Melbourne Design Week 2018
March 15–25, 2018

Local and international design innovators will gather in Melbourne for a series of exhibitions, talks, studio tours and industry-led events, celebrating the second annual Melbourne Design Week from March 15–25, 2018.

An initiative of the Victorian Government’s Creative State strategy, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Design Week will explore the wide-ranging effects of design on contemporary life.

With a diverse range of events on offer, the 2018 program will feature new exhibitions including Artefacts presented by Jonathan Ben-Tovim, Michael Gittings and Makiko Ryujin, Ornament is Fine by acclaimed Australian designers Ben Landau, Lucile Sciallano, and Designwork 02 featuring the work of Elliat Rich and Dale Hardiman, alongside keynote speeches by international industry stalwarts including Marcus Fairs, editor-in-chief of Dezeen, and Kongjian Yu, founder of acclaimed Chinese landscape architecture firm Turenscape and an installation by LA balloon designer Jihan Zencirli, aka Geronimo. 

As part of Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne Art Book Fair 2018 presents a three-day program of ideas, discussions and book launches, featuring some of the most creative emerging and established international and local publishers, artists and writers. Highlights of the fair include The Future Lasts Only a Moment symposium with keynote guests Amsterdam-based graphic design collective Experimental Jetset, a festival of crosswords and a discussion with Tamar Sharfir, Julieta Aranda and Yolande van der Heide on the principles of good design. The Fair also celebrates the winners of The Cornish Family Prize for Art and Design Publishing, the most significant prize of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region. Melbourne Art Book Fair 2018 runs March 16–18 at NGV International.

Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley said, “Melbourne has built a proud reputation as a city of remarkable design and architecture. Melbourne Design Week gives us the chance to celebrate our diversity and the impact of design, while giving local Victorian designers the exposure they deserve.”

NGV Director Tony Ellwood said, “Melbourne Design Week provides an unparalleled opportunity to investigate the influence and potential of contemporary design. With an absorbing and enlightening range of programs on offer, Victorians will have the opportunity to experience pioneering design concepts, technologies and materials and consider new and innovative possibilities for the future of the state’s design industry.” 

Melbourne Design Week 2018 exhibitions, events, talks and workshops will be held at NGV International, NGV Australia and partner venues across Melbourne and Victoria.  

Further information about Melbourne Design Week 2018 is available at designweek.melbourne.

Further information about Melbourne Art Book Fair 2018 is available at ngvartbookfair.com.

Melbourne Design Week and the Victorian Design Program are initiatives of the Victorian Government.

The NGV Department of Contemporary Design and Architecture is generously supported by The Hugh D. T. Williamson Foundation.

The NGV gratefully acknowledges the Cornish family for their support of The Cornish Family Prize for Art and Design Publishing.

The exhibition Experimental Jetset: Superstructure is conceived and designed by Experimental Jetset, Netherlands. Presented by the National Gallery of Victoria in collaboration with RMIT Design Hub. Curatorium: Megan Patty (National Gallery of Victoria), Brad Haylock, Kate Rhodes, Fleur Watson (RMIT University).