A big programme for Valencia’s year as ‘World Design Capital’ has been unveiled with exhibitions and conferences highlighting all aspects of design.
A special launch night was held at the Palau de les Arts Sofia last week.
The 2022 honour was granted to Valencia City by the World Design Organisation(WDO) which promotes design internationally.
The ‘World Design Capital’ is designated every two years and past cities include Cape Town, Turin, Mexico City, and Lille.
The aim is to acknowledge cities that use design as a way of boosting economic, social, and cultural development.
Over 100 activities, 25 venues and almost 100 groups are involved in the extensive line-up of events.
The aim is also to lay some foundations of a design legacy for Valencia for future generations to appreciate.
Seven ‘Signature Events’ jointly organised with the WDO are expected to attract around 130,000 visitors in 2022 including over 100 top-line speakers.
Between June 18 and 25, La Rambleta and La Marina de València will host WDO-Experience Valencia 2002 with a mix of digital and interactive design, graphic design, motion graphics, music, creativity, product design and art.
This festival of leading design figures will be a major worldwide gathering from across the sector, and will include workshops, presentations and master classes seeking the best user experience.
Music events with prestigious artists will also be staged over the same week in different parts of the city.
The Bombas Gens Centre d’Art will host the World Design Exchange on September 23, which is a forum involving the managers and organisers of some of the world’s key ‘Design Weeks’.
At the same time, the World Design Street Festival between September 19 and 25 will celebrate Valencia being the World Design Capital.
On November 3 and 4, the Valencia Congress Palace will be the venue for the 2022 World Design Policy Conference.
November 3 will also see the World Design Convocation Ceremony, which will unveil the first findings of an impact study on Valencia’s year as well as officially handing over the 2024 World Capital of Design laurels to the joint bid of San Diego and Tijuana.
The busy November schedule will also feature the World Design Cities Meeting in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
The year will end with the launch of the World Design Spotlight project, promoting design talent in the Valencia area, that will be featured on a special website with 52 contributers.