The Detroit Creative Corridor Center today announced its schedule for the fifth annual Detroit Design Festival, including a pop-up marketplace of independent designers and a design and shopping event at Eastern Market. The organization also announced a new initiative to create a network for businesses seeking design services to work with designers.
The Detroit Design Festival, held Sept. 22-26, will feature more than 500 designers and 30 events.
"We're committed to becoming the go-to festival for independent designers in North America," says Ellie Schneider, interim executive director at Detroit Creative Corridor Center. "The Detroit Design Festival showcases the creativity, design, and innovation our region has to offer.
The free festival will feature Drinks x Design in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, including drinks, food trucks, live music, and open studios; Industry days, including lectures and panels for design professionals; Eastern Market After Dark, featuring more than 30 studios and shops; the Design Village, offering workshops and demonstrations with Detroit makers and craftsmen; and a youth day with demos and workshops for kids.
The festival will also offer public design installations in partnership with the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy between Eastern Market and the Dequindre Cut.
The Detroit Creative Corridor Center also announced its new Creative Co. program, a network of industry-vetted designers.
"Creative Co. gives design seekers a quick and easy way to find experienced, industry-vetted designers," Schneider says. "At the same time, Creative Co. designers will be able to bid on exclusive projects, build their professional networks, and learn more about the business management side of the design industry."
Program applications for design firms and freelancers will open in November. Previous client services experience is required to be admitted to the program.
