Melbourne Design Week 2022 expressions of interest open

Applications are now open to participate in Australia’s leading international design event, Melbourne Design Week 2022 (March 17 – 27).

Reaffirming its reputation as a truly creative state, Melbourne and wider Victoria will again host an 11-day program of talks, tours, workshops, and exhibitions, including the $20,000 Australian Furniture Design Award presented by the NGV and Stylecraft, Melbourne Design Week Film Festival, and the Melbourne Art Book Fair.

In 2021 participants were encouraged to explore the theme, ‘Design the world you want’, with designers, galleries, retailers, institutions, innovators, and individuals invited to consider how design can shape our lives.

In 2022 this call-to-action continues, bolstered by two new pillars: Civic Good and Making Good, to be interrogated by design disciplines as varied as communication design, industrial design, service design, gaming, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, fashion, craft and functional art.

Calling on engagement from around Australia, participation is free, with events already confirmed including the Melbourne Design Week Award presented by Mercedes-Benz, and exhibitions of collectible and limited-edition design by Sydney-based Adam Goodrum and Arthur Seigneur at Tolarno Galleries, and by Adelaide duo Daniel Emma at Sophie Gannon Gallery.

Melbourne Design Week has clearly cemented its position as the most compelling national design event, drawing increasing numbers of exhibitors and visitors from interstate. Since its inception in 2017, several works exhibited during the week have been acquired for the NGV permanent collection, including Weaver Mirrors by Elliat Rich and Aurum by Georgia Nowak and Eugene Perepletchikov in 2021, both of which will be on display in Sampling the Future a major design and architecture exhibition opening at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in September.

Early confirmations indicate a dynamic 2022 program including major group shows by Sydney collectible design gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert and Adelaide’s Jam Factory, alongside presentations by a range of leading Melbourne design studios.

The week will also include programming by Open House Melbourne (Centre for Architecture Victoria), the NGV Architecture Commission by Taylor Knights with James Carey, an exhibition celebrating 25 years of the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, and a new program of design showroom activations set to bring the design industry together, including presentations by Cult, Living Edge and Mobilia among others.

Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, said: “Melbourne Design Week is an event that brings together design practitioners, advocates, educators and industry. It’s a platform for robust dialogue imperative not only to creative practice, but to all aspects of society. There’s never been a more important time to reunite as a community to shape our future and shape a better world.”

Minister for Creative Industries, Danny Pearson MP said: “Design is an important and growing part of Victoria’s dynamic creative industries, it’s a major creator of jobs and a strong contributor to our state economy. But more than that, design shapes how we live, the way we experience our environment and how we connect with each other.

“Melbourne Design Week celebrates the power of design, showcases local and international design innovators, and explores how we can design the world we want – a better, fairer more sustainable world.”

Melbourne Design Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government, delivered by Creative Victoria and the National Gallery of Victoria. Since its inception in 2017, over 800 events have been presented. The 2022 program will run from Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 March. Applications to participate are now open via designweek.melbourne.

Melbourne Design Week is proudly supported by Major Partners Mercedes-Benz and Telstra, and Design Partner RMIT University.