The Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant by Clancy Moore Architects has been shortlisted for the new Irish Design Excellence Award (IDEA), with projects across architecture, product, craft, graphics, digital and service design to be exhibited at the National Design & Craft Gallery in Kilkenny from 7 November until 23 January 2027. The award, a collaboration between Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) and the National Museum of Ireland (NMI), is part of Irish Design Week (IDW) 2026.

Nominated by the RIAI, the Arklow project is in the running for a €15,000 Jury Prize and a potential National Museum of Ireland acquisition valued at up to €10,000. The shortlist also features the Oscar-nominated short Retirement Plan by director John Kelly; Superposition's internationally lauded architecture project Backpacking Housing; The Intelligence Garden, an immersive digital storytelling installation first shown at London's Outernet; Tapestry of Ireland by artist Eileen McNulty capturing everyday Irish life; All Ways Home, a short illustrated film by Alan Dunne released to mark the launch of EIRSAT-1, Ireland's first space mission; Mega Dreoilín, a Namaco video game reflecting the deepening housing crisis; a selection of poems by artist, filmmaker and poet Paul Yates MCMLXVII–MMXXIII; and EquiMetrics and Frontend.com's "S-PRO", a wearable platform providing racehorse trainers with performance, fitness and recovery insights.

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Announcing the shortlist, Mary Blanchfield, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said: "Today marks a significant step in recognising Ireland's talent, expertise and craftsmanship. With the introduction of the IDEA award, we hope to encourage designers, makers and creatives to continue pushing boundaries, innovate and challenge the world around us. The standard of submissions for the inaugural award was exceptional, setting the bar remarkably high. Design & Crafts Council is proud to support an initiative that ensures Irish design is both celebrated and recognised. Congratulations to all nominated projects."

Dónal Maguire, Keeper of the Art and Industrial Division at the National Museum of Ireland, said: "The National Museum of Ireland, Collins Bararcks, is proud to partner with DCCI and to recognise and celebrate Irish design in its diverse forms and functions. The Museum's collections reflect the creativity, craft and innovation that has shaped Ireland's design heritage and the IDEA awards are a unique opportunity to highlight these qualities in contemporary design practice. The Museum's IDEA acquisitions will grow the national collection as a broader expression of human creativity and as source of inspiration to future designers."

The nominated works will be displayed in the inaugural Irish Design Excellence Award Exhibition at the National Design & Craft Gallery, opening on 7 November as part of DCCI Irish Design Week 2026 and running until 23 January 2027. The IDEA winner will be revealed on Saturday 7 November.

Irish Design Week takes place nationwide from 7–14 November, with the full programme and ticket details available at www.irishdesignweek.ie.