Created to promote and celebrate good design, Malta Design Week is a seven-day event that will be spread across various cultural and commercial venues in Malta.
MDW combines young creativity with established brands
MDW, which kicked off yesterday, boasts an extensive programme of events incorporating cross-border design disciplines and practices.
Hosting and co-ordinating exhibitions, talks, workshops and launches, MDW is a platform for local and foreign designers, architects, artists, artisans, journalists, critics, academics and entrepreneurs.
While the main events will take place at the Old University Building in Merchants Street, Valletta, satellite events will be held in galleries, furniture and design stores, run-down buildings, artists’ and artisans’ studios and showrooms.
The events programme features talks and workshops by international promoters and creators of good design, such as Gilian Schrofer (Netherlands); Charles Knevitt (UK); Shelley Martin (US); Ralph de Lange (Netherlands); Gaspar Gonzalez (Spain); and Nicolas Roope (UK).
The idea is to create a single yet unique design scenario, thus MDW is concerned with showcasing up and coming as well as established Maltese talent.
Local participants include Camilleri Paris Mode, SACES, The University of Malta’s Foundation in Design Studies students, Lily Agius Gallery, Duncan Bone and others.
Malta Design Week combines young creativity with established design brands represented in Malta to make it a cultural yet commercial event – thereby bridging the gap between academic and applied realities while showcasing talent.
Its long-term aim is to establish Malta as a hub for Mediterranean creativity; through collaboration and cross-fertilisation, MDW will eventually develop into a biennial or annual event that will act as a vital contribution to developing healthy relationships between manufacturing businesses and designers.
Ultimately, MDW hopes to put local design in closer contact with the realities of the international market. Given the proper resources and international coverage, MDW could also be geared to initiate a vessel of communication between art organisations and tourism-related entities promoting cultural tourism, with images of a creative Malta at its roots.
MDW is being financially supported by the Malta Arts Fund, the Good Causes Fund and Bank of Valletta; and co-ordinated by architect Chris Briffa, Alex Torpiano, Anton Grech, Stephen Vella, Matthew James Mercieca, Justin Schembri, Liliana Vella, Matth-ew Casha and Lisa Gwen Baldacchino.
Partners include the University of Malta, Mcast, Halmann Vella, JP Advertising, SAW Ltd, Flow, Pedrali, Ellul Wines and Spirits, 240 Ltd, Garden it, Absolut Vodka, Valletta council, Nexos, One per cent, Camilleri Paris Mode, Facedisplays, Cre8, and iCentre.
For more information visit www.maltadesignweek.com or e-mail lisa@maltadesignweek.com.