• It will be held on October 30 at The Terminal Hub, the new technology and innovation hub located at La Marina de València.

• The congress, themed “From Ideas to Action,” will feature participation from brands such as COS, On, Cycle Platform, Logo, Batera Brand, and model Irina Lazareanu, ambassador for No More Plastic, among other presentations yet to be confirmed.

• The congress is promoted and organized by the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana and curated by Patricia Moreno, a journalist and expert in fashion communication.

The third edition of «Future of Fashion» is coming to València on October 30, serving as a meeting point for the fashion industry, the textile sector—of which the Comunitat Valenciana is the 4th largest exporter in Spain—conscious consumers, designers, brands, and students.

«Future of Fashion» 2024 will feature Ken Machado Sugita, Head of Sustainability APAC at On, who will speak about the sports revolution in sustainable fashion from the perspective of a brand that has captured the fashion sector and younger generations with collaborations with Loewe and Zendaya. There will be a roundtable on circularity in the age of microtrends, featuring Daniel Sánchez, CEO of Cycle Platform, Ana Lorido, founder of Logo, and Iñigo Picaza, founder of Batera Brand. Regenerative agriculture in fashion will be another topic, with Emily Oiyama, Head of Sustainability at COS. The congress will close with a conversation with Irina Lazareanu, model and ambassador for No More Plastic. More speakers and presentations will be confirmed in the coming days.

In previous editions, «Future of Fashion» brought together figures and organizations such as Natalia Culebras, Head of Sustainable Design at Dior Men; María Prandi from Business and Human Rights; Mimi Martínez from Fashion Revolution; Carmen Silla from Jeanologia; Regina Polanco, CEO of Pyratex; María Fernanda Hernández Franco, Head of Sustainability at Luisaviaroma; Lily Cole, entrepreneur, activist, model, and actress; H&M Foundation; Teppo Tauriainen, Swedish Ambassador in Madrid; British designer Christopher Raeburn; and Tim Jackson, Director of the British School of Fashion, among others.

Since 2022, the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana—the organizing entity of the event—has aimed to emphasize the role of design as a positive agent of change. Starting in 2023, the project is curated by fashion journalist and communication expert Patricia Moreno, a native of València with more than ten years of experience in fashion magazines and international educational projects. The master of ceremonies will be fellow Valencian Marta Ortiz, who, alongside her career as a runway model and sustainable fashion entrepreneur with her company Matiz, has established herself as a fashion communicator through social media and Vogue Spain.

“After two editions, we had the challenge of continuing our goal of bringing big names in international sustainable fashion to València, and we’ve succeeded. More and more, this congress is positioning itself on the global map of sustainability in the clothing industry, which is great news for our region and all the companies, activists, and initiatives linked to this specialty. During this event, once again, they will have the opportunity to connect with industry players and showcase their projects on a global scale without leaving the city,” said Patricia Moreno, congress curator.

Tickets are now available on the congress website (https://futurefashion.design). Early bird tickets are priced at €20, available while supplies last. The regular price will be €25. Both include coffee and a snack during the morning break, where, as throughout the event, networking between visitors and the local audience will be encouraged. There will be a lunch break, and the event will resume until 6:00 PM.

“At the Fundació del Disseny, we promote design in all its forms, and we couldn’t overlook fashion and textiles, a sector that has historically had significant relevance in the Comunitat Valenciana. Creating spaces for reflection to highlight projects that prioritize sustainability and people’s well-being is one of our priorities. ‘Future of Fashion’ brings to València initiatives from companies and individuals working for a better world through creativity, design, and business, and it is an honor for us that they come to share their stories here,” said Xavi Calvo, Director of the Fundació del Disseny.

«Future of Fashion» is a project promoted by the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana, with the support of the Conselleria of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, the Ajuntament de València, and The Terminal Hub.

• Design will dominate the cultural and professional agenda of the city throughout September and extend until mid-October, in a year where València stands out as the European Green Capital and has been designated by UNESCO as a City of Design.
• The program, which includes exhibitions, conferences, editorial presentations, workshops, audiovisual screenings, and more, will coincide with major events such as Feria Hábitat, Abierto València, or Valencia Disseny Week.
• The festival, promoted by the Fundació del Disseny, aims to continue projecting the Valencian Community on a national and international scale as a territory indisputably linked to creativity and design.

València Design Fest, driven by the Fundació del Disseny, solidifies in its second edition with a program that covers multiple creative disciplines and invites the public to engage with culture and design.

«Time and Matter»

One of the program’s most notable initiatives is the second edition of «Time and Matter», a project curated by Estudio Savage. This year, it collaborates with the Museu Valencià de la Il·lustració i de la Modernitat (MuVIM) and the Irthi Contemporary Craft Council. «Time and Matter» seeks to bring contemporary craftsmanship closer to the general public and reflects on how, alongside design, craftsmanship offers a valid path for development, particularly in the preservation of materials, techniques, and manufacturing processes. The exhibition, titled «Crafting Connections: Exploring Collaborations in Contemporary Crafts», will open at the MuVIM on September 13, coinciding with the festival’s opening event.

Parallel to the exhibition, a series of activities curated by Estudio Savage in collaboration with Camper, Fundación Loewe, and Domaine de Boisbuchet will take place. These include a talk with Barreira A+D (September 9) and a workshop with a multidisciplinary group of creatives, culminating in a presentation on September 13, which aims to consider design as a cultural influence. Additionally, Fundación Loewe will present its Loewe Craft Prize through a talk with two Spanish finalists from the recent editions of these awards (September 17). The extensive program related to «Time and Matter» will also feature meetings with artists and entities such as Domaine de Boisbuchet, Inma Bermúdez, Regina Dejiménez, and Sergio Mendoza at Feria Hàbitat’s nude space (October 1) and a discussion led by Valencian designer Manu Bañó from Mexico City, along with other young designers and artisans (September 24).

«The New Habitat»

On September 18, the study «The New Habitat 25-26: How the Spaces We Inhabit are Changing», conducted by APE Grupo in collaboration with Futurea, the General Council of Official Associations of Interior Decorators and Designers of Spain, Bernadí, and the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana, will be presented. This research aims to demonstrate how interior design, product design, and architecture deeply and meaningfully connect with sociocultural trends. The presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion with Ángela Montagut (Clap Studio), Fran Sabater (Samaruc Studio), and Alberto Eltini (El Departamento).

Talks

To generate debate and reflection on design, architecture, and urbanism, the festival will include a series of talks (September 19, 26, and October 3) open to the public, featuring professionals such as Erik Harley (expert in Urban Studies), Nuria Moliner (architect and communicator), Nuria Matarredona (architect, researcher, and educator), Beatriz Jacoste (director of KM ZERO), and Juan Ferrero (managing partner of Ramón Esteve), among others.

The Braun Case and Sustainability as a Focus

On October 8, Benjamin Wilson, Global Technology & Design Communications Lead at Braun, will present the book «Braun: Designed to Keep», which outlines the company’s defining moments, main identities, and key figures, providing the most comprehensive history of the German company ever published.

On the same day, Andreu World CEO Jesús Llinares will engage in a discussion with Wilson about the need for a new industrial revolution in design, manufacturing, and global distribution, culminating in a day focused on responsible innovation, circular economy, and sustainability in product design.

The afternoon will close with a roundtable emphasizing the importance of collective change toward more responsible and environmentally respectful practices, aiming to inspire the adoption of more ecological approaches in the industry and promoting innovation and progress toward a positive impact on the planet.

«In this second edition of València Design Fest, we align particularly with the year of the European Green Capital and highlight our recent designation as a UNESCO City of Design, two very complementary milestones that underscore the social role of design and its cross-cutting importance for the development of our society», says Xavi Calvo, director of the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana.

 

«Night at the Museum»

In the exhibition «Night at the Museum. When Nature Awakens the Senses» at the Museum of Fine Arts (starting October 2), vegetation will take over the museum’s interior, creating a series of scenes based on biophilic design: a movement that proposes emulating and integrating natural elements into architecture and interior design for their positive impact on people’s well-being. LZF Lamps and Gandía Blasco Group have jointly conceptualized and designed this intervention, with the participation of another Valencian firm, Greenarea, specialized in creating spaces and vertical gardens with preserved vegetation.

When the Local Meets the Global and Design as Everyday Life

IKEA València will be featured in two activities during València Design Fest. One will be an expert panel where Almudena Cano, Country Home Furnishing & Retail Design Manager at IKEA Spain, and Manuel Delgado, Home Furnishing Direction Leader at IKEA Spain, alongside the IKEA Valencia team, will share IKEA’s creative process, from analyzing macro trends to developing local solutions. This will be an opportunity for professionals and future talent to come together and inspire designs that improve daily life at home.

Additionally, IKEA will present the exhibition «I Can’t Live Without You», where ten renowned Valencian creators will choose two household items they can’t live without.

Editorial Projects, Exhibitions, Cinema, Family Workshops, Talks, and Even a Square Table

València Design Fest aims to leave no one behind and understands design from all possible perspectives. Therefore, the program will also offer:

• Activities for children in collaboration with Cuadernos Rubio (September 17 and 20)
• The «TotCor» exhibition (available at the National Museum of Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts), a collaborative project by Pepa Reverter, in which several artists have designed pieces around the concept of the “cor” (heart in Valencian) to send a message of solidarity.
• The presentation of «Quaderns 2» by the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny (September 23) – an edition that offers an academic perspective on some of the emblematic icons of Valencian design.
• A day focused on cinema and architecture at the Filmoteca (September 25) – with a discussion featuring Vicent Molins (journalist and director of Agència Districte), Carlos Salazar (architect and culture manager at CTAV), and Sara Mansanet (cultural manager and director of La Cabina), followed by the screening of «Mon Oncle».
• A creative gathering around art and craftsmanship (September 24), Mesa Cuadrada #4: «Artistes y/o Artesanes, esa **** movida de siempre», signed by Cuaderno Blablabla and moderated by its founder Sergio Membrillas.
• The talk «City of Design» (September 13): CEI – Centro de Estudios de Innovación Diseño y Marketing – will open its doors to celebrate local talent together with València Design Fest. Xavi Calvo (Director of the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana) will discuss how València has become a global reference for design, from its historical roots to its recent recognition as World Design Capital and City of Design.

 

«València Design Fest 2024 is an invitation to learn and enjoy design. The program is designed to cover many of the disciplines related to design in its mission to foster debate on how to improve and enrich people’s lives through art, culture, and sustainability», says Roberto Heredia, project director of the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana.

Partner Programs

During «the month of design», València Design Fest will coincide with the Feria Hábitat, Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium, and Espacio Cocina SICI by Feria Valencia, and the 15th Edition of Valencia Disseny Week (VDW-15), organized by the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community. Another partner program is the XIII Valencia Comic Conference, which will be held at the Centre Cultural La Nau (September 20-22). Lastly, «Abierto València 2024», the contemporary art gallery festival of the Valencian Community (September 27 – October 4), organized by LAVAC, the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries, will take place.

You can find all the festival information at https://valenciadesignfest.com / Facebook / X / Instagram / Linkedin 

The Museu Valencià de la Il·lustració i de la Modernitat (MuVIM) will be the nerve center for many of the festival’s activities this year. However, València Design Fest will take place across many locations in the city, filling València with design and creativity.

The festival is supported by the València City Council, the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, the Coordination Center for Cultural Industries of the Ministry of Culture, Visit València, Feria Valencia, and València Sustainable European Green Capital 2024.

Additionally, València Design Fest’s main sponsor is the furniture company Andreu World, with additional sponsorship from APE Grupo, Padima, Actiu, Material Bank, Teika, LZF Lamps, Punt, Rolser, Newlyn, and Turia.

The collaborating entities include ADCV, the Interior Designers Association of the Valencian Community (CDICV), the Museu Valencià de la Il·lustració i de la Modernitat (MuVIM), the College of Architects of València (CTAV), LAVAC, the Valencian Comic Association, Pocket Design Magazine, the Nude Show of Feria Hábitat Valencia, the Valencian Design Archive, CEU Cardenal Herrera University, EASD (Valencia School of Art and Design), Barreira Arte+Diseño, LABA València, CEI Design School, Las Naves, La Filmoteca (Institut Valencià de Cultura of the Generalitat Valenciana), IRTHI, Rubio, Camper, IKEA València, and Loewe Foundation. 

• The objective of the framework agreement is the joint development of initiatives and projects of interest to the sector and its professionals.
• It will be complemented with agreements identified by projects, in those cases in which, due to their objectives, size or scope, it is deemed appropriate.

València, July 17, 2024 – The Design Foundation of the Valencian Community and the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community (ADCV) have signed a framework collaboration agreement, which will be the basis for the joint development of initiatives and projects of interest to the sector and for its professionals.

The collaboration between both organizations will focus on shared objectives, among which the promotion of design stands out, both nationally and internationally, highlighting its economic, cultural and social relevance; reflection on your practice; ensure and promote ethics and good practices; collaborate for better preparation and collaboration among design professionals, and support and explore changes in the profession.

All of this, with the common global goal of contributing to the strengthening of the Valencian design ecosystem, seeking alliances and synergies with other related entities.

In practice, all this implies the joint carrying out of activities in different areas. The agreement expressly includes the joint organization of cultural, educational and editorial activities; collaboration in research projects, as well as cooperation and technical assistance in the field of new technologies; the establishment of agreements on the provision of services of mutual interest, and the reciprocal transfer of facilities for the development of specific activities, upon request for authorization and availability. Likewise, dialogue for common purposes will be maintained.

For each of the initiatives or projects, the optimal collaboration formula will be jointly defined. The formulation of individualized agreements is also contemplated in those in which it is deemed appropriate, due to their size, scope or objectives.

Good hiring practices

One of the common lines of action of the ADCV and the Fundació del Disseny is the defense of professional ethics and good practices in the contracting of design work. In this agreement, both ratify their union to ensure that they maintain a position against speculative calls or any that are contrary to the ethical standards of the profession.

In this sense, they agree to maintain a proactive attitude in the creation or reformulation of calls that are respectful of the design profession, as well as to disseminate and promote them both among the agents of the sector themselves and among Public Administrations, institutions, companies and all types of organizations. that hire design jobs.

Example of alliance: Valencia Design Month

The first example of joint collaboration after the signing of the new agreement is the promotion and dissemination of the activities and events that will shape the ‘Design Month’ of Valencia, which will take place this year from September 10 to October 10. In these four weeks, the 15th edition of València Disseny Week, a reference initiative organized by the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community (ADCV), the València Design Fest, promoted by the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana, will converge in the city. , and the large events Feria Hábitat València, Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium and Espacio Cocina SICI.

These events will bring together professionals, companies and national and international institutions in Valencia who, together with citizens, will enjoy local talent, the creative effervescence of our city and the latest trends in design from the Mediterranean.

This week, almost 350 cities that currently make up the UNESCO Creative Cities Network are meeting in Braga, Portugal, to share experiences and exchange knowledge. It also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the creation by UNESCO of the Creative Cities Network.

In the welcome session to the new cities of the Network, Bernard Gaspar (Head of Cultural Action Service of the Valencia City Council) and Xavi Calvo (director of the Design Foundation of the Valencian Community, an entity that participated in the candidacy process ) have presented the case of València as a City of Design in addition to the new brand built from the city’s tourist identity (a branding project that was presented last year with a design by the prestigious studio Lavernia&Cienfuegos in collaboration with the WAY agency).

In the presentation of València, the historical presence of design in the development of Valencian industries and the city itself has been highlighted, which has defined the local heritage, reaching current milestones such as the recent constitution of the Design Council, a municipal advisory body. in design that in its new stage has the presidency of the Councilor for Culture, José Luis Moreno, and with the vice presidency exercised by the general coordinator of strategy, studies and projects of the Valencia City Council, Manuel Tomás, who with the 20 external members confirm an example of good practices in the development of design policies, also becoming the first design council of a city council in our country.

As Gaspar and Calvo emphasized in their conference, design has played a crucial role in Valencia, a role that in recent years has been transferred to the development of the city with sustainability criteria aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. from the ONU.

The presentation of València has been very well received by the attending delegations, especially by the specific network of Design Cities, who stressed that this designation is not only an achievement but the beginning of a path and a great commitment to networking. Likewise, in the creation of international clusters, the incorporation of Valencia as an international reference in creativity and design will provide examples of cases to work on in the coming years.

The opening ceremony included the participation of the mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio; the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; the Deputy Director General of Culture of UNESCO, Ernesto Ottone; and the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres. And later the day was opened to the public, activating a dozen events in other creative points of the Portuguese city under the Be-Creative Ágora umbrella.

During the week, thematic panels on good practices in initiatives and policies based on innovation and culture will continue to be presented, opening work sessions and participatory round tables, and the city manifesto “Braga Manifesto: A Culture Goal for Sustainable” will be signed. Development” where València will reaffirm its commitment to culture, creativity and urban inclusion policies, calling for the integration of culture as an independent objective in the post-2030 international development agenda.

The Annual Conferences of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network are a unique occasion to strengthen ties between member cities around the world. Organized by a different city each year, it serves as a platform to define the strategic objectives of an expanded and well-balanced Network.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 and today, almost 350 cities from more than 100 countries share the objective of placing cultural and creative industries at the core of their development plans at the local level, from a network that facilitates exchange of experiences, knowledge and resources among its members to promote the development of local creative industries and international collaboration.

Every two years, UNESCO convenes this process to include in its Network of Creative Cities new incorporations with cases that deserve international recognition for how they develop their economic and cultural city models from one of the seven creative disciplines: crafts, design, cinema, gastronomy , literature, digital arts and music.

In Spain, there are 11 cities that belong to this Network, of which 4 are Valencian: Dénia (for Gastronomy), Llíria (for Music), Manises (for Crafts) and València (for Design).

Valencia as a City of Design in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Valencia was designated as a City of Design at the end of 2023 to establish relationships with other cities committed to elevating the role of culture, creativity and innovation to develop more sustainable cities, such as Helsinki, Berlin, Turin, Graz, Saint-Étienne , Budapest, Dubai, Seoul, Mexico, Puebla, Querétaro, Shanghai, Doha, Istanbul, Kaunas, Kobe or Montreal.
Being a UNESCO Creative City opens important opportunities for collaboration for Valencia and its creative and cultural industries, so that both the Valencian design sector and its network of action come into contact with other territories around the world.

València will thus continue its intense international positioning work in recent years in design and creativity, and will raise its global profile as a leader in design innovation, strengthening its broad ecosystem of Valencian design with other organizations and markets around the world.

València’s commitment through its participation in this meeting together with other cities in the Network that includes all continents will be to promote and share good practices that allow for more sustainable urban development by making effective and strategic use of design in the public politics.

More information about the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

• During the month of design, València Design Fest will come together, led by Fundació del Disseny, the Feria Hábitat València, Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium and Espacio Cocina SICI competitions by Feria Valencia and the 15th Edition of València Disseny Week (VDW-15). , organized by the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community.
• The presentation event took place at CaixaForum Madrid, with the presence and support of a large number of agents from the design sector on a national scale.

València will become the international epicenter of design thanks to a month full of activities dedicated to this creative and cultural industry. The program will include exhibitions, fairs, conferences, workshops, presentations, projects led by emerging talents and screenings, among many other initiatives. Between September 10 and October 10, the city of València Design Fest, promoted by the Design Foundation of the Valencian Community, the major events Feria Hábitat València, Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium and Espacio Cocina SICI, and the celebration of the 15th edition of València Disseny Week, a reference initiative organized by the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community (ADCV) with a participatory program, co-created together with different agents from the sector. Events that will bring together professionals, companies and national and international institutions in Valencia who will enjoy, together with citizens, local talent, the creative effervescence of our city and the latest trends in design from the Mediterranean.

Valencia Design Fest

Organized by the Fundació del Disseny, València Design Fest’s main objective is to continue projecting the Valencian Community on a national and international scale as a territory indisputably linked to design. This year it presents, among the most notable initiatives, the second edition of “Time and Matter”, an exhibition of contemporary crafts curated by Estudio Savage, which seeks to bring contemporary crafts closer to the general public. A space for reflection where you can see how, thanks to design, craftsmanship has a valid path of development and, above all, the permanence of materials, techniques and production processes.

The program will also include the screening of several documentaries, among which “Mariscal. The joy of living”, the story of a man who conquered the world and had to lose everything to find himself again; conversations between creative minds – Erik Harley (expert in Urban Studies, known for being the creator of Pormishuevismo), Nuria Moliner (architect and communicator) or Juan Ferrero (partner and CEO at Ramón Esteve Estudio), among others -; as well as the presentation of publications such as Quadern 02 of the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny, an edition on the most emblematic icons of Valencian design, those who built the imaginary of what good design developed in our land entails, which projected it nationally and internationally. and its impact on contemporary culture; or workshops like the one that Cuadernos Rubio will lead.

Among the satellite activities of the festival are the TotCor exhibition, a collaborative project signed by Pepa Reverter in which several artists have designed pieces around the figure of the “cor” (heart in Valencian) to launch a message of solidarity; a “Square Table” from the series organized by Sergio Membrillas, events that seek to energize the Valencian scene by inviting notable personalities to debate a topic; as well as several conferences and activities led by the partners of the Fundació del Disseny, such as APE Grupo – who will present the report “The New Habitat 24-25”.

As a great novelty, the Fundació del Disseny will present the Distinctions for Social Design, as well as a series of scholarships for young professionals to promote the social nature in the field of design.

Top-level names and brands such as Camper, Álvaro Catalán de Ocón or Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, among others, will complete the ambitious program.

The great call for Feria Valencia

Feria Valencia will be one of the great epicenters of design month with the celebration, from September 30 to October 3, of the large international calls around the habitat sectors: Feria Hábitat València, Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium and Espacio Cocina SICI . An event that plans to bring together an offer of close to a thousand exhibiting companies on an exhibition surface of more than 90,000 square meters, corresponding to the eight pavilions on Levels 2 and 3 of Feria Valencia.

The call comes with many new features in each of the contests. Thus, Feria Hábitat Valencia will expand its scope of action towards the hotel industry this year, with the signing of a collaboration agreement with the Hotel Technology Institute through which a series of conferences will be held around this industry with the presence of interior designers, designers, architects and managers of the main hotel chains. Furthermore, within this segment, the prestigious designer Héctor Ruiz will create a contract space with various proposals around this sector. Habitat will also add to this call a new pavilion dedicated to the Interior Decoration sector, with the presence of the main national and international firms in this field. An offer that is incorporated into the best proposals of avant-garde design, which will once again occupy two entire pavilions, as well as the offer of indoor, outdoor furniture, lighting, upholstery and rest, as well as the program of conferences and conferences in around design and interior design that will be held at the Ágora nude.

For its part, Hábitat’s offer will be complemented with the best home textiles, upholstery and contract through the Textilhogar Home Textiles Premium contest, which will occupy part of pavilion 3 of Level 3 and which in 2024 will host an innovative space designed by the creative Sigfrido Serra with the help of the interiors magazine and in which various spaces will be integrated, such as the trends area, a ‘networking’ area and the ‘Boulevard’ of Editores.

The 360-degree vision around the habitat will be completed by the return of the SICI Espacio Cocina biennial, the only fair 100% specialized in kitchen furniture and equipment held in our country and which this year debuts an innovative setting by the designer Ximo Roca, who will convert pavilion 4 of Level 3 into a surprising container with fluid routes and which will host the best national and international offering in the sector, with a special emphasis on kitchen furniture manufacturing companies, which practically doubles their presence in the fair.

Valencia Design Week – 15th Edition (VDW-15)

The València Disseny Week of the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community (ADCV), the event with the longest history and participation in the sector, reaches its fifteenth edition in 2024 as a reference project for the dissemination, promotion and enhancement of the design of the Valencian Community. It is celebrated from September 30 to October 4.

The diversity and scope of the VDW program is based on an open and participatory process, in which professionals, studios, educational centers and companies in the sector intervene, supported by the representative entity of design companies in the Valencian Community, the ADCV. Together they give rise to dozens of proposals aimed at promoting interaction, coexistence, communication and mutual knowledge between design and citizens that are concentrated in the most stimulating week for Valencian design. Among them, workshops, conferences, exhibitions, routes and open-door sessions, talks and presentations, with different contents and approaches, from informative to those of a more festive nature.

The common thread that unites the VDW program is the valorization of design as a strategic ally in innovation and business competitiveness, in the evolution towards more sustainable, inclusive and integrative social and economic models and, with it, in the improvement of people’s well-being and quality of life. In line with this commitment, and with Valencia’s performance as European Green Capital in 2024, the VDW recovers this color for its image, with a vibrant green that invites you to share and enjoy this recognition.

Furthermore, based on these pillars of the VDW, the 15th Edition will host a project that represents a milestone: the inauguration of the new design core of the Valencian Community. The new headquarters of the ADCV will be located in the center of the city of Valencia, it has been defined and will be managed applying sustainable criteria and processes and will have a wide and diverse program dedicated to design throughout the year, with the same spirit as the VDW: design for all people.

Among the notable events of the 15th VDW, there is also the exhibition of finalist and award-winning projects in the VII edition of our awards, which will be hosted by the Las Naves innovation center from September 10 to October 17. Also linking with the Awards, the third day ‘Design with Positive Impact’ will be held, in which we will delve into the creative processes of the works recognized by the jury for their contribution to society and the environment by the and the professionals who have created them.

The program includes the presentation day of the fifth edition of the design, culture and sustainability festival in the Miradors de l’Horta orchard, which has the collaboration of the ADCV. Its objective is to reflect on sustainable development, food sovereignty and the relationship between agricultural and urban territories. This year’s motto is ‘L’Horta, capital of sustainable food’.

At VDW 2024, one of the consolidated and most anticipated actions by studios and the public is reinforced, the ‘Design Walks’, routes and open days in design studios, which have hung the ‘full capacity’ sign during their three previous editions.

The open call for the presentation of proposals that will define the complete program of the VDW 15th Edition will open in the last week of June.

Numerous agents from the sector attended the event.

The presentation has aroused the interest of several representatives of leading entities in the design sector at a state level, such as members of the College of Interior Designers of the Valencian Community, representatives of CasaDecor, the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands, the Arquia Foundation, the General Council of Official Colleges of Decorators and Interior Designers or of the Hotel Technology Institute (ITH).

Authorities and representatives of ICEX, the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities were also present at the event.

This last week the ADCV Awards, the ADI Culture Awards and the ADG Laus Awards were held, undoubtedly the most prestigious competitions at the national level, which are awarded from the professional sector itself and highlight the talent of the Spanish design.

At the ADCV Awards organized by the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community, the Fundació del Disseny has received the Gold distinction in the websites category for «Icons of Valencian design», a project designed and curated by Marisa Gallén and carried out with the collaboration of the Arxiu Valencia del Disseny and the Diputació de València. Two Silver awards were in turn for projects of València World Design Capital 2022: the Àgora València (pavilion designed by Miguel Arráiz y Arqueha with the collaboration of Pepe Cosín) and the exhibition design of the «Disseny I Salut» exhibition carried out by Ramón Úbeda and Cosín Estudio. The ADCV Honorary Awards in this 2024 edition have gone to Juan Nava, Andreu World and the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny.

In the Laus Awards presented by ADG-FAD for the best graphic design and visual communication of the year, the «Disseny I Salut» project has also been awarded with Bronze for the exhibition graphics designed by Dídac Ballester and Antonio Ballesteros, in a ceremony in which other Valencian projects were awarded, among which the Gold for the 2023 Fallas poster designed by the Democràcia studio stood out.

València World Design Capital 2022 has also been awarded with the Mention in the ADI Culture Awards, which were presented yesterday Thursday at the Disseny Hub in Barcelona, ​​a recognition in which the excellent dissemination of design from Valencia at an international level throughout the world was highlighted. throughout a whole year with hundreds of activities. In the Publications category, «Design is good for health» by Ramón Úbeda, published by the Fundació del Disseny, has received the Gold award. In this same category, the book «Neutopias» by Óscar Guayabero has been awarded a Silver, and the Bronze Culture award went to «La Gran D» by Anatxu Zabalbeascoa and Podium Podcast, both projects of Valencia World Design Capital 2022. Other Valencian names that stood out in these 2024 ADI Awards for the best industrial design were: Andreu World, Odosdesign for Actiu, Studio Inma Bermúdez, Lavernia&Cienfuegos, PackCo, Futurea for the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands, Made Studio for Gandia Blasco, Summumstudio for LZF Lamps, Lladró, Odosdesign for Punt, EstudiHac for Sanycess, Innou for Rolser, Mario Ruiz for Capdell, Nadis Design, Papila Studio, Ximo Roca for Eliacoustic, Fran Silvestre for NIU Houses and Hector Albelda Ortega from EASD València.

From the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana we thank the three entities for the awards received and celebrate the recognition of the high Valencian talent and the entire national design ecosystem.

In book month, we wanted to know what titles are on the shelves of some of the people who are part of the Fundació del Disseny. The result is an exceptional list of essential readings:

• The book aims to represent the historical, qualitative and innovative value of Valencian design. Through stories and anecdotes, it highlights consecrated names and projects to current figures who have transcended our borders.
• Written by Eugenio Viñas and Lidia Caro and designed by Iban Ramón, the publication reveals the stories of the Valencians behind artists like Rosalía, historical brands like Lois or milestones such as the Seville Expo of ’92, among others.
• The presentation will take place on May 3 at the Fira del Llibre de València.

The Design Foundation of the Valencian Community presents «Escenas del diseño valenciano», a book that, through various stories in which the focus is on “the part for the whole”, a broad and general idea can be formed of the agents, professionals, spaces, objects and various concepts that make Valencia a benchmark in this creative sector.

In 14 chapters, the book covers the lesser-known anecdotes of a selection of figures, objects and landmarks: Renau, the three Valencian creatives behind the designs of the singer Rosalía, Gulliver Park, the designer duo Gallén-Figuerola, the architect of the image of the ACTV nightclub, ceramics as a discipline, the presence of Valencian design at the Seville Expo, the Lois brand, the scenery of successful series such as La casa de Papel, the figure of the fan, the La Literatura bookshelf, Guastavino or the universe of Rubio notebooks. The Valencia City Council has collaborated in the project.

The presentation of the book will take place on May 3 within the framework of the Fira del Libre de València, in room 2 of the Museu de Ciències Naturals del Jardí de Vivers, at 6 p.m. Participating in the event will be Vicent Martínez, president of the Fundació del Disseny, Eugenio Viñas, co-author of the book, Iban Ramón, designer, and the creatives Ausiàs Pérez and Pepa Salazar, protagonists of the chapter La Rosalía valenciana.

• After a successful edition in 2023, in which the capacity of 300 people was reached, the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana once again makes «Paradís» a reality, a day of inspiring talks on design, strategy and creativity, which brings together from its first edition in 2020 to national and international speakers from different creative disciplines.
• This year’s line up is surpassed once again and includes names such as Domestic Data Streamers, Marco Oggian, NYSU, fagerström, Espadaysantacruz, AREA17, El Descampao, BOL, Tina Touli, Pablo Amade and Democràcia.
• It will take place at CaixaForum València on June 15. The first 50 tickets that went on sale were sold out in less than 48 hours.

This year, «Paradís» continues to have humor as its common thread, but if in previous editions it invited attendees to stroll through the paradise of design, this time it will drag us directly into its depths. Lorena Sayavera as designer of the visual identity and Silvia Tack, who created the illustrations, have been in charge of this. The designer Lina Vila repeats as presenter and Wences Sanz, a design expert with extensive experience in organizing festivals linked to the creative sector, as curator.

«Paradís»’s main objective is to continue promoting the union spaces of the design ecosystem, as well as to continue supporting the culture of knowledge in the creative, economic and social spheres. It is a project of the Design Foundation of the Valencian Community that has the support of the Valencia City Council, the La Caixa Foundation and Impresum.

Tickets can now be purchased and include access to all presentations, coffee, food and free entry to all CaixaForum València exhibitions.

This year, as a novelty, in one of the sessions an episode of the El Descampao podcast will be recorded live, directed by Sergio Mena, winner in 2022 of the prestigious Ondas Award for best radio idea with his series Mirando al Espacio for «combining with great skill serialized narration and surreal humor in comic-pop style sound fiction».

All the information on the speakers and ticket sales here: https://paradisvalencia.com/

València Art & Design Walks is a new cultural leisure proposal open to the public that seeks to get to know València from a different and avant-garde perspective. The art and design walks through the streets and contemporary art galleries of the city will be led by artistic performers passionate about transmitting the creative essence of València. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to experience exclusive meet&greets with local artists and creators. Lasting two hours, they will be held on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, in Spanish and English.

At a time when València emerges as an epicenter of art and design after its designation as World Design Capital in 2022 and chosen as a City of Design by UNESCO from 2023, these routes become an essential activity for locals and visitors. Promoted by Turiart and in collaboration with Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana and LAVAC, Association of Contemporary Art Galleries of the Valencian Community, they have the advice of José Luis Pérez Pont, cultural manager and art curator.

«Design, an engine of innovation and competitiveness, contributes significantly to the GDP or employment of our Community from its intensive sectors. But in addition to its economic impact, in these years of creative effervescence Valencia has also been able to verify and quantify the effect it has on the city brand, on its urban planning and the experience of those who live there and visit it, in addition to building identity and therefore heritage. Therefore, the anomaly was probably not having routes dedicated to highlighting the most outstanding design elements of our city until today». – Xavi Calvo, director of the Design Foundation.

The official presentation of the routes took place on Friday, March 22 at the Territorial College of Architects of Valencia, bringing together leading figures from the world of art, design and Valencian tourism. The event was chaired by the executive director of Turiart, Marta Templado, together with the director of the Fundació del Disseny, Xavi Calvo, the president of Lavac, Rosa Santos, and Jose Luis Pérez Pont. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in a pilot route that included stops at emblematic places such as the Espai Guastavino of the Territorial College of Architects of Valencia, as well as in several design spaces such as the Cuadernos Rubio store, designed by the interior studio Masquespacio , and Casa Clarita, the hotel created by Jaime Hayon. The contemporary art galleries Set Spai D’Art were also visited with the exhibition “Noyo?” by Olga Diego and Shiras Gallery, where the exhibition’s own artist, Nuria Rodríguez, explained her work “Escala uno es a mil.” The pilot route culminated with a tasting of the exquisite Valencian truffles Trufas Martinez, accompanied by the Valencian cava Alegría, from the Pago de Tharsys winery.

«València Art and Design Walks represents a new chapter in the tourist panorama of Valencia, fusing the cultural wealth of the city with its avant-garde design and contemporary art. Turiart hopes that this initiative will not only be valued by the local public but will attract visitors from all over the world, and inspire a greater understanding of Valencia’s creative wealth». – Marta Templado, executive director of Turiart.

Design, culture and art tell the new story of València, where both design and local creativity have been key as the main attractions when visiting the city.

Route reservations are now available at this link.

More information: Info@turiart.com / Tel. 963520772- 657047739 / www.turiart.com