An unabated festival of South African creativity will explode from 26 to 28 February 2010 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre – the Design Indaba Expo.
A premier showcase of high-end, homegrown design talent, the Design Indaba Expo is the only 100% South African celebration of our country’s best creative talent across all the creative industries – craft, product, industrial, fashion, film, animation, graphic, jewellery, publishing, ceramics, new media and architectural design.
Rising to the 2010 occasion, this year’s Design Indaba Expo is gearing up to be the grandest celebration of South African creative products yet. Already 244 exhibitors have confirmed with 57 new exhibitors and 20% more floorspace secured.
“With all the excitement around the 2010 year, exhibitors have signed up enthusiastically and are optimistic about South Africa being in the world’s eye,” says Mike Purdham, manager of the Design Indaba Expo.
The market has also responded with 150 buyers, including over 60 international, already having pre-registered for the dedicated trade previews. “Buyers and source agents have expressed their particular interest in unique South African merchandise in light of the media prominence our country will have this year,” explains Caryn van Rooyen, buyer liaison of the Design Indaba Expo.
The fastest growing show in the country, Design Indaba Expo hosted some 29 000 visitors, 260 exhibitors and 350 buyers in 2009. In an external economic impact assessment, conducted by the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, the total contribution to the GDP by the 2009 Design Indaba was estimated at R191.9-million. Business orders of R113.1-million make the most significant contribution.
Extra activities on the Design Indaba Expo floor will again include an arena with all-day fashion shows, a film festival, a designer bar and Pecha Kucha presentations by leading South African creatives. For the first time, Design Indaba Expo has also curated a dedicated programme for kids, as well as an all-new creative food component. Visitors will also again be invited to vote for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa.
In line with all the hype around 2010, the Design Indaba Expo will also host the announcement of the “national creative team”. Celebrating the innate creativity in our country, Design Indaba’s Let It Out campaign has for the past two months asked every South African from every walk of life and every age to express their creativity online. The top 11 South African creatives will be appointed as our “national creative team”. There’s still time to enter until 30 January 2010 at www.designindaba.com/superstars. Stand back rugby, here come the Design Indaba Superstars!
Design Indaba Expo 2010
The Design Indaba Expo 2010 is open to the public from Friday 26 February to Sunday 28 February 2010 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Opening and closing hours
Friday 26 February 2010 from 10:00 – 20:00
Saturday 27 February 2010 from 10:00 – 20:00
Sunday 28 February 2010 from 10:00 – 18:00
Admission costs
Adults – R50
Students – R30
Pensioners – R30
Scholars in uniform – R20
Children under 12 – R20
