Events
Set the Agenda – Autumn 2023
Vicky Stoakes
Communications Director
Set the Agenda – Autumn 2023
The September heatwave is starting to wane, and we’re stepping into autumn with our thoughts turning towards a packed agenda of exciting design events. The London Design Festival takes over, with nine days of events across the city, including the thought-provoking Design Forum held at the V&A. Globally there are some major conferences and events bringing together some of the world’s best design thinkers and creators shaping the future. Here’s our top five pick of upcoming design centred events.
Where will you be going this autumn?
Dieline Forum – Labelexpo, Brussels, Belgium (11-12 September)
Exploring the latest trends and innovations shaping the brands of tomorrow, the Dieline Forum brings together some major names in brand design from Mother Design, to Pearlfisher and Turner Duckworth. The forum has a focus on sustainability and will be looking at the strategies and practices of brands that are capturing the hearts and wallets of Gen Z and Millennials
London Design Festival – London, UK (16-24 September)
Celebrating its 21st year, the London Design Festival continues to grow in size and scope. Aiming to promote the city's creativity, through the UK's greatest thinkers, practitioners, and educators delivering an unmissable celebration of design. Events are taking place across 12 designated design districts (from Bankside and Shoreditch Design Triangle, to Mayfair and the Greenwich Peninsula). There will also be a series of major Landmark projects, that make the festival so distinct, including a series of activations dubbed ‘Wren 300’ around St Paul's Cathedral, to mark the 300th anniversary of Sir Christopher Wren’s death, enlisting contemporary designers to explore his legacy.
London Design Forum – London, UK (16-24 September)
The London Design Forum, a major part of the London Design Festival, deserves its own shout out and is not to be missed. Bringing together the minds shaping the future of design, and the impact design and design thinking has on the world. Held at the V&A, with speakers from all corners of the global design community, share their perspectives on how design can be more accessible, inclusive, sustainable and at the forefront of change.
Brand New Conference – Austin, Texas, USA (3-4 October)
The Brand New Conference is a two-day event organised by influential online design news channel and blog, UnderConsideration. The event focuses on the practice of corporate and brand identity, with eight speaker sessions each day offering a broad range of points of views with speakers from around the world practicing in different environments, from global consultancies, to in-house groups, to small firms. The event is organised and hosted by UnderConsideration co-founders Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit.
AIGA Design Conference – New York, USA (12-14 October)
The American Institute of Graphic Arts annual event, is hosted this year by Debbie Millman, host of the award-winning Design Matters podcast (one of the world’s first and the longest running design podcasts). This year’s theme is ‘The View from Here’, all about reaching new heights in design and exploring the opportunities that come with a bright future. The event covers sessions for designers at every stage of their career, from just starting out to leadership and beyond. Live stream tickets are available to purchase if you can’t get yourself to New York this time.
Dutch Design Week – Eindhoven, Netherlands (21-29 October)
Every October, Dutch Design Week takes place in Eindhoven, and is of the biggest design events in Europe, presenting the work and ideas of more than 2,600 designers to more than 350,000 visitors. In more than 110 locations across the city, there will be exhibitions, lectures, prize ceremonies, networking events, debates and festivals, celebrating all disciplines and aspects of design on offer. It has a huge focus on the design of the future and the future of design, supporting the development of young talent.
