Atlanta Design Festival 2024 unites Global Innovators in the Heart of the Southeast

This year’s festival promises to be a celebration of design, highlighting Atlanta’s significant contributions to the global design economy. Drawing inspiration from the 2023 Design Economy Report, the festival will emphasize how design drives economic growth and innovation.

One of the key events is the Creative Futures Conference on September 28, which will bring together leading thinkers in design, architecture, and technology. The theme, “Now That You Know, What Will You Do?” challenges attendees to harness the power of human-centered design to address global issues. The conference will feature the Design is Human Awards on the evening of September 27, recognizing exemplary contributions to the design community. Notable speakers include Morris Adjmi FAIA, known for designing the FORTH Hotel & Social Club. Additionally, international perspectives will be presented by Tabea Fahr from Zurich and a session on reshaping Atlanta’s Westside by Taylor Coles and Professor Ingeborg Rocker from GA Tech.

The MA! Architecture Tours, now in their 17th year, will offer exclusive access to Atlanta’s premier modern residential and commercial design projects. These tours showcase the latest in sustainable materials, architectural systems, and interior design. They continue to honor the vision of festival founder Bernard McCoy, highlighting projects that push the boundaries of innovation and excellence.

Launching in October 2024, the inaugural Atlanta Art Fair will feature over 50 galleries from Atlanta and the South at Pullman Yards, a redeveloped industrial complex in east Atlanta. Organized by Art Market Productions (AMP) and Intersect Art and Design, the Atlanta Art Fair aims to establish a centralized gathering place for the arts, reflecting Atlanta’s growing status as a major art destination in the US.

Returning for its second year, DesignStation will serve as a nexus for innovation, creativity, and public dialogue. This dynamic space will be hosted in multiple locations across Atlanta, housing design stories and facilitating engagement with the latest in design thinking and practice.

The Atlanta Design Festival is a pivotal platform that celebrates, convenes, and connects Atlanta’s creative industries. Over the week-long event, leading creative minds and organizations from Atlanta and around the world will host installations, exhibitions, design and architecture tours, film screenings, and conference panels.

This year, the festival will emphasize the findings of the Atlanta Design Economy Report, which highlights the economic significance of the design sector in Atlanta:

• Economic Impact: Atlanta’s designers contributed $39.5 billion to the city’s GDP in 2021, representing 8.3% of the total GDP.
• Employment: Design occupations employ 111,800 people in Atlanta, accounting for 4.1% of the workforce, a higher proportion than in New York and above the national average.
• Growth and Productivity: Between 2012 and 2021, GDP generated by Atlanta’s designers rose by 68%, with designers being twice as productive as the average worker in Atlanta.

By showcasing Atlanta as a global powerhouse of design, the festival highlights the integral role of design in economic growth and innovation. It invites audiences to engage, experience, and contribute to the enrichment of Atlanta’s cultural and creative landscape.

Tickets:

• Creative Futures Conference: Get tickets
  • Single ticket: $75
  • Student ticket: $63.75 (15% off full price)
• MA! Architecture Tours: Get tickets
  • Atlanta, GA: Single ticket: $45, Single ticket with Design is Human book: $55, Group ticket (4 tickets for the price of 3): $135
  • Serenbe, GA: Single ticket: $25, Group ticket (4 tickets for the price of 3): $75
• Citywide Events: Explore events