London Design Festival showcases talent

London Design Festival Showcases Talent

A city-wide programme of events will showcase local and international design talent as part of the London Design Festival 2019.

During the Festival, the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance will once again play host to a series of specially-commissioned projects by internationally-renowned designers. This year marks 11 years with the V&A as a collaborating partner and the official Festival hub.

Initially established in 2003 by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, London Design Festival brings together a global community of designers, artists, architects and the creative industries with a vision to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world.

Since its inception, London Design Festival has grown to encompass a broad range of activities, and attracts visitors from around the world: the 2018 Festival welcomed a record-breaking 588,000 direct visitors from over 75 countries generating almost 1 million visits.

London Design Festival Director, Ben Evans says:

“London has the biggest creative economy in the world, and design is a key part of it. London Design Festival celebrates and promotes London’s design excellence in a period when showcasing creativity is even more important.”

For the nine days of the Festival, the unique collaboration with the V&A will once again see iconic spaces within the Museum transformed by a curated collection of displays and installations. The Museum will also play host to London Design Festival’s thought leadership programme, Global Design Forum, which celebrates design with aninspirational lineupof talks, debates, daily tours and workshops.

In 2018, London Design Festival and Global Design Forum helped drive 170,000 visitors to the Museum during the Festival’s tenure.

Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A says:

“The V&A is once again proud to be the Festival hub for this year’s London Design Festival, bringing to life an ambitious programme of events and installations which celebrate London’s role as the design capital of the world. The Festival is a wonderful opportunity for leading figures from the international creative community to engage with the V&A’s world-class collections of art, design and performance.”

Every year London Design Festival recognises the contribution made by leading design figures and emerging talents to London and the industry with four London Design Medals awarded.

2019 London Design Medals were awarded to:

• Tom Dixon OBE, Design Innovation Medal
• Daniel Charny, Emerging Design Medal
• Ross Atkin, Lifetime Achievement Medal
• Dame Vivienne Westwood

The Medals were presented on Monday 16 September 2019 at the British Land Celebration of Design.

For the fifth consecutive year, British Land was Headline Partner to the awards. A panel of established designers, industry commentators and previous winners met to debate and judge the possible recipients of the four Medals.

This year’s jury members were: Ozwald Boateng OBE, Ian Callum CBE, Sheridan Coakley, Njusja de Gier, Es Devlin OBE, Sarah Douglas, Ben Evans CBE, Dr Tristram Hunt, Domenic Lippa, Jay Osgerby OBE, Raoul Shah, Joff Sharpe, Justine Simons OBE, Sir John Sorrell CBE, Dr Paul Thompson and Jane Withers.

Ben Evans CBE, London Design Festival Director says:

“Each year the jury selects four eminent people who have made a major contribution to design in the UK. This year the winners are as interesting and deserving as ever.”

The Festival also receives support from the Mayor’s Office.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons, said:

“Each year the London Design Festival hosts a truly inspiring programme of events, bringing together designers from across the world and demonstrating our position as an international creative powerhouse. The creative industries are responsible for one in six jobs in London and the Festival sends a clear message that London is open to great ideas, creativity and innovation.”