Some of the world’s most exciting designers are set to converge on Cape Town this month when the Design Indaba Conference and Expo kicks off for its 12th consecutive year.
The conference – which has adopted the soccer theme of Superstars – will host a range of top speakers, including Troik, Bouroullec, Bros, Alejandro Aravena, Stefan G Butcher, Tord Boontje and Harry Pearce. For individuals and companies involved in the world of design, it has become an unmissable event which covers industrial, graphic, fashion, architectural and even food design.
The conference and Expo – which has become a festival of South African creativity – have become an integral part of the calendar of events in the central city and one of the leading events for the creative industry sector. Internationally recognized as one of the top design events globally, the conference attracts over 1 500 delegates, while more than 2 000 students view it on simulcast.
The Expo – which will run from February 26 to 28, draws in more than 30 000 people who wish to view the country’s best design products. The Design Indaba Expo is the only 100 percent South African celebration of the country’s best creative talent across all the creative industries – craft, product, industrial, fashion, film, animation, graphic, jewelery, publishing , ceramics, new media and architectural design.
In keeping with the spirit of 2010, this year’s Expo is gearing up to be the grandest celebration of South African creative products yet. It will host 260 exhibitors from around the country as well as all day fashion shows, short films, talks and product launches. With strict quality control at play, and a contingent of more than 200 prominent international buyers and journalists at the event, the Expo has become a significant place in the country to showcase design products.
The design industries play a key role of the central city with at least half of the more than 1 000 creative industries in the city being design related – fashion, architecture and urban planning, furniture, jewelry, advertising and communications companies as well as publishers.
In addition the central city hosts many important design outlets and open studios (crafts, fashion, jewelry, furniture and more) where visitors can buy, order or just admire some of the best design work in the city. It is for this reason that Cape Town Partnership has been a proud supporter of the Design Indaba and has given extensive support towards design as a cross cutting element in the creative industries. As part of its support Cape Town Partnership has been a key partner and driver of the East
Extra activities on the Design Indaba Expo floor will again include an arena with all-day fashion shows, a film festival, a designer bar and Pecha Kucha presentations by leading South African creatives. For the first time, Design Indaba Expo has also curated a dedicated programme for kids, as well as an all-new creative food component. Visitors will also again be invited to vote for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa.
In line with all the hype around 2010, the Design Indaba Expo will also host the announcement of the “national creative team”. Celebrating the innate creativity in our country, Design Indaba’s Let It Out campaign has for the past two months asked every South African from every walk of life and every age to express their creativity online. The top 11 South African creatives will be appointed as our “national creative team”. There’s still time to enter until 31 January 2010 at www.designindaba.com/superstars . Stand back rugby, here come the Design Indaba Superstars!
Opening and closing hours
Friday 26 February 2010 from 10:00 – 20:00
Saturday 27 February 2010 from 10:00 – 20:00
Sunday 28 February 2010 from 10:00 – 18:00
Admission costs
Adults – R50
Students – R30
Pensioners – R30
Scholars in uniform – R20
Children under 12 – R50
