Today marks exactly one week, or seven sleeps if you like, until Design Indaba Expo 2013 kicks off – South Africa’s biggest and most prestigious showcase of 100% local design!
This year’s event promises to be bigger than ever before, cementing the platform’s position as the go-to destination for taking the pulse of South African creativity.
For 28 hours, over three days next weekend (Friday 1 March to Sunday 3 March) the Cape Town International Convention Centre will be abuzz with things to see, do, experience, make, create, shop, eat – it’s the ultimate inspirational indulgence.
It’s something you need to experience yourself to fully grasp the expanse of the creativity and innovation on display, but here’s a quick overview of some of the highlights.
Exhibitors
Design Indaba Expo’s distinguishing characteristics are two-fold: it showcases exceptional design across all the creative disciplines (from architecture to jewellery design, fashion, visual art, craft, industrial design and everything in between); and it sets an exceptionally high professional standard with each exhibitor on the floor pre-approved by a curatorial panel of industry experts.
More than 400 exhibitors will be strutting their creative stuff this year with some 20% of these being first-time exhibitors at Expo.
The always-popular Emerging Creatives platform again promises to bear testament to the scope of ingenious young designers in South Africa.
Entertainment
There’s simply too much entertainment happening on the Expo floor to mention it all! From a Miniplex screening three-minute documentaries to all-day fashion shows and music by top South African artists, there’s entertainment for the whole family.
Food
The food on the Expo floor is a creative experience in itself.
Food trucks are all the rage at the moment, and we're excited to be having Cape Town's biggest food truck contingent on the Design Indaba Expo floor! Limoncello, El Burro, The Good Life, Durban’s Finest Curry and The Juice Deli will all be pulling their mobile dining trucks to a stop at Expo.
Equally exciting are the pop-up restaurants that will be, um, popping up at Expo. Beijing Opera, Ma Mere Maison, Queen of Tarts and The Creamery will all be putting in a culinary appearance.
DIY Workshops
Stop-motion movie animation, wind sculpting, animal masks and design school sessions headline the Design Indaba Youth (DIY) workshops this year as the programme takes on an innovative new direction.
Presented by DSTV, the DIY programme introduces young people to the enjoyment and possibility of design as a career.
Click here for the full DIY programme, more details and prices.
Awards
We like to give credit where credit is due and to promote the creative industries by recognising exceptional work. The Most Creative Stand award, the Innovation Award and the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award are all manifestations of this commitment.
Talks
At Design Indaba we’re passionate and committed to doing, but sometimes talking is important too. See Pecha Kucha-style talks by top design graduates from around the world. There’s also a talk by Anthony Silverston of Triggerfish, the Cape Town animation studio that produced the country’s first feature-length animation film Adventures in Zambezia. Magazine doyenne Jane Raphaely will be talking about her autobiography and the independent UK-based Daniel Charny will be launching his new initiative, Fixperts, in South Africa at the Expo.
And this is by no means the comprehensive list! Here’s the full programme to further indulge your creative anticipation.
Be sure not to miss any of it. For more information please contact Expo manager Kelly Berman on 021 465 9966 or kelly@interactiveafrica.com.
Design Indaba Expo at the Cape Town International Convention Centre
- Friday 1 March 2013 10:00 – 20:00
- Saturday 2 March 2013 10:00 – 20:00
- Sunday 3 March 2013 10:00 – 18:00
Tickets available at the door or through Computicket
- Adults: R70
- Pensioners and students: R50
- Scholars (Ages 10 – 18): R40
- Children under 10: Free
