Today Andrew Barr ACT Chief Minister officially opened the 2020 DESIGN Canberra festival, among the many supporters, sponsors, artists and designers who have made the festival possible this year. This is the seventh DESIGN Canberra, and our most important program yet. We are so grateful to Andrew Barr for his continuing personal support for DESIGN Canberra, for creative industries and the tourism sector.

Thank you to Cheyne Halloran who welcomed us to Ngunnawal country today with a passionate and inspiring speech about our region and the importance of supporting and learning Indigenous languages. We are grateful to the ACT Government for their funding to support the festival with $100,000 per year since 2017, and funding from the City Renewal Authority to support our city-based programs.

The festival as a whole would not be possible without the generous support from our sponsors and partners. Sponsorship and self-generated income accounts for 70% of our budget. Our cherished long standing platinum sponsors Rolfe Classic BMW, Home by Holly (Holly Komorowski – Real Estate Agent), University of Canberra and their UC Faculty of Arts & Design, and Midnight Hotel have been joined this year by the Prosecco DOCand the Suburban Land Agency. Platinum sponsors co-curate high-profile experiences in the festival and we are fortunate to collaborate with organisations who see creative industries as central to their business vision.

Gold partners are valued collaborators and in 2020 include the Canberra Centre and The Alastair Swayn Foundation. Our silver partners support individual programs and I’d like to thank them: National Capital Authority, Lake George Winery – Canberra, Capital Brewing Co., RoJo Customs, Embassy of Italy in Australia and Australian Academy of Science, together with valued media partners HerCanberra and Dezeen.

Thanks to everyone who could join us for the opening. Please enjoy our photo album of the event.

Photos: 5 Foot Photography