This one-day event is an inspiring start to the year for creatives

Working in a creative industry comes with its challenges, but connecting with other creatives and reflecting, experimenting and imagining is a powerful antidote – the perfect way to start off a new year.

That’s exactly what Bounce 2026 promises – a one-day design event in Dublin that asks big questions about why, how and for whom we create. On Friday, January 16, in The Arts Building in Trinity College Dublin, Bounce is a series of talks and discussions that are based on the idea that design isn’t just about pretty things – it’s about curiosity, connection, identity and the future. 

The day will focus on meaningful questions, such as, Why do we design? Who is design for? How can creativity serve culture, community and the environment? It’s ideal for anyone working in design, culture, tech and creative practice.

The lineup of speakers and sessions feels incredibly relevant to the current design sphere, from a mix of Irish and international design leaders.

Curiosity as Cause
Patrycja Walczak & Agyei Archer (TypeTogether, Prague)
Explore how curiosity, rather than algorithms or commerce, fosters inclusive, meaningful design that resonates with real people.

Being Human – Identity, Inclusion & Community in Design
Gillian Henderson (Jill & Gill), Dr Mamobo Ogoro (GORM), Michael McDermott (Liberties Festival), in conversation with Jack Murray (MediaHQ)
A conversation about visibility, representation and belonging – asking how design reflects and shapes contemporary Irish life.

Raise Your Voice: Co-Designing the Future of AI Through Play
Ciara Wade and Shane Casey (Human Sciences Studio / Accenture The Dock, Dublin)
A playful, participatory session reframing AI futures through empathy and human values.

Play for the People
Jaron Korvinus (Rotterdam based Studio Spass)
An inspiring exploration of how play can be a serious creative tool that invites participation and joy into the design process.

Beyond Being – Designing for More-Than-Human Futures
Judith van den Boom (Central Saint Martins, UAL), Ceri Almrott (Technological University Dublin) in conversation with Peter Evers (Institute of Art, Design and Technology IADT)
A bold look at how design might place ecosystems and non-human life at the centre of creative practice.

What Makes Us Human
Luna Maurer (Moniker, Amsterdam)
A lecture-performance that reclaims friction, presence and embodiment in a world moving ever faster toward automation.

Tickets are available at bouncecreative.ie.