The DESIGN Canberra Festival is back for its 7th year! From 9-29 November 2020 more than 200 events, exhibitions, talks, tours, activations, collaborations, artist studios and open homes will be showcased for lovers of all things design.
This year, DESIGN Canberra will be bringing together three core threads to explore the theme of Care: ‘Design Revisited’, ‘This is Suburbia’ and ‘Meet the Makers.’
The festival will become a collaborative space for design and celebrate the many different ways that we can care and why it is valuable in our society.
Design Revisited
Have the chance to explore some of the most outstanding and unique designs Canberra has to offer through a range of different disciplines and decades. Through reflections, behind the scenes access, contemporary insights, tours and artists reimaginings learn and celebrate the history, education and excellence of design.
Some highlights include:
- Talk with acclaimed Australian architect Michael Dysart on Canberra’s experimental housing developments from the 1970’s.
- Tour through rarely accessed areas of the iconic Shine Dome.
- Tour through key mid-century architectural projects throughout Canberra.
- Tours through recent award-winning contemporary architecture.
View this post on Instagram
This is Suburbia
Celebrating the suburban identity of Canberra and sharing all the reasons why we love where we live, the festival invites you to share these spaces by discussing myths, iconic mid-century suburban experiments and contemporary developments in a series of talks and exhibitions.
Some highlights include:
- Keynote livestream address by one of Australia’s leading social commentators and business analysts Bernard Salt on how the recent pandemic has forced employers and worker to rethink the way they work and reinvigorate the suburbs.
- Exhibition by Canberra photographer Davey Barber about what suburbia means, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
View this post on Instagram
Meet the Makers
This program will give artists an opportunity to sell their work, make connections and build visibility for their craft through open studio events, maker demonstrations, hands on workshops and exhibitions showcasing contemporary craft and design.
Some highlights include:
- Talk with Canberra based glass maker Kristie Rea about her practice and new commission in response to this year’s theme of care.
- Open studio programs of Canberra’s best designers and makers.
- Hands on workshops with leading makers with materials such as ceramics, glass, floristry and Japanese Riso printing.
- Graphic interventions of a large-scale public space around Canberra.
- Exhibitions featuring over 90 artists.
- An auction of small scale or one-off pieces from leading designers.
View this post on Instagram
Exploring and unpacking each core strand, DESIGN Canberra is also hosting an inaugural series, Two Minutes to Midnight where designers and can engage in deeper conversations about the spaces, places and values we need in order to survive and thrive in a post pandemic world.
- Design Revisited: Case study on the Civic and Cultural Precinct and how adaptive re-use principles can be implemented to reimagine iconic mid-century buildings.
- This is Suburbia: Panel discussion of 2020 in terms of the uncertainty and the future post pandemic world.
- Meet the Makers: Panel Discussion on how we can support and sustain the creative community in Canberra and Australia after the pandemic.
Program and tickets are now online to purchase!
