#DesignIndaba2018: 'Best conference in the world'

21 Feb 2018

The 23rd Design Indaba conference, taking place at the Artscape from 21 to 23 February 2018, kicked off with a reminder not to film proceedings and to keep phones on silent. Tweeting, Facebook check-ins and Instagram tagging were allowed - clearly, as it's all about sharing the inspiration.

#designindaba #designindaba2018 #capetown #capetowndesignindaba #capetowndesign

A post shared by Louis Stevens (@louisstevenscopywriter) on Feb 20, 2018 at 11:00pm PST

Following an exciting start to the morning with a seamless registration process, unplanned networking and pausing to admire the splashes of colour brightening up the concrete steps thanks to Morag Myerscough’s installation, it was time to enter the conference and prepare for a fresh set of sights, sounds and scents set to renew that old creative spark.

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The ‘Get inside now’ gongs motivated us to shuffle past excited attendees blocking the aisles, swallow those last sips of worth-it R25 Woolworths’ cappuccinos and focus on the stage.

Design Indaba day 1. ��: @vidr.content #designindaba #bizcommunity #vidrcontent #artscape #nightscape

A post shared by Bizcommunity.com (@bizcommunity) on Feb 21, 2018 at 4:22am PST

MC Michael Bierut, in signature pale suit with graphic tie, in his soothing dulcet American tones once again called it the best conference in the world as it's where you see the future first, which is why he’s been attending for a decade – he added:

Design Indaba is not just a platform to talk, but a place for action, as the three days of conferencing inspire 362 days of doing.

All the feels

Leigh Andrews 18 Feb 2016

Bierut reminded us that Design Indaba founder Ravi Naidoo intends for Design Indaba to drive a better world through creativity, not just through the annual festival that’s a must for many the world over, but also through its online publication and design activism projects. Corner just one touch point and consider yourself immersed! It’s all about purpose-led design at its finest.

Maditla is relishing her new role as Design Indaba editor-in-chief.

#DesignIndaba2018: Telling stories about purpose-led design

Leigh Andrews 15 Dec 2017

‘It’s effectively the intersection of ideas and action,’ said Bierut, which makes the audience an essential part of the conference. Touching on trends like Afrofuturism, innovation where traditional procedure is the norm and invention that goes beyond the ordinary, speakers will wow attendees over the next three days and hopefully leave them with a renewed sense of their purpose in the world around them.

2 days and 3 timezones later. We have arrived!! Let's predict the future #kraasimages . . . . #designindaba2018 #designindaba #southafrica #capetown #kraasimages #afrofuturism

A post shared by Kraasimages (@kraasimages) on Feb 20, 2018 at 11:33pm PST

Cohosts were Design Indaba stage first-timers yet big names in their own rights – actress and activist Buhle Ngaba (Bierut led the audience through several rounds of pronouncing her name correctly,) as well as the legendary lyrical poet Lebo Mashile, also set to talk on day two of the festival.

Calling Durban ‘Doobun’, Bierut mentioned that simulcast attendees there and in Johannesburg, Potchefstroom, Port Elizabeth, while also sold out in Cape Town, were in for a great experience. Bierut pointed out that sponsors Woolworths, Mercedes Benz, Liberty and Business Insider had made what we were about to see possible, warranting a round of applause.

Design Indaba Conference, a multi-sensory event

23 Nov 2017

Then it was time for the speakers...

Keep your eyes peeled for our coverage throughout, which will all be packed in our Design Indaba newsletter, hitting your inbox this Monday, and will feature in our special section on site throughout the year. Here’s to a year inspired by creativity, aimed at improving life for all!

Leigh Andrews

About Leigh Andrews

Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.