Singapore Design Week (“SDW”) returns for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, set to take place from September 11 to 21, with the bold theme “Nation by Design.” This year, the festival will continue to highlight Singapore’s unique evolution into a modern, liveable city, powered by innovation and creativity. If you’re an independent designer, part of a design agency, or an organization with a passion for design, the Design Community (“DC”) Open Call is now open, offering an opportunity to showcase your work on an international stage.
Celebrate Design at the Heart of a Thriving City
Organized by the DesignSingapore Council, SDW 2025 aims to bring together the best of design from both Singapore and beyond. With an emphasis on thought leadership, creativity, and cutting-edge innovation, SDW 2025 is a celebration of how design shapes the world. The festival is structured around three core pillars: Design Futures, Design Marketplace, and Design Impact.
- Design Futures focuses on future-forward design solutions that generate positive change across industries.
- Design Marketplace delves into global lifestyle trends, with a particular spotlight on the emerging Southeast Asian design landscape.
- Design Impact highlights innovative solutions tackling society’s most pressing issues and how design can create a better world.
Under the overarching theme of “Nation by Design,” SDW 2025 invites you to explore how Singapore has become a model for sustainable development, vibrant communities, and world-class infrastructure—all built through thoughtful design. From tackling societal challenges to enhancing daily life, the festival is an open canvas for the next generation of design leaders.
A Platform for the Global Design Ecosystem
The Design Community (DC) Open Call offers a platform for both local and international designers to co-create a vibrant design festival experience. Whether you’re looking to stage an exhibition, host a networking event, run a hands-on workshop, or organize a talk, there are endless possibilities for engagement. SDW 2025 encourages programs that blend experiential and interactive elements to make the festival a truly immersive experience.
What You Need to Know
To participate, your proposed program should align with the SDW 2025 theme and one or more of the festival’s pillars. Additionally, proposals should consider relevant focus areas such as Sustainability, Emerging Technologies, and Care—key themes that resonate with today’s global design challenges.
Program formats can vary widely, from exhibitions and installations to hackathons, studio visits, graduation shows, and even virtual events. The choice of format is flexible, but physical experiences are preferred, especially those that invite active participation and engagement. Importantly, while you’ll need to secure your own venue and funding, Dsg will provide marketing and publicity support for selected programs.
The festival will be held across multiple venues, with key dates including the Design Fair Asia from September 11-13 and a Design Futures Forum on September 17, which program proposals should avoid overlapping with these major events on SDW 2025’s calendar.
How to Apply
The open call is now live and accepting applications until March 26, 5PM SGT. There’s no application fee, and participation is open to anyone across the globe. While there’s no direct funding available, selected programs will receive comprehensive marketing support, including listings on the SDW website and through Dsg’s social media channels.
Successful applicants will be notified by May 9, 2025, and will need to submit full publicity details by June 20, 2025. All program proposals should be submitted through the official SDW portal at bit.ly/SDWDC2025.
Why Participate?
SDW 2025 presents an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your work on a global platform and collaborate with designers, agencies, and brands from around the world. It’s not just about displaying your designs; it’s about being part of a movement that shapes the future of design. Whether you’re an independent designer or part of a larger organization, SDW 2025 offers a chance to influence and inspire the next wave of design thinking.
Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this dynamic celebration of design. Submit your proposal today and be part of the story that continues to unfold through the transformative power of design.
For more information and to submit your proposal, visit bit.ly/SDWDC2025. Featured image: Yah Leng Yu of Foreign Policy Design.
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