Check out the full STAMP Festival Programme on stampcork.ie
4 Cork art, craft and design organisations – benchspace, Cork Craft & Design, Sample-Studios and Shandon Art Studios – have teamed up to offer Corkonians and visitors alike a jam-packed weekend programme of art, design and craft events, exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, screenings and markets, all in one extraordinary venue – The Counting House.
STAMP Festival was developed by these organisations with Cork City Council last year to highlight the positive contribution of artists, designers and craftspeople to the City and the local economy. The inaugural festival celebrated cultural industries and facilitated collaboration between Cork’s creative organisations to support them to unlock our collective economic power. By working together to showcase Cork as the attractive, creative and cultural tourist destination we know it to be, Corkonians could also explore their City- one of the most culturally vibrant in Europe.
The Festival offered visitors the change to make their STAMP and try out lots of different creative skills- with over 4000 people enjoying free workshops, demos, exhibitions and events as part of the City-wide celebration. Based on the successful of the inaugural festival, STAMP is back in 2023- with all that creative energy concentrated in The Counting House, the newly renovated and restored brewery, parts of which date back to 1792.
The Counting House has been at the heart of Cork’s medieval quarter for generations and the doors of this iconic Cork landmark will be thrown open for a weekend so visitors can see original historic brewery equipment in a creatively reimagined contemporary setting. This is a fitting setting to celebrate talent and creativity – a rejuvenated landmark building in a historic location – a piece of Cork’s heritage and artistry preserved for future generations to enjoy.
STAMP Festival offers a glimpse inside this unique building to enjoy event highlights such as a market in the Counting House plaza with over 20 local vendors showcasing the best of Cork craft, demonstrations by local creatives, hands-on artist-led workshops, a group exhibition, screenings of films by artist filmmakers and young filmmakers and a new site-specific installation, all taking place inside the former brewery beautifully restored by BAM.
Visitors are invited to try hands-on workshops including basket weaving, pottery wheel throwing, hand moulding, bookbinding, puppetry, spoon carving, fabric dying and frame making and also to view jewellery making, screen printing, woodturning and oil painting up close in a series of live demos. STAMP invites people of all ages to come, explore your own creativity and gain a new insight into Cork’s cultural vibrancy by making your STAMP and getting your hands messy!
Festival highlights include
- Oscillation: An altering rhythm, a site-specific performative exhibition and event by visual arts collective Inter_Site: Taking over an upper floor of the newly renovated Counting House space, inter_site will stage an exhibition and event utilising a dynamic mix of video projection, spoken word, installation and sound. inter_site is an artist collective based in Cork City established by Pádraic Barrett, Deirdre Breen, Aoife Claffey and Kate McElroy.
- Made in Cork Market: Over 20 vendors showcasing the very best quality Cork craftsmanship and design, across the new Plaza.
- A new exhibition of over 20 artists, craftspeople and designers from each STAMP partner organisation, in the light filled Mezzanine floor, curated by Cork Craft Month Director Ava Hayes.
STAMP has been made possible by the support of Cork City Council, BAM, the Arts Council of Ireland and the Creative Ireland programme administered by the Cork City Arts Office.