Project Title: I am what I am
Aim: “to celebrate who and what we are”
Date 15 January 2020

This day-long event will feature contributions from Inspire Wellbeing Facilitators and Participants and Creative Spark’s Art as Exchange Artists’ Group.

Starting with the theme of “I Am What I Am” we invite people to bring their art and creativity out of the home or studio and into the community. Any and all artforms are welcome including Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Photography, Singing/Song writing, Dancing, etc.

Get out of the house on a gloomy winter day, and be inspired to “create sparks” with others

THE PROCESS:

Story Collecting

In November 2018 we issued a call to people living in County Louth to come along and share their favourite story about where they live – their street, their town, their county – to help us capture stories of particular relevance to County Louth and the people who live here.
At these story collecting session we engaged story facilitator, Ali Warner, and illustrator. Geraldine Martin, to record and capture the key themes and topics. These were then translated into a large scale image to be embroidered onto a panel of Irish linen as a collaborative endeavour.

Bayeux Stitch

On Saturday 24 November Agnieszka (Uisce) Jakubczyk, textile and embroidery specialist, led a workshop to teach the Bayeux stitches needed to create this embroidered wall hanging tapestry. The style of embroidery used is most closely related to that of crewelwork – there are about seven or eight basic stitches which are used to make this type of tapestry. The workshop was very well attended and each participant completed a small embroidered linen panel on the day.

Stitching Sessions

On 10 December we started! Assisted and supervised by textile artist Úna Curley, the mammoth task of embroidering the panel began. Over the days, weeks and months since, over thirty women (and a few brave men) have come in to complete the project, stitch by stitch…

The Stitchers

Ciara Agnew
Petra Berntsson
Meabh Breathnach
Briege Brennan
Gabrielle Brodigan
Rosemary Daly
Jacinta Dillon
Sally-Ann Duffy
Susan Farrelly
Bernhard Gaul
Colleen Hardy
Brenda Kane
Olive Kelledy
Marie Kelly
Blanche Kirk
Karolina Kragiel
Alistair Livingstone
Winnie Markey
Jean Marshall
Claire McAteer Conway
Mary McGarrell
Eileen McGoey
Kathleen Mulholland
Elish Murphy
Gráinne Murphy
Jebun Nahar
Caoimhe O’Dwyer
Rhona O’Hagan
Cathy Prendergast
Sandra Quigley
Liz Reilly
Ursula Tennyson
Gillian Tennyson
Dagmar Triller
Francis Verling
Aoife Verling

Facilitators

Úna Curley
Sarah Daly
Agnieszka (Uisce) Jakubczyk
Geraldine Martin
Ali Warner

North East Business Academy is a networking & education group established to bring local business owners together to collaborate through regular meetings, knowledge sharing and network with members. NEBA hosts fortnightly breakfast meetings at Creative Spark – for more information contact: northeastbusinessacademy@gmail.com
or
Click here for NEBA’s website

‘Art as Exchange’ is an informal, all-inclusive group of visual artists who meet together for the sake of making public art that is accessible, experiential, participative and or/free. For more information, contact aaex.artspark@gmail.com

Creative Spark will host its annual Christmas open day on Saturday 14 December. This will be a fun day for all the family with a range of free arts and crafts activities, mince pies and hot drinks. It’s also an opportunity for people to see what happens at the centre and what courses and workshops they can sign up to for 2020. We look forward to welcoming you on the day.

Creative Spark invites you to come along to our inaugural open studio event.
Beautiful handcrafted items will be on sale and with the opportunity to talk directly to the local artists and makers.

Items for sale include:
Soilse Candles, Beezti designs, exclusive pieces from our Print Studio members, textiles, fine art prints, paintings, illustrations, greetings cards, decorations, stocking fillers and lots more…

Open this Saturday the 14th December from 2pm-5pm
Entry is free.

Tutor: Joan McCann
Cost: FREE (booking required) Girls will need to bring their own laptop.
Venue: Creative Spark, Dundalk

Creative Spark will host a free coding event for Secondary School Girls, aged between 10 and 16 years. This event will introduce girls to computer science, coding and electronics in a fun and creative environment, inspiring them to become digital creators in the future.

This fun interactive workshop will cover the basics of computer coding with Microsoft MakeCode, and an introduction to electronics using the BBC Micro:bit. The girls will learn how to code the Micro:bit to become “Wearable Technology” such as a wristband and a badge, and how to turn it into a digital dice or a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

Let’s inspire girls to embrace technology, enhance their skills in the valuable and rewarding area of computer science, and encourage them to become innovators and inventors of technology in the future..

Attention please: We have received a Meet and Code grant to run this wonderful event for young girls from our community, who will get new digital skills during our Girls Can Code! Event.

Thank you SAP, Haus des Stiftens gGmbH and TechSoup Europe for this wonderful opportunity. We look forward to working with The Code Lab to deliver this exciting event.

LIMITED PLACES! BOOKING ESSENTIAL!

Tutor: Joan McCann
Cost: FREE (booking required) Girls will need to bring their own laptop.
Venue: Creative Spark, Dundalk

Creative Spark will host a free coding event for girls, aged between 8 and 12 years. This event will introduce girls to computer science and coding in a fun and creative environment, inspiring them to become digital creators in the future.

This fun workshop will cover the basics of computer coding using Scratch, a visual programming language for children. The girls will learn how to design and code their own animation. They will learn how code works and how they can express their creativity using technology. Limited places, so booking essential!

Let’s inspire girls to embrace technology, enhance their skills in the valuable and rewarding area of computer science, and encourage them to become innovators and inventors of technology in the future.

Attention please: We have received a Meet and Code grant to run this wonderful event for young girls from our community, who will get new digital skills during our Girls Can Code! Event.

Thank you SAP, Haus des Stiftens gGmbH and TechSoup Europe for this wonderful opportunity. We look forward to working with The Code Lab to deliver this exciting event.

We have entered into a competition to win the Meet and Code Award in the Girls Do IT! category! You can help us win by voting for our event, Girls Can Code! clicking this link.
Voting closes Friday 20th September, so hurry, it only takes a second, Thank You!

LIMITED PLACES! BOOKING ESSENTIAL!

Location: Creative Spark, Clontygora Ct, Muirhevnamore, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Character is Mystery: Creative Writing Workshop with Declan Burke in Association with Wee County, Big Bookclub 2019.

Workshop Description:
Join crime writer Declan Burke for a creative writing workshop focusing on character building in the context of thrillers. The enduring popularity of the crime and mystery novel should be no great surprise; as John Connolly once said, ‘character is mystery’. Why do people do the things they do? Why do apparently rational, law-abiding people commit the most heinous of crimes? Using Liz Nugent’s Skin Deep as an inspiration, the ‘Character is Mystery’ workshop will explore the importance of character in crime and mystery fiction, offering a guide to creating and sustaining plausible, interesting, fictional characters.

or phone (042) 938 5720
Email: hello@creativespark.ie

About Declan
Declan Burke has published six novels, including his debut Eightball Boogie, Slaughter’s Hound, The Big O, Crime Always Pays and Absolute Zero Cool. Declan has also contributed to a number of short story anthologies and essay collections, including Uncage Me, Best British Mysteries Vol. 8, The Quiet Quarter, New Planet Cabaret, and Following the Detectives. His books have been translated into German, French, Dutch, Hungarian, Korean and Portuguese. Absolute Zero Cool won the Goldsboro Prize in 2012. Books to Die For, co-edited with John Connolly, won the Anthony Award for Best Non-fiction Crime in 2013. Most recently, Declan edited the short story collection Trouble is Our Business (2016).

Praise for Declan Burke’s writing:

‘A genuinely original take on noir, inventive and funny…a cross between Flann O’Brien and Raymond Chandler.’ -John Banville

‘Absolute Zero Cool is unlike anything else you’ll read this year…laugh-out-loud funny…this is writing at its dazzling, cleverest zenith. A feat of extraordinary alchemy.’ -Ken Bruen

This workshop is being offered as part of Wee County, Big Bookclub 2019, a partnership project supported by Words Ireland with The Droichead Arts Centre, Louth County Library Service, the Irish Writers Centre, An Táin Arts Centre and Creative Spark. The chosen book for the project is Skin Deep by Liz Nugent. Liz will appear at The Droichead for an author event on September 6th: https://www.droichead.com/show/873605522
An Táin and the library service also have September events as part of the project. For more information contact An Táin and the Library Service directly.

Screen- Printed Origami

Come along to Culture Night in Creative Spark. Learn how to pull your own limited edition print and take part in live screen-printing demos. We will have a range of designs ready to print. We will then transform these prints into origami butterflies and create a collective floating installation.

Print Factory and Lantern Making Workshop with Art as Exchange (AAEX) and Creative Spark who have teamed up to set up a small print factory in St Dominic’s Park. Visitors are invited to try their hand at mono printing, screen printing, using lino cuts and other techniques alongside drawing, watercolours, calligraphy or collages to assemble their own lantern made from recycled materials. AAEX and Creative Spark artists will be on hand to guide you in the creative process throughout this fun family event.

Creative Spark will hold an afternoon of fun, free drawing activities from 2.00 – 4.00pm. #NationalDrawingDay is an annual national event run by the National Gallery of Ireland in many venues across Ireland.
This event is FREE, but booking is necessary by telephone or email.

Calling all communities, schools, groups, clubs, illustrators, artists, print maker’s, writers and poets.

Be part of our new publication

We’re putting together a new zine. Each issue will be based around a different theme. Our first issue will be “SPARK – COMMUNITY”. A mini magazine celebrating what community means to you! We want to run some workshops with different groups to develop our first issue.

If you want to get involved email us at printstudio@creativespark.ie

Did you know that Creative Spark is involved in Cruinniú na n'Óg 2020?

Do you want to contribute to our community jigsaw?

Local artist Caoimhe McCarthy illustrated  a ‘big picture’ of her interpretation of Louth, representing the county with folklore stories about the region.

Get your piece of the big picture !

These pieces will then be available for you to download and colour in at home. Once finished you can send them back to us at Creative Spark where we will put them all back together to make our community jigsaw.

The closing date to send pieces back is on Saturday 20th June

To get involved email grainne@creativespark.ie

The Steamroller Print Project; artists and the community to come together in a cooperative event to celebrate art and community for Culture Night 2020.

Come to Creative Spark and get involved in our giant wood cut print. It will be inked up and printed using a steam roller on the night. Creating the largest scale prints Dundalk has ever seen!

The image will be an illustration of County Louth .

Booking essentail.

The Steamroller Print Project; artists and the community to come together in a cooperative event to celebrate art and community for Culture Night 2020.

Come to Creative Spark for a love demo of our giant wood cut print. It will be inked up and printed using a steam roller on the night. Creating the largest scale prints Dundalk has ever seen!

The image will be an illustration of County Louth by Caoimhe McCarthy .

Booking essentail.

Creative Spark will host a free coding event for boys and girls aged 8 to 10 years.  The theme for this event is "Stay Connected". Covid-19 has changed how we communicate, and for lots of us, that means we don’t see our loved ones as much as we used to, whether they live in our town, our county or across the world. What better way to stay connected with them than through a personalised digital card, created by your child.

Children will learn how to design and code a digital card for someone special, they can add a personal message, add music, movements and they can even star in the animated card themselves! They will learn how to save the card, how to send it to someone special, and how to change it and create more versions of the card for others.

Parents Please Note:

This is a beginners level workshop for boys and girls aged 8 to 10 years.

Limited places available to ensure lots of one-to-one mentoring.

This is an online event, your child will require access to a desktop computer or laptop and reliable internet connection for the duration of this workshop.  Tablets and phones not suitable.

This event will be run over Zoom, by invitation only.  Once you have registered for the workshop, you will receive instructions and an invitation from us.

Creative Spark will host a free coding event for boys and girls aged 11 to 13 years.  The theme for this event is "Stay Connected". Covid-19 has changed how we communicate, and for lots of us, that means we don’t see our loved ones as much as we used to, whether they live in our town, our county or across the world. What better way to stay connected with them than through a personalised digital card, created by your child.

Children will learn how to design and code a digital card for someone special, they can add a personal message, add music, movements and they can even star in the animated card themselves! They will learn how to save the card, how to send it to someone special, and how to change it and create more versions of the card for others.

Parents Please Note:

This is a beginners level workshop for boys and girls aged 10 to 13 years.

Limited places available to ensure lots of one-to-one mentoring.

This is an online event, your child will require access to a desktop computer or laptop and reliable internet connection for the duration of this workshop.  Tablets and phones not suitable.

This event will be run over Zoom, by invitation only.  Once you have registered for the workshop, you will receive instructions and an invitation from us.

Creative Spark will host a free online coding event for local Girls, aged 8 to 10 years.  This event will introduce girls to coding and computer science through fun interactive online workshops, facilitated by experienced coding tutors.  This is a beginners level workshop.

Our guest speaker, Dr Niamh Shaw, an inspirational Dundalk native, an engineer, scientist, writer and performer, will talk to the girls about following their dreams, and how her big dream is to travel into Space! 

The girls will learn the basics of computer coding using Scratch, a fun visual programming language for children.  The theme for our workshops will be "Girls In Space", they will learn how to design and code a space-themed animation, how to add music, movement, change scenes, and they can even star in the animation themselves! 

We will show the girls that technology is fun and creative, and not just for boys!  We will tap into their curiosity and encourage them to explore technology and show them that they can become innovators and inventors of technology in the future.

Parents Please Note:

This is a beginners level workshop for girls aged 8 to 10 years.

Limited places available to ensure lots of one-to-one mentoring.

This is an online event, your child will require access to a laptop and reliable internet connection for the duration of this workshop.

This event will be run over Zoom, by invitation only.  Once you have registered for the workshop, you will receive an invitation from us.

Creative Spark will host a free online coding event for local Girls, aged 11 to 13 years.  This event will introduce girls to coding and computer science through fun interactive online workshops, facilitated by experienced coding tutors.  This is a beginners level workshop.

Our guest speaker, Dr Niamh Shaw, an inspirational Dundalk native, an engineer, scientist, writer and performer, will talk to the girls about following their dreams, and how her big dream is to travel into Space! 

The girls will learn the basics of computer coding using Scratch, a fun visual programming language for children.  The theme for our workshops will be "Girls In Space", they will learn how to design and code a space-themed animation, how to add music, movement, change scenes, and they can even star in the animation themselves! 

This workshop is for girls aged 11-13 years, limited places available to ensure lots of one-to-one mentoring.

We will show the girls that technology is fun and creative, and not just for boys!  We will tap into their curiosity and encourage them to explore technology and show them that they can become innovators and inventors of technology in the future.

Parents Please Note:

This is a beginners level workshop for girls aged 11 to 13 years.

Limited places available to ensure lots of one-to-one mentoring.

This is an online event, your child will require access to a laptop and reliable internet connection for the duration of this workshop.

This event will be run over Zoom, by invitation only.  Once you have registered for the workshop, you will receive an invitation from us.

The programme will introduce students to the various digital design process used in product and machine design. Students will use 3D based CAD systems to design and simulate products and machine parts operations. Then using this data, they will prototype components using such processes as 3D printing and CNC machining.
Following a design methodology student will design products and components and gain an understanding of the stages of the product development life-cycle, from project planning, concept developments, market requirements, design, analysis, prototyping and testing. The student will gain an understanding of creative design methods, material selection and manufacturing processes used for rapid prototyping.

Skillnet funding of up to 30% of tuiton fee may be available to qualifying participants.* 
 
*Qualifying participants must be employed and ROI resident. 

Contact Aidan Ryan for more information 

aidan.callan@dundalkskillnet.ie

Try your hand at spray painting and street art with artist Michael Stafford, suitable for ages 5 - 12 years. Please make sure to wear old clothes as this workshop is lots of fun and can get messy!

Each event will be run in accordance with Government health and safety measures in place with regard to COVID 19. Gloves and hand sanitiser will be provided.

Places limited, booking essential.

Try your hand at spray painting and street art with artist Michael Stafford, suitable for ages 13-18 years. Please make sure to wear old clothes as this workshop is lots of fun and can get messy!

Each event will be run in accordance with Government health and safety measures in place with regard to COVID 19. Gloves and hand sanitiser will be provided, please wear a face covering.

Places limited, booking essential.

Dundalk BIDs and Creative Spark in conjunction with lead sponsors Colourtrend Ireland, Paypal and Creative Ireland are proud to announce – Seek Urban Arts Festival 2021.

Our festival tour take you on a guided walk through the artworks created in Dundalk as part of SEEK 2021, the tour will also feature some of the amazing murals from previous years.

Join our guided walk to to visit the highlights of the festival and to learn about the artists, their techniques, and discover the history and stories behind the pieces they are creating in this express tour.

Meeting point: Dundalk Tourist Office, Market Square

Start time: 1:10pm, please arrive a few minutes in advance for registration

Duration: approx 45mins

Weather conditions: hail, rain or shine!

SEEK guided walking tours are free of charge but if you would like to support the festival we have hand-printed Tote Bags (€5) and hand-printed festival T-Shirts (€12) available to purchase from Dundalk Tourist Office.

If for any reason, you wish to cancel your booking, please do so at your earliest convenience by emailing info@dundalktouristoffice.ie

Covid 19

SEEK 2021 walking tours will adhere to government guidelines - in addition to being in the open air we are still taking the usual precautions of everyone wearing a mask, social distancing.

Please ensure to bring a facemask and hand sanitiser, and to check the most up-to-date information in relation to Covid 19 compliance and best practice at www.gov.ie

All tour dates are subject to change in accordance with any revised Government guidelines and restrictions.

Find out more about SEEK Urban Arts Festival:

The festival is centred on promoting visual arts in Dundalk. By commissioning established and emerging artists, locally, nationally and internationally, we aim to promote the town culturally and artistically, repositioning the area as a vibrant hub for creativity.

Seek 2021 will highlight the important influence art can have in the public domain, its role as a catalyst for change, helping reinvigorate and refresh some of our town centre spaces. The themes behind the artwork will be instrumental in telling Dundalk’s story and connecting people to our heritage.

Culturally Dundalk has been shaped over the ages, with many historical figures and events. With our outdoor art gallery we hope to generate and inspire local pride and help to forge a new identity based on creativity while still celebrating our past.

Dundalk BIDs and Creative Spark in conjunction with lead sponsors Colourtrend Ireland, Paypal and Creative Ireland are proud to announce – Seek Urban Arts Festival 2021.

Our festival tour take you on a guided walk through the artworks created in Dundalk as part of SEEK 2021, the tour will also feature the amazing murals from previous festivals.

Join our guided walk to learn about the artists, their techniques, and discover the history and stories behind the pieces they are creating.

Meeting point: Brigid of Faughart mural, Bridge Street

Start time: 3pm, please arrive a few minutes in advance for registration

Duration: approx 1hr 30mins

Weather conditions: hail, rain or shine!

SEEK guided walking tours are free of charge but if you would like to support the festival we have hand-printed festival Tote Bags (€5) and T-Shirts (€12) available to purchase from Dundalk Tourist Office.

If, for any reason, you need to cancel your booking, please do so at your earliest convenience by emailing info@dundalktouristoffice.ie

Covid 19

SEEK 2021 walking tours will adhere to government guidelines - in addition to being in the open air we are still taking the usual precautions of everyone wearing a mask, social distancing.

Please ensure to bring a facemask and hand sanitiser, and to check the most up-to-date information in relation to Covid 19 compliance and best practice at www.gov.ie

All tour dates are subject to change in accordance with any revised Government guidelines and restrictions.

Find out more about SEEK Urban Arts Festival:

The festival is centered on promoting visual arts in Dundalk. By commissioning established and emerging artists, locally, nationally and internationally, we aim to promote the town culturally and artistically, repositioning the area as a vibrant hub for creativity.

Seek 2021 will highlight the important influence art can have in the public domain, its role as a catalyst for change, helping reinvigorate and refresh some of our town centre spaces. The themes behind the artwork will be instrumental in telling Dundalk’s story and connecting people to our heritage.

Culturally Dundalk has been shaped over the ages, with many historical figures and events. With our outdoor art gallery we hope to generate and inspire local pride and help to forge a new identity based on creativity while still celebrating our past.

Come along and have a go at creating your own blueprint with artists Gráinne Murphy and Jenny Slater from Creative Spark. Cyanotype is one of the oldest form of photography. On the day we will be experimenting with drawing, objects and images. Each participant will create and keep their very own print.

Please note this workshop is weather dependent as the sunlight is essential for this artist process.

Suitable for all ages young and old.

Each event will be run in accordance with Government health and safety measures in place with regard to COVID 19. Gloves and hand sanitiser will be provided.

Places limited, booking essential.

Come along and have a go at creating your own blueprint with artists Gráinne Murphy and Jenny Slater from Creative Spark. Cyanotype is one of the oldest form of photography. On the day we will be experimenting with drawing, objects and images. Each participant will create and keep their very own print.

Please note this workshop is weather dependent as the sunlight is essential for this artist process.

Suitable for all ages young and old.

Each event will be run in accordance with Government health and safety measures in place with regard to COVID 19. Gloves and hand sanitiser will be provided.

Places limited, booking essential.

Creative Spark will host a free online coding event for local Girls, aged 8 to 13 years. This event will introduce girls to coding and computer science using Scratch, a fun visual programming language for children.

Our event will use specially recorded video lessons to show the girls how to create a game in Scratch, with a Show-And-Tell session afterwards, facilitated by experienced coding tutors for any questions, and to show off their games.

The girls can follow the step-by-step lesson, pause where recommended to complete a step and then move on at their own pace.

There will be separate lessons for Beginners and Improvers. Beginners will learn how Scratch works, and create their first game in Scratch. Improvers who are familiar with Scratch will create a more complex game with a score and sounds.

We will show the girls that technology is fun and creative, and not just for boys! We will tap into their curiosity and encourage them to explore technology and show them that they can become innovators and inventors of technology in the future.

This workshop will introduce participants to the craft of blending fragrance and hand pouring soy wax candle.

Beginning with an introduction to fragrance development  and natural candle making ingredients we will move on to blend your own selection of fragrance with soy wax to create 3 custom apothecary inspired candles per participant.

You will then label and gift wrap your candles to gift over the Holiday season.

The programme will introduce students to the various digital design process used in product and machine design. Students will use 3D based CAD systems to design and simulate products and machine parts operations. Then using this data, they will prototype components using such processes as 3D printing and CNC machining.

Following a design methodology student will design products and components and gain an understanding of the stages of the product development life-cycle, from project planning, concept developments, market requirements, design, analysis, prototyping and testing. The student will gain an understanding of creative design methods, material selection and manufacturing processes used for rapid prototyping.

This programme is being run in partnership with DkIT, Creative Spark and Dundalk Chamber Skillnet

Want to try something new in 2022? With Podcast listeners expected to exceed 420 million around the world this is a great time to explore the world of podcasting. The variety of podcasts topics are endless, if you want to start podcasting as a hobby or to aid the promotion of your business our 3 Day Workshops will help your understand the basics.
The Workshops will include:

• Structure and Planning a Podcast
• How to target
• Interview Skills
• Recording and Publishing

Participants will leave this course with an understanding of how to take their podcast idea to publishing their own episodes.

A three day camp for 13 to 18 year olds, bringing your idea from paper to production.

The course will cover all areas from working on initial topic and script ideas, interview skills, editing and publishing.

Gain the confidence to host your own podcast or grow your audience.

Cost €80

The SEEK Walking Tours are back! Learn about the artists and their techniques, and discover the stories behind the pieces they are creating.

This 80-minute tour also features some of the amazing murals from previous years and captures snapshots in time of Dundalk’s rich history and heritage.

Meeting point: Brigid of Faughart mural, Bridge Street

Start time: 11.30am, please arrive a few minutes in advance for registration

Duration: 1hr 20mins (ish)

Weather conditions: hail, rain or shine!

The guided walking tours are free of charge during the week of the festival but if you would like to support the SEEK Urban Arts we have hand-printed festival Tote Bags (€5) available to purchase from Dundalk Tourist Office.

If, for any reason, you need to cancel your booking, please do so at your earliest convenience by emailing info@dundalktouristoffice.ie

Find out more about SEEK Urban Arts Festival:

Seek Urban Arts highlights the important influence art can have in the public domain, it’s role as a catalyst for change, inspiring local pride as well as helping to reinvigorate and refresh some of our town centre spaces. Many historical events and figures have shaped Dundalk through the ages, and the themes behind the artwork will be instrumental in telling Dundalk’s story and connecting people to our heritage.

The festival is centered on promoting visual arts and culture in Dundalk. By commissioning established and emerging artists, we aim to promote the town culturally and artistically, while also enhancing the area as a vibrant hub for creativity.

Follow us on Instagram: @seekdundalkofficial

The Start Your Own Business Training Programme has been designed to address the needs of those wishing to start their own business, or those who have recently started trading. It is aimed at providing practical support, advice and guidance in a broad range of business areas. This programme will enable participants to gain a working knowledge of how to set up a business and / or to manage an existing business.

The implications of Brexit may have far-reaching effects on Irish Business. The objective of this Customs Export & Import Procedures workshop is to provide businesses with knowledge and understanding of the potential impacts, formalities and procedures to be adopted when trading with a Third Country. The workshop will highlight the Customs facilities available to importers and exporters, opportunities to minimise import duty payments and ensure compliance with customs procedures. The workshop is designed to embed best practice into businesses from across all industry sectors.

Start 2020 with Focus on Marketing Your Business the Right Way!

What You’ll Learn:

• Defining Your Target Audience
• Marketing Mix
• Creating A Marketing Plan
• Segmentation
• Communications
• Social Media

Jill Lush is a Thought Leader in Digital Marketing and delivers training to businesses of all sizes nationwide. She is the owner of the Award Winning Marketing Agency, Lush Marketing.

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Procurement can be a minefield for SMEs but if you can get it right it can really help drive your business growth. Taking part in this one-day workshop will help you to identify tender opportunities suited to your business, improve your tender-writing skills and understand how decisions are made in the tendering process. The workshop will show how to write tenders that stand out from the competition. You will leave with an adaptable tender template that will be invaluable to your in future tenders.

The implications of Brexit may have far-reaching effects on Irish Business. The objective of this Customs Export & Import Procedures workshop is to provide businesses with knowledge and understanding of the potential impacts, formalities and procedures to be adopted when trading with a Third Country. The workshop will highlight the Customs facilities available to importers and exporters, opportunities to minimise import duty payments and ensure compliance with customs procedures. The workshop is designed to embed best practice into businesses from across all industry sectors.

In order to avoid the potential pitfalls, it is extremely important that businesses know their obligations in relation to VAT from the outset. This workshop will give attendees a clear understanding of the main VAT issues that need to be considered.

The Start Your Own Business Training Programme has been designed to address the needs of those wishing to start their own business, or those who have recently started trading. It is aimed at providing practical support, advice and guidance in a broad range of business areas. This programme will enable participants to gain a working knowledge of how to set up a business and / or to manage an existing business.

A practical hands-on half day workshop on setting up & using social media for your business, tools covered include Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc.

The Workshop will include: Overview of social media, What Tools to Use & Why, Generating Content for Social Media, Creating & Using a Twitter account, Setting Up and Using a Business Facebook page, Generating Engagement and an Overview of LinkedIn & YouTube.

*Please note, participants will need to bring their own laptop on the day

Whether you are planning to start a business or if you already run a small business, you need to be aware of the basic requirements in relation to record keeping. Not only do you need to be able to understand how your business is performing but you also need to be able to compile the information required to comply with the various tax regulations. Your bank will also expect you to keep your financial information up to date.
This workshop will provide an overview of all aspects of maintaining proper books of account for a start-up or small business. You will be guided through the setting up of a proper system of book-keeping and how to use the information recorded, to run your business. The workshop will also touch on cash flow management and tax registration and compliance.

Are you considering exporting your product overseas or need to learn how? Yes – then this practical advice workshop presented by a successful export sales expert is what you need.
Learn how to apply a structured approach to exporting and the supports available to explore and develop new market opportunities.
Workshop topics will include Market Research, Competitor Sales Analysis, Sales Presentation Preparation and Tailoring Sales Pitch to Your Customer.
The workshop will also include access to a network of trade contacts and industry specific experts to allow you to prepare and adapt your product for entry into suitable new markets.

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.
Overview of MicroFinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

This workshop is specifically aimed at people who don’t know how to leverage the power of events correctly. It will teach them how to productively use their time before, during and after to ensure they are fully optimising the business development potential of the event.

Cost: €129 (€159 for Non Chamber & Non Network Members)

The Workshop will focus on building systems & procedures to aid in speedy responses to “Access Requests” and right to be “Forgotten Requests”. It will provide expert advice on systems & procedures to easily deal with requests, ensuring they do not becomes long winded, labour intensive jobs.

The workshop will also refresh on what GDPR is, review what should have been implemented within your organisation and reflect on whether the current implementation is fit for purpose. It will discuss the problems, challenges and impacts of GDPR one year on from its enforcement.

For more information click on the link below or contact Aidan on aidan.callan@dundalkskillnet.ie

A practical hands-on half day workshop on setting up and using social media for your business, tools covered include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
The workshop will include: Overview of social media, What tools to Use & Why, Generating Content for Social Media, Creating & Using a Twitter account, Setting Up and Using aBusiness Facebook page, Generating Engagement and an Overview of LinkedIn & YouTube.
Participants are advised that they will need to bring their own laptop

Are you thinking about creating or developing an online business? This one day workshop for people/companies who are planning on selling their products online and who want to learn more about the process and practicalities of e-Commerce.
This workshop will focus on Trading Online Voucher Grant Aid, Selling Online Overview, Fundamentals of Selling Online, Practicalities, Market Places, Planning & Management, GDPR for Online Trading.

Cost: €62.50 (discounted rate to Creative Spark members)- €100

The workshops will also propose an action plan and review the existing digital plan of small business.
Why attend: –
We have hosted more than 100 workshops for big and small businesses. This workshop will review your business or brand you manage and deliver custom content. So unlike, generic social media workshops, we will be discussing your product or brand and strategies relevant for it.
Topics covered :
1. Inbound Marketing
2. Integrated Marketing
3. Design tools ( for everyone )
4. Best Social media channels for your brand/product
5. Digital Strategy
For who :
1. Business owners
2. Professionals
3. Students
4. Startups
Workshop open to only a maximum of 15 attendees to ensure maximum engagement. If you have any queries please get in touch on 089 4578 057
or

All businesses will experience some form of impact from Brexit. All Importers and Exporters will need to know how to move their goods through Customs in Ireland and the UK post Brexit. Some of the issues that will be faced include Customs Duty, Import VAT, Border Delays, Additional Costs e.g. Clearance Agents, etc., Additional Documentation e.g. Import and Export Documentation, etc., New Procedures e.g. How and when to lodge import and export SADs, etc. and New Licences. This course will enable companies to understand both Revenue rules in Ireland and HMRC rules in the UK. It will also cover the post Brexit simplifications being introduced by both Authorities and how to apply for these. It will also explain the operational requirements necessary to move goods through Customs.

Host: Rebecca Mahon, Founder of Savvy Business Gals

This seminar will cover key resources for business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales and marketing professionals seeking a better way to connect with today’s customer.

In this seminar you will learn everything you need to know in order to leverage the new business environment into top sales figures. You’ll learn the techniques that will change your entire approach on helping prospects to buy from you and not your competitor.

Social Selling is not social media marketing. It’s a different approach, more one-to-one rather than one-to-many. This seminar will helps you to understand and master the methods today’s business demands.

Date: Tuesday 22 October 2019
Time: 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Cost: €20

Whether you are planning to start a business or if you already run a small business, you need to be aware of the basic requirements in relation to record keeping. Not only do you need to be able to understand how your business is performing but you also need to be able to compile the information required to comply with the various tax regulations. Your bank will also expect you to keep your financial information up to date.
This workshop will provide an overview of all aspects of maintaining proper books of account for a start-up or small business. You will be guided through the setting up of a proper system of book-keeping and how to use the infor

Date:    23rd April 2020
Time:    6.30pm to 9.30pm
Cost: €20

Whether you are planning to start a business or if you already run a small business, you need to be aware of the basic requirements in relation to record keeping. Not only do you need to be able to understand how your business is performing but you also need to be able to compile the information required to comply with the various tax regulations. Your bank will also expect you to keep your financial information up to date.

This Workshop will provide an overview of all aspects of maintaining proper books of account for a start-up or small business. You will be guided through the setting up of a proper system of book-keeping and how to use the information recorded, to run your business. The Workshop will also touch on cash flow management and tax registration and compliance.

Date: Thursday 30th April
Time: 10am to 4pm (light lunch will be provided)
Cost: Free

A one day workshop for people / companies who are planning on selling their products online and who want to learn more about the process and practicalities of e-Commerce.

Participants will learn all about:

• Selling Online Overview
• Fundamentals of Selling Online
• Practicalities
• Market Places
• Planning & Management
• Grant Aid / Trading Online Vouchers
• GDPR and your website

Date: Thursday 7th May 2020
Time: 10am to 2pm
Cost: €20

Determining the right price for your new product or service can be one of the most challenging tasks any business faces, all the more so if, you’re a Start-up. In competitive markets, getting your price right can be the difference between success and failure.

This short course looks at the basics of how to cost your product / service and to understand the market in which you are selling to price with confidence. The course will provide participants will simple costing tools to clarify how costs are arrived at and ways of pricing which ensure profitable returns.

Topics include:

• Cost analysis – fixed costs and variable costs
• Breakeven Analysis
• The Forces on Price
• The relationship between Price and Demand
• Pricing with confidence

Date:     Wednesday 13 May 2020
Time:     9.30am – 5.00pm
Cost:     Free

Successful Tenders:
Procurement can be a minefield for SMEs but if you can get it right it can really help drive your business growth.

Taking part in this one-day workshop will help you to identify tender opportunities suited to your business, improve your tender-writing skills and understand how decisions are made in the tendering process.   The Workshop will show how to write tenders that stand out from the  competition.   You will  leave with an adaptable tender template that will be invaluable to you in future tenders.

Branding:
In increasingly crowded and sophisticated markets, brand development has never been as critical to the achievement of business success. How a brand is created, promoted and maintained will be the focus of this short course.

Participants will be asked to consider their own brand, its personality, its uniqueness, positioning and management within the overall marketing and promotion of the business. Participants will be provided with practical tools and techniques to manage their branding and promotion to maximise business returns.

Date:    21st May 2020
Time:    10am to 2pm
Cost:     €20

In this interactive workshop you will explore your Business USPs, your target markets, how each one behaves and buys and how you can position your business to maximise potential and reach. Learn what your product or service offers, what PAIN it addresses and benefits vs features. Pick the best channels to connect and
resonate with your target market.

Date: Wednesday June 10th 2020
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Cost: €20

A practical hands-on half day workshop on setting up & using social media for your business, tools covered include Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc.

The Workshop will include: Overview of social media, What Tools to Use & Why, Generating Content for Social Media, Creating & Using a Twitter account, Setting Up and Using a Business Facebook page, Generating Engagement and an Overview of LinkedIn & YouTube.

*Please note, participants will need to bring their own laptop on the day

Date:   12th June 2020
Time:    10 am to 1pm
Cost:     €20

In this workshop you will learn exactly how to create a blog that will raise your profile, enhance your credibility, and attract new customers to help your business grow.

What we will cover:

• Starting up a blog
• Which platforms to use
• How to set the blog up
• How to make it look professional.
• Content strategy.

By the end of the Workshop you’ll be ready to create a business blog that educates and entertains your
readers, brings new streams of traffic to your site, and helps you reach more customers.

Did you know that Creative Spark is involved in Cruinniú na n'Óg 2020?

Do you want to contribute to our community jigsaw?

Local artist Caoimhe McCarthy illustrated  a ‘big picture’ of her interpretation of Louth, representing the county with folklore stories about the region.

Get your piece of the big picture !

These pieces will then be available for you to download and colour in at home. Once finished you can send them back to us at Creative Spark where we will put them all back together to make our community jigsaw.

The closing date to send pieces back is on Saturday 20th June

To get involved email grainne@creativespark.ie

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Overview of Microfinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Please note this course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with microphone and camera in order to take part. Laptops or Tablets are preferred, but a Smartphone will suffice. Broadband speeds of 2mb are recommended.

These free one to one sessions give you the chance to talk through your business issues with an independent advisor.

Together, you can work to uncover further supports or strategies.

The clinics will take place remotely due to current Government restrictions.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in May 2018.

This course will go through the steps to complete a number of important documents that are required to demonstrate compliance with the GDPR. Most businesses operating in Ireland will have to comply with the GDPR. During the session, the attendees will learn how to complete the accompanying document templates so that they are accurate and relevant to their business.

Documents included and explained:

• Data Protection Policy Statement
• Data Retention Policy
• Data Subject Access Request Policy

Please note this course will be delivered online via Zoom.

Talentpool are facilitating this session.

You will receive your login details in the day before the course is scheduled to start.

In order to grow and prosper Micro- enterprises must develop their capability and confidence in tender writing.

"The ability to write powerful tenders will be critical to the sustainability of many micro-enterprises. This is essential as we look to the future and restart the economy  as we emerge from Covid19"

Ian McKay, Navigate Change

This online course is ideal for small businesses seeking opportunities.

The course covers:

• An Overview of Public Procurement - the importance of effective tendering – how the tendering process works and how effective tendering can develop a business’s client-base and increase revenue;
•  Why buyers choose the successful tender: what sells your tender - the motivations, requirements and methodologies of the tendering organisation.
•  Sources of tendering opportunities including local opportunities, State tendering processes and practical opportunities outside Ireland – and how to access them and get included on tender lists: This includes an overview and tour of e-tender and the other European e-tender sites.
• How to adopt a systematic approach to considering and responding to tender requests
• Understanding and writing the bid from the customer perspective
• The dos and don'ts of tender writing.

This course will be facilitated by Navigate Change Consulting.

This course will be delivered online via zoom.

The course facilitator will be in touch in the days prior to the course to issue your login details.

It is vital that small business owners maintain an up to date website to retain an online presence.

Managing your own Wordpress site is one way of keeping costs down, but with it, comes regular maintenance.

This online tutorial will enable participants to manage and maintain their Wordpress website, taking them step by step through getting started to adding content and video.

This course is suitable for beginners and will cover:

• Wordpress Hosting Options
• Basics of Wordpress User Interface
• Understanding the Wordpress Dashboard
• Pages, Tags, Media and Content Administration
• Finding and Using Wordpress Plugins
• Upgrading Wordpress Plugins
• Working with Wordpress themes and best practise
• Adding Video and Audio

Please note this course will be delivered online via Zoom. Please ensure you have a suitable device and broadband speeds to take part.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course starts to issue login details.

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Overview of Microfinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Please note this course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with microphone and camera in order to take part. Laptops or Tablets are preferred, but a Smartphone will suffice. Broadband speeds of 2mb are recommended.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course to issue login details

Digital Marketing is a minefield and a potential money pit of poorly selected & timed sponsored adds offering minimal return.
To maximise engagement with your customers and grow online sales a clearly defined and robust digital marketing strategy is key to success.
Run over 6 half-day sessions this programme will support you in developing a digital marketing strategy incorporating Customer Segmentation, Funnels, Google / SEO, Social Media and content creation utilising digital video and images.
On the sixth session, you will outline your strategy to the tutor who will provide guidance and invaluable feedback to ensure your strategy is maximised to grow your business.

Excel is the most commonly used and in-demand tool for making sense of data. When you can harness that power, you will be a sought after employee. If you run a business, being proficient in Excel can help you see your business in a completely different light.
The purpose of this course is the teach delegates the essential features of Excel. Accessing worksheets, entering data, core functions Referencing cells, formatting worksheets, headers & footers and printing are all covered. Extensive hands-on classroom training is provided throughout.

This half day online workshop will introduce participants to the business functions of Facebook and demonstrate how to use a business page as a sales tool.

This workshop is for participants who are already comfortable with the basics of Facebook.

This course will demonstrate

• The functions of Facebook Business Suite
• Setting up Facebook Business Manager
• Setting up a Facebook Catalogue
• Connecting Facebook to your Website Products
• Setting up Facebook Audiences
• Setting up Ad campaigns

This course will take place completely online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with which to take part.

The  course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course starts to issue login details.

Social Media for Food Businesses.

When sharing engaging content to social media it's a challenge enough in itself to understand the specifics of the different channels, dimensions, audiences and post times. What makes great content sing on social media? For food and drink businesses, Patrick and Russell of award-winning digital content creator brand GastroGays will guide you through the ins and outs of uploading, posting and sharing eye-catching and informative social media content.

This course will be delivered online via zoom.

Login details will be emailed to you the day before the course starts.

This is an initiative of Boyne Valley Flavours and is open to businesses from Meath and Louth.

With Minister Heather Humphreys recent announcement of extra supports available to businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme has become an essential source of support to businesses wanting to boost their online presence, and the good news for previous recipients is that a second voucher is available.

The scheme can offer up to €2500 or 50% of the cost of upgrading your web presence,  plus advice on making the most of  your online business.

This course goes through the details of the scheme, and helps you ensure you understand what is available for you from the grant

Please note, if you wish to apply for the voucher, you must attend a training workshop.

For more information about the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, click here

This course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device to take part with microphone and camera. 

You will receive the login details to join the course the day beforehand from the course facilitator.

Social Media for Small Business - Beginners

A practical workshop on setting up & using social media for your business.  Tools covered include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram LinkedIn etc.

The course will go through:

• Overview of Social Media Platforms
• What platform to use and why
• Generating content
• Locating your Customers on Social Media
• Understanding Core Elements, Hashtags, Mentions, Media Types etc

By the end of this course participants should have a good understanding of the different social media platforms available for use by their business. They should
also understand the structure of content posting & the purpose & impact of engagement.

Excel is the most in commonly used and in demand tool for making sense of data. When you can harness that power, you will be a sought after employee. If you run a business, being proficient in Excel can help you see your business in a completely different light.

Filing your Income Tax Returns.

This programme brings delegates on a journey from initial tax registration, through registering for ROS, and has basic information about filling in a Form 11ROS Registration & use.

The programme explores the dates on which returns must be filled, and what happens if they are missed.

The session shows in detail how the income tax credits, cut offs, and progressive tax rates work in relation to income tax.

These are demonstrated by use of interactive examples and working demonstrations.

This  programme will be delivered completely online.

Please ensure you have a suitable device and broadband speeds.

You will receive the login code for the Zoom session the day before the course starts.

Digital Marketing Strategy

This practical course looks at digital marketing strategies for smaller businesses where budgets are lower and returns on monies invested must be tangible.

This workshop will cover

• An overview of Search Engine Optimisation
• Display Advertising – PPC / CPM
• Email  Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Analytics

At the end of the course, participants will understand how all these tools work together. Participants will be able to create a ,A Google My Business Profile,  and how to develop their Digital Marketing Strategy.

This course is delivered by Verling .

This course is taking place online. You will receive your login details the day before the course starts.

Accessing Finance for your Business

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Overview of Microfinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Please note this course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with microphone and camera in order to take part. Laptops or Tablets are preferred, but a Smartphone will suffice. Broadband speeds of 2mb are recommended.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course to issue login details

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Overview of Microfinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Please note this course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with microphone and camera in order to take part. Laptops or Tablets are preferred, but a Smartphone will suffice. Broadband speeds of 2mb are recommended.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course to issue login details

This online course is a great entry level course for new businesses looking to grasp the basics of Book Keeping and finance.

The workshop covers:

• Cashflow Management
• Taxation
• Managing Finances
• Basic Book keeping

Using easy to follow templates and examples, participants will leave the course with the knowledge and confidence to manage their day to day business finances.

Please note this course will take place online to be delivered via Zoom.

Please ensure you have a suitable device with which to take part.

A link to the course will be emailed to you 2 days before the course is due to take place

The course participant will learn the basics of SEO required to improve their website ranking on this course. They will gain a good overview of what SEO is and how it affects their website.

Along with the tools to check their current website's SEO performance they will gain an insight into recommendations for Content and Technical improvements for their website.

Participants will learn:

• How Search Engines Work
• Content SEO
• Technical SEO
• Search Strategies
• Search trends
• SEO Skills
• Reviewing case studies

SEO can be a complex technical subject. This course is aimed at simplifying the topic for business owners to allow them to understand best practices going forward.

This course is delivered via Zoom, the online meeting platform.

You will receive the course login the day before the course starts.

Access to Finance Workshop is designed to demystify the processes of raising finance for your business. The workshop is targeted at individuals who have a business and are interested in gaining valuable information about accessing finance for your business. Various types of financing will be discussed, information will be given on types of loan finance available from lenders such as MicroFinance Ireland, mainstream banks and credit unions.

Overview of Microfinance Ireland (MFI), private investment, business angels, bank/credit union loans, invoice discounting, leasing, government grants etc. Participants will be informed of how loans are assessed and will be provided with tangible examples of common reasons why loans are refused. General information on types of sources of finance available for small businesses.

Please note this course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with microphone and camera in order to take part. Laptops or Tablets are preferred, but a Smartphone will suffice. Broadband speeds of 2mb are recommended.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course to issue login details

This Interactive training course will help participants understand the importance of Branding and developing a Brand message for their business.

Using real life examples and exercises, to illustrate Branding in practise, participants will be able to build their brand from scratch, communicate their message  and avoid common mistakes.

This course will take place online.

Login details will be emailed to you the day before the course starts.

With Minister Heather Humphreys recent announcement of extra supports available to businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme has become an essential source of support to businesses wanting to boost their online presence, and the good news for previous recipients is that a second voucher is available.

The scheme can offer up to €2500 or 50% of the cost of upgrading your web presence,  plus advice on making the most of  your online business.

This course goes through the details of the scheme, and helps you ensure you understand what is available for you from the grant

Please note, if you wish to apply for the voucher, you must attend a training workshop.

For more information about the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, click here

This course is fully online. Please ensure you have a suitable device to take part with microphone and camera. 

You will receive the login details to join the course the day beforehand from the course facilitator.

This online workshop will help small business to clarify their unique selling point, identify their target markets and to communicate effectively with these markets.

This course is ideal for any business who wishes to understand the essentials of Marketing in an already crowded space, and gain the tools to help them set targets and develop marketing strategies for the future.

During the course participants will 

• Discover and understand their  Unique Selling Proposition
• Identify Target Markets
• Understand Customer Behaviour
• Review their Competitors
• Learn how to Market on a limited budget
• Review online and offline marketing tools.
• Examine how to retain and build on their market during and after Covid 19 Restrictions

This course is delivered by Boyne Communications.

Please note this course is completely online. Please ensure you have a suitable device and broadband speeds to participate.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before with login details for the course.

Course Objective: Understanding what your business needs to do now to make a success of your website.

Course Content:

• Website Objectives/Goals
• Reviewing & Testing Your Website
• Measuring Your website - Traffic & Search Engine Ranking
• Planning Content
• Updating your Website:
• SEO
• Content Ideas
• Content Generation Tools
• 3 Party Tools:
• Shopping Cart Abandonment
• Online Chat
• Newsletter Facility
• Conclusion

This course will take place online via Zoom. Please ensure you have adequate broadband speeds to take part.

You will receive the login details for this course the day before the course starts.

In the world of social media, Instagram is fast becoming an essential marketing tool due to it's reach and heavily curated content.

This workshop will introduce the small business owner to the benefits of this platform. 

Suitable for beginners, this workshop will cover:

• Setting up an Instagram Business Profile
• Understanding Hashtags
• Understanding followers
• Creating, editing and adding media to a post
• Promoting posts

Participants will leave this course with the ability to integrate Instagram into their social media strategy.

This course course will take place completely online. Please ensure you have a suitable device with which to take part.

The course facilitator will be in touch the day before the course starts to issue login details.

This is a FREE fun coding event for girls aged 8 to 10 years. This event will introduce girls to coding using Scratch, a fun visual programming language for children. The event will be facilitated by Joan McCann from TheCodeLab, who will teach and guide the girls to create their own digital story in Scratch with characters, conversations, background scenes, sounds and music! 

This event is designed to inspire local girls to embrace technology, and show them how it can be fun and creative.   Suitable for beginners or girls who are familiar with Scratch.  More experienced coders or fast learners can add more features to their digital story.

This is a FREE fun coding event for girls aged 10 to 13 years (4th-6th class).

This event will introduce girls to coding using Scratch, a fun visual programming language for children. The event will be facilitated by Joan McCann from TheCodeLab, who will teach and guide the girls to create their own digital story in Scratch with characters, conversations, background scenes, sounds and music! 

This event is designed to inspire local girls to embrace technology, and show them how it can be fun and creative.   Suitable for beginners or girls who are familiar with Scratch.  More experienced coders or fast learners can add more features to their digital story.

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) leading manufacturing Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) working with global and indigenous brands to de-risk and de-mystify new and emerging technologies & to deliver high impact collaborative research. IMR’s vision is to enable manufacturing of all sectors and sizes to be leaders in the world of advanced manufacturing so that they can compete and thrive in the global economy.

Formed in 2011, Inspire 3D are Ireland's professional 3D printing systems provider. They help and encourage their customers adopt additive manufacturing, offering training, applications development, consultancy, support and installation.  As a service bureau they provide high quality prototyping services to the Irish market, as well as selling 3D technologies such as 3D Printers, 3D Scanners and the software required.  

This course will be provided by Inspire 3Ds Applications and Training Engineer, Paul Quinn. Paul has worked in a range of different roles over the previous 6 years in additive manufacturing from R&D, Applications and training. With a wide knowledge of all technologies and experiences in operating and maintaining an 3D Print business. Paul is also and Ultimaker Certified Trainer and Technician as well as and Autodesk Fusion 360 instructor.

Mr. Fergal Finn, Standards Officer with the NSAI will deliver a tailored demonstration to articulate the role that Standards play in the widescale adoption of new and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing (3D & 4D Printing), Cloud Computing, Cyber Security and Industry 4.0.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is Ireland's National Standards Body, an agency within the governance of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. NSAI drives and supports excellence for enterprises and societal protection, while embracing innovative solutions and systems through the development and utilisation of Irish, European and International Standards.

NSAI serves a global Irish network of interconnected stakeholders to enable improvement in productivity, capacity, scalability, and innovation, aligned to embrace emerging and future technologies.

Fergal Geraghty from The Data Value Hub will deliver a presentation and workshop on how organisations can leverage Data and Artificial Intelligence to enable companies to reduce costs, increase profits, compete, and scale.

Fergal Geraghty have a Huge focus in developing and fostering a culture of coaching, ownership, accountability, inclusion, career progress and salesmanship. Passionate about innovation and how technology can create real value to organisations. His experience covers entrepreneurship, establishing and scaling commercial entities, go-to market strategies program/project management and managing stakeholders.