Angela O'Kelly is the head of Design for Body and Environment (Fashion, Textile & Surface Design, Jewellery & Objects) at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland.

 
She has worked as an educator, practitioner, curator and consultant in contemporary design, craft and applied art since 1999.

Her focus in design education is equipping students for sustainable career options upon graduating and her areas of responsibility include the development and validation of innovative curriculum content. This places an emphasis on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects, professional practice, and numerous live collaborations with industry and cultural organisations.

O'Kelly’s research as a practitioner primarily examines the engagement with material intelligence and the emotion of objects. She has exhibited extensively in the international exhibitions and galleries. Her creative wearable art is in many private collections, and public collections including the Museum of Art and Design, New York; the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; National Museum of Ireland, Ulster Museum, Belfast; Georgia State University; and the British Crafts Council Collection.

Her work as a curator focuses on current craft and design thinking and exposing new and experienced designer makers through national and international markers. She most recently curated ‘Shape the Future, Shaping Collective Identity through making’ for the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, and co-curated ‘Liminal, Irish Design at the threshold’ which toured to Milan, New York and Eindhoven Design Festivals as the flagship Irish Design 2015 exhibition.