Melbourne Design Festival

The annual Melbourne Design Festival represents the heart of design thinking and innovation.

It is the largest and most innovative design event in Australia in July in Melbourne and throughout Victoria.

Even if you don't think you have much to do with design, the State of Design Festival has you adopt design thinking naturally.

It gets you involved in the process of designing your environment.

The festival engages and does a great job at increasing excitement about design - how it improves living conditions, and how innovative design products and services create our future.

Yet, the design festival is not just entertaining and thought provoking. One of its chief concerns is to assist designers in making their offers more appealing to businesses and to engage people with design.

This power of the Melbourne Design Festival to engage is impressive. It no doubt has Melbourne thinking design - you can't help but stumble across it.

Melbourne Design Festival Program

The design festival presents exhibitions where you can see the work of the finalists of the Australian International Design Award, as well as that of renowned international design studios, lots of events, workshops, kids events, discussions, Q & A sessions with leading Melbourne designers.

Throughout Melbourne and Victoria you can let yourself be drawn into cutting edge design experiments and experiences, such as the Gertrude Street Projection Festival or a camp out in Ballarat. Check out the program of the State of Design Festival.

A large percentage of these design events are FREE!

Design:Made:Trade - Exhibition

Design:Made:Trade is a boutique design event in the Royal Exhibition Building in July in Carlton. It is an innovative and stimulating showcase of Australian and international design culture.

It features small product designers and makers from a diverse range of design disciplines - industrial design, graphic design, textiles, lighting, furniture, fashion and hand made objects.

As a trade show it is designed to introduce designers to manufacturers, retailers and export buyers. This is where you can meet leading and emerging designers, immerse yourself in great design, and network with the design community.

The Design:Made:Trade exhibition is open to anyone on the weekend. As a private shopper or home decorator it gives you endless and cutting edge decorating ideas. There are activities designed for children and families as well as interactive making events for all ages.