Detroit Design Festival Set for 9/18-22

Detroit will showcase its top and emerging design talent at the third annual Detroit Design Festival (DDF), Sept. 18-22, which takes place at venues along Detroit's Creative Corridor, from Downtown Detroit to New Center, in Eastern Market and in more than 13 neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

This year's annual citywide celebration of design will be the most significant to date with more than 300 designers featuring their work at 70 Design Happenings. The 2013 festival spans all design disciplines and brings together commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program of exhibitions, openings, installations, shows, talks, and open studios.

"We've assembled a stellar advisory committee who have helped us refine the DDF experience this year," says Matthew Clayson, DC3 director. "We've created six paths to help people choose which design happenings to attend: community, consumer, practitioner, enthusiast, exploration and youth. This will take the festival to a whole new level for attendees, while it continues to provide an excellent platform for independent designers to connect with the community, buyers and each other," he explains.

DDF advisors include local and world-renowned design luminaries such as David Stark, a New York based event producer who has worked with high-wattage celebrities, major corporations, and the nation's most elite not-for-profit organizations. The esteemed board includes:

Jason Mayden: Senior Global FTWR Design Director, Nike
John Berry: Herman Miller / Executive Director, Design West Michigan
Reed Kroloff: Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Museum, Cranbrook
Maria Luissa Rossi: Chair of Master of Fine Arts Department, College for Creative Studies
Andre Sandifer: Creative Director, Ali Sandifer Studio
Michael Poris: President, McIntosh Poris
Daniel Caudill: Creative Director, Shinola
Curt Bailey: President - Sundberg Ferar

The general public is invited to attend the DDF preview party and design expo, which will showcase a taste of what the festival will offer. The party is 6-10 p.m. Tue., Sept. 17 at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education (485 W. Milwaukee Ave.). Blending an inspiring mix of design and music, guests will be greeted by a brilliant lighting installation created by Jason Ruff. The interactive installation will capture images of partygoers and a high-tech Chrysler Viper display and illuminate them on the walls. Guests can take part in the AIGA Detroit: I Am Detroit Poster Competition, and view a compact, portable electroforming lab - the 2013 R&D Award winner - created by Ann Arbor's Anya Sirota + Akoaki. The high-design soiree will also feature exhibitions by: Ali Sandifer Studio Furniture, CCS Product Design Department, D MET Design, Detroit Design Center, Detroit Lives! Video Production, DIFFA: Dining By Design, DuBois Collection, PHAT, Silent Giants Music and Movie Posters, Wiki House Detroit - TechShop Detroit, and an automobile and architecture exhibition preview by the Valade Gallery. DJ Erno the Inferno will perform and Detroit Bike City will park bicycles during the event. Tickets (free) are available at: https://ddf2013kickoff.eventbrite.com/

"We are thrilled to put Detroit's design talent in the spotlight before the DDF advisors and the rest of the world," says Melinda Anderson, engagement manager for DC3. "DDF gives people the rare opportunity to interact with hundreds of award-winning independent designers in one place. Practitioners, enthusiasts and the community at large will have the chance to discover and inspire one another. We're really excited for everyone to come to DDF this year, including children and families, to enjoy a design adventure."

Shuttle service will be available for the festival's major events on Thurs., Fri., and Sat. Attendees can park at the Walter B. Ford Building on the Ford Campus of the Center for Creative Studies (201 E. Kirby, Detroit 48202) and ride a shuttle to Eastern Market After Dark on Thurs., Light up Livernois on Fri., and the Youth Innovation Center on Sat. Shuttles will depart from the Walter B. Ford Building every 20 minutes between the following times:

Thurs., Sept. 19: 7-11 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 20: 6-11 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 21: Noon-6 p.m.

For a full list of Design Happenings Sept. 18-22, please visit: www.detroitdesignfestival.com/happenings.