Opening Wednesday 27th June, the exhibition is a two-week celebration of visionary design that sees students of 200+ creative courses unveiling their never-before-seen work to thousands of industry professionals and design lovers.
It’s in this creative hotbed that the national design scene is fuelled, challenged and refreshed by ambitious emerging talents and where career-making connections and commissions are made. For its participating graduates, New Designers acts as a vital bridge between design education and professional design success.
In response to fresh ideas and innovation, this year’s show has launched a bold new visual identity, now showcased on the New Designers website. This updated branding is inspired by and reflective of the breadth and substance of the exhibitors’ creative thinking and original design talent.
Over both weeks, New Designers 2018 presents an array of work by recent graduates from leading universities and design schools the length and breadth of the UK – ranging from Cambridge to Carmarthen, Glyndwr to Glasgow, and Dundee to De Montfort – making the event the first opportunity to discover the next generation of talent across the design spectrum, as well as the latest innovations in design education. Exhibitors come from every conceivable discipline, at both bachelor’s and master’s degree level, ensuring that New Designers serves as an immersive snapshot of the nation’s emergent creative talent.
One Year In
In addition to the graduate exhibitors, other key features of the show include the newly-named One Year In, a curated section showcasing work by 100 design entrepreneurs who have recently launched their businesses.
Here, design-hungry visitors can browse and buy original pieces directly from their makers. Each One Year In exhibitor has been selected by Curator Rheanna Lingham for the originality of their thinking, the quality of their work and the viability of their business. The 2018 cohort is One Year In’s biggest to date, with a record number of applications received during the open call – a striking demonstration of New Designers’ importance as a professional launchpad in our increasingly uncertain economic climate.
Event programme
New Designers takes place in two, four-day exhibitions, each devoted to a different set of design disciplines:
Week 1 (27 to 30th June)
– textiles, fashion, costume design, jewellery, glass, ceramics and contemporary design crafts.
Week 2 (4 to 7th July)
– product, furniture, industrial, automotive, interior design, graphic design, animation, illustration, gaming and motion arts.
Drawing on the wealth of expertise surrounding the event, a rich programme of talks, events and workshops runs alongside the exhibition. Guest speakers include leading figures from across the spectrum of the design industry, as well as renowned brands, the education sector and the media.