ŁÓDŹ - THE CAPITAL OF DESIGN
The Third International Design Festival in Łódź takes place between 15 and 31 October 2009. It is
going to be already the third meeting of leading designers from Poland and other countries. This year,
Łódź Design Festival offers even more exhibitions, design-friendly spots in Łódź, a richer programme
of accompanying events, exhibitions, lectures and conferences. It is clear that demand for the art of
designing is constantly growing. This year, apart from three curator’s exhibitions, we are going to host
many designers and producers from all around the world. As usual, the aim of the Festival is to review
global trends, provide designers with the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences, and present
design in all its forms - from industrial design, through graphics and architecture, to fashion. Paradyż
Group is the patron of this year’s festival.
MAIN PROGRAMME MY WAY
The main programme of the festival consists of three curator’s exhibitions.
UPSTREAM // DESIGN TALES, curator: Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka. The exhibition presents
narrative items, referring to dreams and fairy tales. These objects from the border of design and art in
a way invite us to the other side of the mirror.
NON OBJECT IVE, curator: Marek Cecuła. A very solid review of trends in the development of
ceramics. Ancient matter with new functions, meanings and interpretations.
SURTIDO, curator: Tomek Rygalik. The exhibition of a group of young Spanish designers whose
creative work is supervised by Luis Eslava. It will be accompanied by a workshop conducted by Young
Spanish and Polish designers from Tomek Rygalik’s PG13 group. Their task will be to reuse the
furniture production waste.
MAKE ME! CONTEST - an important event of ŁÓDŹ DESIGN 2009
The second edition of the Make Me! contest for young designers (20-30 years old). The aim of the
contest is to choose the most interesting projects and present them to the festival audience in the form
of boards and prototypes during the post-contest exhibition. The main prize – PLN 20000 – is founded
by the National Centre for Culture and Łódź Art Center. The make me! aims to create a contact
platform for designers, and to facilitate cooperation between young designers and producers and the
media. RADO (Young Design Award) and Centre International de Recherche et d'Education Culturelle
et Agricole have granted additional awards. We received 155 applications for make me! 2009 - they
came from Poland, Slovakia, Portugal, Germany, and Sweden. The jury has chosen 17 works which
will be presented in Łódź Art Center. The results will be announced during the opening of the Festival,
on 15 October 2009.
REVIEW OF DESIGN SCHOOLS
For the second time, we will present a review of design schools from Poland and other countries. This
year, we will see:
Polish schools:
Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Academy of Humanities and Economics in Łódź, Academy of Fine Arts
in Cracow, Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Academy of Fine Arts
in Katowice, Technical University of Silesia – Department of Architecture in Gliwice.
schools from other countries:
Art Academy of Latvia, Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (Germany), Northern Illinois University
School of ART (USA), L’Ecole Design Nantes Atlantique (France), Bezalel Academy of Arts and
Design, Jerusalem (Israel), Art Academy of Helsinki (Finland), Modus Design School Milano (Italy)
ACCOMPANYING EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
This year, for the first time we have created special zones for festival exhibitions - Tymienieckiego
Zone and City Centre Zone, 46 accompanying exhibitions altogether.
DANIEL LIBESKIND
This year, we have a special attraction - a meeting with Daniel Libeskind, which will take place during
the second week of the festival. This internationally famous architect, one of the originators of the
deconstructivist architecture movement, will take part in a discussion accompanying ArchFilmFest the review of films about architecture, during which the audience will have the opportunity to get to
know his completed projects (film: Deconstructivist Architects, USA, 2001). Libeskind’s visit is a part of
the international campaign organised by RHEINZINK: ‘Follow your inspiration’.
FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR
 Festival organisers have invited three curators to the Main Programme: Agnieszka JacobsonCielecka, Marek Cecuła, and Tomek Rygalik;
 special guest of the Festival: Daniel Libeskind;
 design will spread onto the entire area of Łódź, thanks to two active zones - Tymienieckiego
Zone and Śródmieście Zone - in which the Accompanying Exhibitions will be presented;
 Festival guests can have a rest in the design cafe - Portiernia Design Cafe, Łódź Art Center,
no. 3 Tymienieckiego Street.
AS USUAL
 long festival weekend (15-18 October) - openings, parties and accompanying events;
 Łódź Art Center - the main Festival Centre, the most interesting exhibitions and events, a
festival cafe, unique atmosphere and special guests;
 exhibitions in Łódź galleries and museums;
 Main Programme MY WAY, Review of Schools, accompanying exhibitions, make me! contest,
lectures, workshops, meetings and concerts.
ŁÓDŹ DESIGN - INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FESTIVAL started in 2007.
The main programme of the first edition included the exhibition entitled DOM POLSKI (Polish House),
which presented achievements of Polish architecture and design of the last ten years, with a special
focus on industrial production. The accompanying programme included PARTY PRINT, an exhibition
of club posters, the WEŹ TO UŻYJ (Use It) exhibition, and discussion panels, film shows, and the
presentation of 2006/2007 graduation projects. Over 5000 people visited the first edition of the
Festival. It also received considerable attention from the media.
The second edition of the Festival took part in mid-October 2008, and it was much larger than the
previous one. Three festival centres were organized, and, apart from ŁAC, the project attracted also
C.H. MANUFAKTURA and the ATAK DESIGN showroom.
The main programme comprised the international PLAY&JOKE exhibitions and two foreign exhibitions.
The accompanying programme included numerous exhibitions in ŁAC and all around the city, as well
as: THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF DESIGN SCHOOLS, and 25 lectures and workshops, dealing
with design and trends, which gathered about 1600 participants. One of the most important events of
the festival was the MAKE ME! contest for young designers, inaugurated then, with the main award of
PLN 20 000 funded by the National Centre for Culture.
The Festival, where over 100 designers were presented, was visited by 18000 people and more than
120 reporters, including the representatives of the international press.
Łódź Art Center
International Centre of Art in Łódź
Tymienieckiego 3, 90-365 Łódź, Poland, tel./fax. +48 (42) 684 20 95
info@lodzartcenter.com / www.lodzartcenter.com
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