In pictures: Crafted on the Coastline cross-border pop up showcase

It took place on Saturday 22nd November in the Bushmills Courthouse from 11am–3pm.

The event was supported by the International Fund for Ireland, as part of the Connecting Communities project.

Visitors had the opportunity to meet and talk to the talented makers, understanding just how they make their craft and how they came to start their business. They included:

Lisa McGill – evocative seascapes capturing the drama and beauty of the Atlantic coast (Donegal).

Siobhan Gillespie (Happy Art) – colourful, joyful paintings inspired by Donegal’s landscapes (Donegal).

Moira McHugh (Perfectly Thrifted) – sustainable art transforming everyday materials into striking creations (Donegal).

Sandra Smith (Print Barn Folk) – family-run screen printing studio celebrating local heritage with hands-on workshops (Donegal).

Amy Campbell (No 88 Jewellery) – minimalist silver jewellery influenced by the North Coast (Causeway).

Samantha Toussaint (Toma Craft) – sculptural work weaving natural materials with folklore and storytelling (Causeway).

Patsy Harbinson (Hooked on Rathlin) – Rathlin sustainable knitwear, decorative items, and community-inspired yarn art (Causeway).

Yvonne Moore – bold abstract paintings exploring emotion and the human experience (Causeway).

Simon Hogg (Dunluce Distillery) – handcrafted gins celebrating local botanicals and heritage (Causeway).

The day also featured a Mini Makers section, where children of all ages took part in drop-in creative activities that mirrored the makers in the room, including creating a woolly sheep.

Prior to the event, the makers took part in two, in-person training sessions – Marketing and AI with Debbie Rymer and Storytelling with Colin Urwin, helping them build their brand, share their story and present their work with confidence.

Collectively, the initiative gave each maker a tangible boost in skills, confidence and connection to other creatives. Whilst all were well experienced in their craft, many lacked support in areas such as marketing, AI, storytelling and branding and presentation.

The training sessions (combined with the shared experience of preparing for and showcasing at a cross-border event) created a space where makers could learn from tutors and from one another.

They gained practical tools to strengthen their brand, improve their social media presence, manage their time and communicate their story with greater clarity. Most of all, the initiative helped build a supportive cross-border network of creatives, an opportunity many would otherwise not have had.

Through the in-person training, during the event and via a Whatsapp group, the initiative provided encouragement, joint problem-solving and a renewed sense of momentum for their small creative businesses.

Connecting Communities Project

Connecting Communities is a cross-border project funded through the International Fund for Ireland. It aims to build new relationships between volunteers and community representatives that are leading social innovation work across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough area, and the border regions of Rathmullan and the Fanad and Inishowen peninsulas in Co Donegal. New relationships are supported through training, events, specialist mentoring and peer-to-peer clustering.