From 05.12.2014 Festival

State of Design Festival is an initiative of the Victorian State Government in Australia and is the public face of the Design Victoria Strategy.

Background

Established in 2004, the Festival has had three editions - 2004, 2006 and 2008. Starting in 2009, the Festival is now an annual event. Australian Exhibitions & Conferences Pty Ltd has the contract to run State of Design Festival for three years.  This will be achieved working with Studio Propeller under a joint venture agreement as the State of Design Alliance.

State of Design Festival increases the awareness of the value of design and showcases how design generates innovation, promotes sustainability and adds value to business and society. Festival programs demonstrate and broadly communicate how the Victorian and Australian design profession can improve living conditions, create sustainable development opportunities, and generate new and innovative products and services; in turn, providing economic benefit for the state of Victoria.

The Festival seeks to articulate how design holds the potential to lead the parallel trajectories of business, industry and society towards a common future. By communicating to Australian and international audiences, the Festival promotes a deeper understanding of design capability and value. 

Theme

"Our 2009 theme 'Sampling the Future' reminds us all that design is shaping the future of the world we live in. As ecological, economic and social issues converge, design holds one of the keys to logical and tangible solutions for tomorrow," said Ewan McEoin, Creative Director of the Festival.

More than 100,000 people are expected to experience one or more of the 75 events across the Festival's main programs.

Innovation Statement

State of Design Festival responds to the Victorian Government's innovation statement (VIS) which aims to meet the challenges of international competition, an aging population and climate change to ensure a healthy, sustainable, and productive future for all Victorians, while supporting and encouraging further innovation which will drive growth across the Victorian economy.

As Victoria's peak design event, developed to strengthen community appreciation for design and place Victoria's design excellence in the international limelight,  State of Design Festival works closely with Design Victoria to promote the event to Victorian designers and SMEs.

As the public face of the Design Victoria Strategy, the annual State of Design Festival provides a launching point for design in Victoria – communicating the many outputs of the design industry, to a broad public and business audience, across the state and overseas.

The Festival seeks to:

• Celebrate and recognise the excellence of Victorian designers;

• Establish collaborative platforms and networks that could improve the competitiveness of the Victorian design sector;

• Access and enhance the body of knowledge on how design is used to deliver social, environmental and economic benefits;

• Build Victoria's national and international reputation as a centre of design leadership;

• Increase industry and community awareness of the importance of design;

• Generate competitive business focused on design for economic, social and environmental benefits for Victoria;

• Strengthen the broader, non-design focused public's appreciation of good design.

For more information, please contact:

State of Design Alliance
PO Box 172
Flinders Lane 8009
Melbourne, Australia
T: +613 9650 3963
F: +613 9650 3968
E: info@stateofdesign.com.au
W: www.stateofdesign.com.au