Brixton’s status as the London Design Festival’s newest design district puts it alongside Clerkenwell, Shoreditch, Chelsea and Islington in status in the creative world.
Planning has begun for this year’s festival which takes place 17–25 September.
The Brixton organisers shared their ambitious plans for a week of spectacle at a packed community event in Brixton East 1871.
Under the banner “Rebel, Rebel” the trail will be designed to engage the widest possible local audience with installations, exhibitions, and events by resident artists, designers and creative organisations in public spaces and businesses around the town centre.
For the first time, young people get the chance to show off their talent and creativity with a programme of their own.
Julia Nicholls of architects Squire & Partners said at the launch: “We want to talk to everyone whatever their skills and talents. It’s a platform, but it’s much more about the people who work and live here.” Sentiments that were echoed by all the speakers.
A host of organisations are already signed up.
Brixton design studio 2MZ will collaborate with Black Cultural Archives to design a courtyard installation.
Brixton Pound designers This Ain’t Rock’N’Roll will create a design toolkit based on the iconic notes, and hand it over to local talent to come up with new items to display and retail across Brixton. The best designs will go into mass production.
You will be able to join a guided walk touring Brixton’s street art and murals, stopping off along the way in some of Brixton’s best bars and cafes.
The Brixton Street Gallery will return to Ferndale Road. After the success of the 2015 installation, Squire and Partners are curating a second exhibition of works by talented Brixton-based artists.
New this year, Brixton Design Trail will present a series of events and projects for 16-25 year-olds and will be asking: “In our rapidly changing city, how can design be used to imagine and shape its future?”
Brixton-based Eley Kishimoto will collaborate with Dolman Bowles, adorning the streets of Brixton with a patterned pavement carpet – look out for sizzling chips underfoot.
Hot Tramp, I Love You So will be a Bowie celebration.
Show Us The Money with Brixton Pound explores how accountability can be designed into the way money works.
Windows of Brixton is a youth takeover of visible retail window spaces. Local young creatives will use design and vinyl graphics as their tools, and retail window spaces as their canvas.
The London Design Festival was established in 2003 to celebrate and promote London as the world’s design capital.
To get involved go to: www.brixtondesigntrail.com.
