Zagreb Design Week 2024 (ZGDW), set to take place from September 25 to 29 at the Jadran Film Studios, will be the largest design event in Croatia. The theme, “Breaking the Glass Ceiling: A Design Revolution,” emphasizes diversity, creativity, and innovation in design. They aim to challenge the existing norms, remove barriers, and create a more inclusive and innovative future for design. The newly renovated venue will host a variety of exhibitions, including the ZGDW Award finalists, international displays, and a vibrant market, all accessible to the public for free.
This year, Zagreb Design Week puts a spotlight on Italy as its partner country, with a special focus on female designers who have often been overshadowed despite Italy’s rich design heritage. The event will feature exhibitions, lectures, and documentaries highlighting the contributions of Italian women in design, all in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Zagreb.
Adding to this focus, the Croatian design collective Oaza will present a poster exhibition and discuss their project “dizajnerice.com,” an online archive dedicated to Croatian female designers from 1930 – 1980. The Museum of Arts and Crafts will further celebrate Croatian women’s contributions with a special exhibit, accompanied by a lecture from curator Koraljka Vlajo, highlighting their often overlooked influence in design. Also, the future of Croatian design will be highlighted in an exhibition of works from Croatian universities and schools.
In addition, organizers have scheduled a variety of guest series from international exhibitions. Highlights include the San Diego (USA) / Tijuana (Mexico) region, which will be showcased through the “Percepción Peculiar” exhibition, focusing on cross-cultural influences. The Local Chile Design Festival will highlight the Chilean design scene with the “Sur Emergente” exhibition, accompanied by a lecture from festival director Joaquín Béjares H. Additionally, the Anchorage Museum will present contemporary Alaskan design, with a focus on Inuit art. Barcelona Design Week will also be featured with two fashion design exhibitions from the “Sustainable Change” series.
These exhibitions are part of a broader initiative within the World Design Weeks network, aimed at promoting the global exchange of design exhibitions. Daniel Tomicic, the director of ZGDW, explained that this initiative addresses the short duration of many design exhibitions by organizing their presentation at multiple international festivals, and in that way extending their impact and research. This marks the beginning of a promising collaboration, with strong support from the World Design Weeks network, which includes 44 festivals and over a million visitors annually.
For its eleventh edition Zagreb Design Week continues to not only celebrate but also expand the boundaries of the design. The complete schedule and exhibitors list is available on the official webpage of ZGDW.
