Design Bank: Reviving a Landmark Building for Creativity and Enterprise in Miltown Malbay
LEADER | Clare Local Development Company | Miltown Malbay
A buzzing co‑working, craft and food creator space
Design Bank in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, is an innovative rural regeneration project supported by the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme. Led by local teacher Aoife O’Malley, the former bank building was transformed into a vibrant co-working and retail hub for makers and creatives..
Project
Snapshot
- Project Name: Design Bank
- Location: The Square, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare
- Promoter: Miltown Malbay Creative Centre CLG
- Funding: €100,000 LEADER towards total cost €136,272
- Impact: 3 Jobs created, 60 makers supported
Overview
Why This Project Was Needed
For years, the former Bank of Ireland building in the centre of Miltown Malbay lay unused, despite its prominent location on The Square. At the same time, local makers, food producers and artists had no shared space where they could work, showcase their products and meet customers year‑round.
In 2024, a “Meet the Maker” pop‑up event during the Willie Clancy Festival brought local creatives together in the building and attracted strong interest from both residents and visitors, proving there was demand for a permanent creative hub in the town. The success of this pilot highlighted the need to regenerate the vacant premises, support new enterprise opportunities and create a welcoming focal point for community and cultural activity in West Clare.
Design Bank shows how CLDC’s LEADER support can turn vacant rural buildings into long‑term cultural and economic assets.
What We Did
Collaboration
Supported the vision and planning
Secured Investment
CLDC LEADER support: €100,000 towards refurbishment works
Enabled Enterprise
CLDC backed a creative social enterprise hub supporting local makers and jobs.
What CLDC LEADER Funding Enabled
Creative workspace for local makers
Support for enterprise development
Local job and skills support
Refurbished and improved premises
Community-led social enterprise model
A hub for creativity and collaboration
IMPACT & OUTCOMES
- Over 60 local makers showcasing and selling their work year-round
- Three new jobs created, all held by women from the local community
- Live workshops, demonstrations and family events drawing visitors into the town
- A catalyst for surrounding businesses — cafés, shops and local accommodation
- Recognised nationally as a replicable model for rural regeneration
- Enhancing the visitor experience in Miltown Malbay town centre
- Inspiring younger generations through creativity and hands-on making
"This space needs to be commercially viable, but it's unlike other businesses in that the quiet times are important too — because it gives the creators a chance to talk to each other. And that's equally as important to me. That's what the whole idea of it initially was."
Learning & Next Steps
What Worked
Community-led vision from the outset
Pop-up model tested demand before committing
Shared ownership keeps makers invested
Flexible space that adapts to seasons and events
Strong CLDC LEADER partnership from planning to delivery
Future Potential
A replicable model for other vacant buildings in Clare
Potential to expand workshop and residency programmes
Growing the maker collective beyond 60 participants
Attracting visitors and supporting the wider Miltown Malbay economy
Inspiring similar creative social enterprise hubs across the West of Ireland
Acknowledgements
Design Bank was developed through the vision of Miltown Malbay Creative Centre CLG, in partnership with Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) and supported by the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme under the Department of Rural and Community Development.
