Established in 2019 to celebrate Geelong's UNESCO City of Design status, Geelong Design Week showcases the people, projects and ideas shaping the region.

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Design that brings people together

Geelong Design Week celebrates the power of design to connect people, ideas and communities. Through a citywide program of talks, exhibitions, workshops and experiences, the festival showcases the impact of design across culture, industry, business, education and community life.

Bringing together designers, architects, artists, researchers, students, makers and organisations, Geelong Design Week creates opportunities for collaboration, learning and public engagement. The festival highlights the vital role design plays in shaping sustainable, resilient and inclusive communities while inspiring innovative solutions for the future.

Our vision

To celebrate design excellence, inspire new ideas, strengthen creative industries, and connect people through meaningful design experiences.

Our mission

To showcase the power of design to improve everyday life by connecting people, ideas and industries through a vibrant program of events that celebrates creativity, drives innovation and advances Geelong’s position as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design.

UNESCO city of design

Geelong became Australia’s first UNESCO City of Design in 2017, joining an international network of cities using creativity and design as drivers of sustainable development and community wellbeing.

Geelong design week 2028

Geelong Design Week returns in October 2028 with a city-wide celebration of design, creativity and innovation.

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About UNESCO creative cities

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network brings together 408 cities across more than 100 countries that recognise creativity as a driver of sustainable development, cultural vitality and economic growth.

Cities are designated in one of eight creative fields, including Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, Music, Crafts & Folk Art, and Architecture.

Learn more
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GEELONG DESIGN WEEK HISTORY

Geelong hosted its first Melbourne Design Week program from 14–24 March 2019 under the theme Design Experiments, featuring more than 20 local exhibitions, talks and tours and marking the city’s growing role as a UNESCO City of Design. The program laid the foundation for Geelong Design Week, which was set to launch as a standalone festival in 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021

In 2021, Geelong Design Week returned under the theme Unpredictable, featuring more than 60 events presented by 54 local designers, artists and innovators, and attracting more than 6,000 attendees.

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Gdw 2022

GEELONG DESIGN WEEK HISTORY

In 2022, Geelong Design Week returned from 17–27 March under the theme taur, meaning ‘belonging’ in the language of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners. The 10-day program explored how design can create places, spaces and experiences that foster connection, inclusion and a sense of belonging.

2022

The festival featured more than 60 events, with 6,343 attendances recorded across the program.

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GEELONG DESIGN WEEK HISTORY

In 2023, Geelong Design Week ran from 19–29 October, celebrating Geelong’s UNESCO City of Design designation through an expanded program of exhibitions, talks, workshops, tours and experiences. The 11-day festival explored design across sustainability, First Nations knowledge, architecture, fashion, technology and the built environment.

2023

The festival featured 52 events across 11 days, attracting a record 17,288 attendances, a 172.6% increase on 2022, and generating an estimated $1.65 million in local economic impact from visitors outside Greater Geelong.

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GEELONG DESIGN WEEK HISTORY

In 2024, Geelong Design Week ran from 21–30 November, celebrating Geelong’s UNESCO City of Design status through its biggest program to date, with exhibitions, talks, workshops, tours and experiences exploring innovation, sustainability and creative problem-solving. The 10-day festival brought together local designers, businesses, creatives, students and the community across a diverse range of design disciplines.

2024

The largest program to date, 2024 welcomed 40,925 attendees across 86 events and 33 venues.

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