The Western Development Commission (WDC) has welcomed the success of the inaugural EDGE26 Creative Economy Summit, which brought together more than 400 delegates in Galway to explore the future of Ireland’s digital creative industries and their role in driving innovation, enterprise development, and regional growth.
A key highlight of the summit was an address by Minister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail & Circular Economy, Alan Dillon TD, who reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting Ireland’s globally ambitious creative companies. Speaking at the closing session, Minister Dillon described the quality and ambition of Ireland’s creative industries sector as presenting “enormous opportunities” for innovation, intellectual property creation, and internationally scalable enterprise.
The Minister acknowledged the significant contribution of CREW (Creative Enterprise West) in building momentum within the sector and highlighted the importance of regional initiatives in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
CREW was established in 2024 by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the WDC, with Enterprise Ireland as a key partner. Since its establishment, CREW has played a pivotal role in supporting digital creative businesses across the West and North-West through incubation, business development supports, training, and networking opportunities.
During the summit, CREW launched a landmark whitepaper, From Momentum to Scale: Digital Creative Industries in the West and North-West of Ireland: A Decade of Progress and the Path to 2036, commissioned in partnership with UrbanLab at University of Galway. The report examines the growth and evolution of the digital creative industries sector across Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, and Clare over the past decade.
The research identified several key challenges facing the sector, including access to finance, commercial and market development barriers, and uneven geographic distribution of opportunities and support services. It also outlined seven strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening the ecosystem, including improved market access supports, enhanced investment pathways, skills development focused on commercialisation and intellectual property, and greater investment in regional infrastructure and support networks.
The findings reinforce the importance of continued collaboration between government, enterprise agencies, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders to ensure that the region’s creative industries can scale successfully and compete internationally.
Commenting on the summit, the WDC noted that the event demonstrated the growing strength and potential of the creative economy across the West and North-West. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives that foster innovation, create high-value employment opportunities, and contribute to balanced regional development.
Hosted by CREW at Galway’s Dexcom Stadium, EDGE26 was co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021–2027. The event was supported by Enterprise Ireland, with ATU Galway serving as Lead Patron.
As Ireland’s creative industries continue to evolve, the WDC looks forward to working with partners across the region to support the next phase of growth, ensuring that the West and North-West remain at the forefront of innovation, creativity, and enterprise development.
As a patron of EDGE26, the WDC’s involvement reflects our wider commitment to supporting sustainable economic development, entrepreneurship, and community growth across the West and North-West. By supporting initiatives such as EDGE26, the WDC helps strengthen the networks, knowledge exchange, and collaborative momentum that create the conditions for creative ideas and enterprises to thrive, both regionally and internationally.
