In October of each year, Dutch Design Week (DDW) takes place in Eindhoven and presents work and ideas of more than 2500 designers to more than 295,000 visitors from home and abroad. In more than hundred locations across the city, DDW organises and facilitates exhibitions, lectures, prize ceremonies, networking events, debates and festivities. DDW 2017 will take place in Eindhoven from 21 until 29 October.
Our reporter Robert Urquhart will be in Eindhoven again this year to report for ARTS THREAD. Read our Preview by Robert and follow our reviews on our blog from our Dutch Design Week tag.
Look out for our reports from the school shows such as Design Academy Eindhoven, ArtEZ Arnhem, HKU Utrecht, Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design Zuyd, TU Delft and Academie Artemis.
With more than 600 exhibitions, presentations, lectures and network meetings the event is rich in content and diversity. Apart from the regular features, a significant part of the programme has been reserved for ideas and innovations to improve the world. This ties in perfectly with the theme ‘Stretch’, an appeal – to both participants and the public – to venture out of their comfort zones and to reach for the skies.
The programme management sees multiple trends this year. Hot items are the influence of digitalisation on and robotization of our society. Social issues and the circular economy also get plenty of attention and there is a special role for crafts: the rediscovery of old manufacturing methods or the development of entirely new applications for them.
New locations and initiatives include Core Studio (Q-Park Emmasingel), Contemplation Spaces | Room 2402 (Student Hotel), Hubot van Next Nature Network (Mediamarkt), VPRO Medialab (Design Perron), Modebelofte, Embassy of Robot Love and Embassy of Data (in the former V&D department store in the city centre shopping area), Embassy of Health (Innovation Powerhouse on Strijp T), Plan B (exhibition Kiki & Joost), Crédit Fontýs in Wall Street (Stadhuisplein) and the exhibition Young Collectors (Woensel-West).
Annual choice features include the Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Show, the award show of the Dutch Design Awards, the presentation by Dutch Invertuals, Stimuleringsfonds and YKSI. The Van Abbemuseum, Kazerne, MU, Piet Hein Eek, Sectie-C, ABN AMRO, Textielmuseum and TAC too are organising exhibitions again this year. In the VEEM and on the Ketelhuisplein in Strijp-S there are many exhibitions, as well as in the VDMA building and the NRE terrain. The Klokgebouw (under the art directorship of Overtreders W) will also accommodate Mind the Step by Eindhoven, Delft and Twente Universities of Technology.