Designer in Residence Programme – Meet the Artists

Meet the 5 talented Designers in Residence who have been chosen to work with 5 companies based in the West of Ireland for the next 3 months. Each designer will immerse themselves in the organisation’s mission, vision and values in order to solve a real business challenge set by the client.⁠
⁠
Designers in Residence is in association with the Galway Culture Company in partnership with Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and Local Enterprise Office Galway.
⁠
Funded by the Galway Culture Company which is supported by the Government of Ireland under the National Development Plan through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
⁠
With special thanks to CREW for supporting the programme with co-working spaces, time and guidance.

Read more about the project here.

Claudine Curran 

Claudine is a brand identity and interactive course designer. After she graduated from Shillington in Manchester, she started her own business, Curran Design. She has experience as a marketer and brand manager and has worked on projects for large organisations such as DHL, Nissan, Admiral, Deloitte, and numerous building societies and non-profits. She also loves working with small SMEs to help them create their entire brand identities, from logo to web design and any possible marketing collateral, both digital and print. Her love of nature and travel inspires her designs, and is an avid Japanese stationery enthusiast.

Claudine has been matched with MMC Eco Homes.

Diarmuid O’Connor

Diarmuid is an independent graphic designer. Completing his studies between Galway and Limerick, he received first-class honours and following graduation, gained experience working with some top design studios including Atelier, Detail and Unthink. He is currently pursuing a freelance career with a strong focus on motion.

Diarmuid has been matched with Portershed.

Rory Maguire

Rory is a product designer who studied at NCAD focusing on human-centred and circular design. During this time, he developed a passion for research, sustainability, technology and communication. He has professional experience in digital marketing, content creation and product design with organisations such as FunkedUp; a bicycle company with an international market,  coupled with my academic background, has given me a solid toolkit for tackling creative challenges. His collaborative spirit is evident in his volunteering work and community involvement especially those that value sustainable development.

Rory has been matched with Eyedea.

Niamh McArdle

Niamh is a multi-disciplinary freelance designer and occasional artist from Kinvara, Co. Galway. A graduate of Visual Communication Design at IADT, Niamh’s work is grounded in research and strong creative concepts and aims to solve complex problems in simple and engaging ways. Influenced by film, literature, and popular and visual culture, Niamh aims to create meaningful, functional work that is also emotionally compelling.

Since graduating in 2020, Niamh has worked as the in-house Niamesigner for Cloud Picker Coffee and as a midweight designer at Slater Design, exhibited at Hen’s Teeth in Dublin and completed a course in Embroidered Textile Design at NCAD. Her experience so far has involved a variety of projects and outputs, designing visual identities and creative solutions for both small and large businesses. Niamh is particularly interested in visual storytelling, print design, art direction, copywriting, illustration, packaging and textile design.

Niamh has been matched with Croi.

Sam Ardiff 

Sam Ardiff is a Graphic Designer from County Mayo. He graduated in 2023 from Visual Communication Design in IADT, Dublin. He works across a range of design disciplines in both print and screen to deliver outcomes that are simple and idea-driven. He is passionate about using design to enhance businesses, arts and culture. His work spans across visual identity design, motion graphics, typography, image-making and art direction. His work has been featured in the 100 Archive and The Irish Times.

Sam has been matched with Galway Chamber.