T
here’s a long list of worthwhile
design conferences around the
world, each with their own
identity and unique spin on the format.
Yet after a few years of going to the
same industry events, it might be time
to try something new. Figuring out
which one deserves your attention can
be a challenge, though. Factors such
as budget, location and line-up will all
play a deciding factor, but researching
the type of events on offer is also
crucial to getting the most out of the
festival experience.CHOOSE YOUR EVENT
A conference is typically an intensive,
one-day event usually consisting of
talks, panels and Q&As, often based
around specific topics or industry
issues. In contrast, a design festival
happens once a year and is often made
up of a series of events across two
or three days (or longer) at multiple
venues. Festivals are a celebration, tied
together by parties, exhibitions, live art
and performances. The best ones buzz
with anticipation and energy, bringing
thousands of people together from all
over the world.
For those looking for something a
little different, the playful, immersive
vibe of Berlin’s annual Pictoplasma
Conference is a great introduction. It’s
more akin to a gathering of old friends
set against the backdrop of a character
walk of exhibitions and art happenings.
“Pictoplasma doesn’t compare to
anything else because there’s nothing
else like it,” says Philip Hunt, partner
and director at London-based Studio
AKA. Describing the experience as
“an unpredictable journey down the
rabbit hole into a wonderland of
interdisciplinary creativity”, Philip was
invited to participate in the inaugural
conference in 2004 at the invitation
of founders Lars Denicke and Peter
Thaler, following a contribution to the
original Pictoplasma Character Design
Encyclopaedia. Since then, Studio AKAhas given several talks over the years as
the event has grown.
“There are wonderful festivals that
excel in their industry accreditation and
reach, while others focus brilliantly on
the creative process,” says Philip. “What
Pictoplasma does is to gather together
an eclectic group of original voices
under a simple banner, to express their
love for all things ‘character’.”
Pictoplasma is a hub that enables
international creatives to step out of
their daily routine and connect with
other creatives working in seemingly
different areas, but with common
interests, says Lars. “It’s run by asmall, dedicated team,
has a strong curatorial
signature, and is all about
how an abstract, post-
representational language
can affect and involve
viewers, play with their
empathy, and communicate
ideas and emotions beyond cultural
boundaries.”
And it’s more than a conference.
While over 900 international attendees
get to dive into a series of artist talks,
hands-on workshops, networking
events, collaborative jam sessions,
immersive experiences and raving club-
nights (a bonus of its Berlin location),
the enveloping festival reaches out to a
much broader audience with a tour of
gallery exhibitions and group shows,
animation screenings, panel discussions
and workshops for children.Planning for a new edition follows
a yearly routine that Lars fondly calls
table tennis. “We start off by gradually
building up a list of artists we’re excited
about, in love with, would like to meet,
want to see more of and know more
about,” he says. “At the same time, we
closely examine what’s happening on a
bigger scale, trending and relevant – not
necessarily only limited to the world of
character design or image production.
Then we bounce things back and forth
fiercely, and gradually filter out a special
focus or recurring motif.”CURATING THE LINE-UP
Birmingham Design Festival centres
around a different theme each year,
and organisers Luke Tonge and Dan
Alcorn curate their speaker line-ups
carefully. “We make a long list of
potential speakers and work out our
ideal line-up (taking various things into
consideration) and invite those select
few – constantly re-shuffling and re-
shaping the line-up as speakers say yes
or no. We also usually have
a call for entries, to make
sure we’re not limiting
ourselves just to our
networks and circles.”
Revealing that curation
is one the most time-
consuming parts of their
process, Luke says they try
to ensure there’s something
for everyone in a
line-up. “We hope every talk is valuable,
and that we’re giving new voices air-
time. It’s something we believe deserves
that level of effort.”
How to attract new audiences is an
on-going challenge for design festival
directors, and one that Us By Night
founder Rizon Parein takes seriously.
“As an organiser yourself it can be
a challenge. There are so many
factors; we want to broaden up the
disciplines within each area so that
when you’re there you can find the
people you want and the work that“WE HOPE EVERY
TALK IS VALUABLE,
AND THAT WE’RE
G I V I N G N E W
VOICES AIR-TIME”
LUKE TONGEREPORT