fiona Kearney, will also share her insight on running a leading museum for creative learning and access to the visual arts.

Installations: Throughout the weekend

Ciarán Meade and Mark Cronin from Bobo’s Cafe will team up with computational designer Mark Horgan to create a pavilion at Elizabeth Fort, while The Crawford Gallery Café joins forces with a collective of young architects and designers for a pavilion at Emmett Place.

Blackrock Castle and Observatory will team up with Cork Architectural School for a pavilion at Blackrock Castle.

Saturday, August 29th
Saturday morning offers a creative workshop for children, suitable for ages 4-12, with plant-based food company Banana Melon. Later, join a panel discussion about gender equality in design, led by the founder of WhyDesign Kim Mackenzie-Doyle with guests: Head of Innovation VHI Lorna Ross, award-winning designer and Creative Director at Deloitte Digital Claire Dowling, and Head of Design Thinking at Bank of Ireland Lesley Tully.

Into the afternoon, there will be a Networking Lunch for Women by WhyDesign; a talk ‘Back and Taking Over the Family Business’ hosted by OHK O’Herlihy’s, Kinsale; Dublin based architecture and design studio Studio Anois will speak about their studio and projects to date; “Creative Process Behind Launching a New Brand” discussions with guests Graham Vard (Billion), Ernest Cantillion (Kinsale Gin and Red Earl Whiskey), Tony Speight (West Cork Coffee) and Clonakilty Black Pudding.

Saturday evening, Darragh Breathnach of DUA – Design Urbanism Architecture takes to the hot seat to discuss his studio and projects to date, followed by chats with renowned contemporary artist MASER, followed by a Q&A.

Sunday, August 30th
The final day of the festival welcomes many more special guests from food and design backgrounds: artist Kari Cahill will provide a demonstration of her artistic process; a panel discussion on “Interior design and finding new ways of diversifying” will be moderated by Kate O’Neill (The Visual Loop), Niamh Mc Cabe (Spacey Studios), Cathy Angelini (Flamingo Interior Design) and Lisa Marconi (Dust Design).

Photographer Brid O’Donovan is joined by William Murray (Currabinny Foods) to discuss “Food Style and the Creative Process Behind It”; Simon Roche (Bureau), printmaker and visual artist Shane O’ Driscoll, and Robin Foley (Hurrah Hurrah) host “Graphic Design, Print Art, and finding new ways of diversifying”; Architecture on the Edge presents Rural Architecture – a discussion moderated by Frank Monahan (Architecture on the Edge), Alan Macilwraith (JCA architects), and Rae Moore (Atelier Rae); Jane Maher of Tullamore Dew will also take to the stage – all happening at Thompson House, MacCurtain Street.

A pop-up shop
Thompson House will be home to a pop-up Irish Design Shop for the duration of the festival, showcasing some of Ireland’s best handcrafted textiles, prints, artworks and much more. At the festival HQ, you’ll also find The Glucksman’s ‘New Light’ exhibition of eight different poster-based artworks, and finally, The Milking Stool exhibition featuring 13 Irish furniture designers. These stunning furniture pieces will be sold off by silent auction during the festival.

All events are with the exception of the Why Design panel discussion (€6) and the MASER event (€10). Tickets are available on designpop.ie and include one complimentary drink.

Yay Cork is a proud Digital Media Partner for Design Pop 2020. For a full schedule of events, check out the website here.