Design weeks and festivals are a key element of effective innovation ecosystems, raising awareness of design value and promoting practices in design. The pandemic situation challenged also their functioning, but creative problem-solving approach of design ensures that the design events can thrive also in a socially-distanced reality.
In June this year, our project partner Barcelona Design Centre took over the presidency of the World Design Weeks forum and will host their headquarters in coming years.
The global network World Design Weeks, founded in 2016 by Barcelona, Helsinki, Netherlands, San Francisco, Toronto, Mexico city, Beijing, Seul and Tokio design weeks, has decided to move its headquarters from Helsinki to Barcelona. Barcelona Design Centre will host it at their headquarters located at Disseny Hub Barcelona, thus reinforcing the strategic importance of this building which has the main goal of representing, developing and exhibiting the creative talent of the city at a local and international scale.
The organisation, home of 40 design weeks and festivals from around the world, faces a common challenge to reconsider strategies on how to celebrate events with a big number of local and international visitors, now being 100% digital. The collaboration and exchange of experiences and good practices will be key in the months to come.
