Johannesburg Design Week 2017 is an initiative that aims to put South African design on the map, while making great design accessible to people from all walks of life.
Trend forecaster and business consultant Dave Nemeth from Trend Forward, who conceptualised the initiative, says Johannesburg Design Week seeks to demystify design.
“Other design events around the country always target the same niched, elitist audience. Johannesburg Design Week aims to take design to a wider audience, making good design, as well as a better understanding of design, accessible to all,” says Nemeth.
This explains the decision to use the Rand Show 2017 as a platform to launch Johannesburg Design Week to over 200,000 people from a broad cross-section of society.
‘Best of the Best' design display
For the duration of the Rand Show, from 14 to 23 April 2017, Johannesburg Design Week will present an extensive curated display of the best in décor, furniture, lighting, jewellery and fashion design in the Rand Show’s new Design Pavilion.
This display – “Best of the Best of SA Design 2017” – will showcase inspiring local design chosen by a panel of design authorities.
Project 81
Another display presented in the Rand Show’s Design Pavilion is the intriguingly named Project81. This initiative of design education group Inscape, in partnership with Belgotex Floors, challenges Inscape design students to create products out of waste Belgotex carpeting.
Each year, 81 products are selected nationally to be showcased at events such as the Rand Show, where students can be exposed to potential investors who could help them turn their prototypes into viable products.
Design talks for show visitors
Inscape and other leading experts are putting together a programme of public workshops and talks that will cover topics such as choosing design as a career, understanding the importance of design, and learning more about the “maker movement” and how it can benefit the youth.
Designing a better business
Johannesburg Design Week will feature a series of conferences, workshops and master classes given by leading names in the business world, and aimed at business people from management level, and entrepreneurs.
“The beauty of aligning with the Rand Show is that a large percentage of professionals are on leave over the Easter period, making it easier for them to attend a master class or short workshop whilst still being in an environment that is exciting and engaging for the rest of the family,” says Nemeth.
Highlights of this business-oriented programme include:
- Entrepreneurial evangelist, and producer and presenter of Hot 91.9’s HOT Entrepreneurs show, Lisa Illingworth, presents two workshops in the MAN Building on Tuesday, 18 April:
- “Thinking Like an Entrepreneur”, from 9am to 10:30am, R150 per ticket. There are five key behavioural traits that sustain entrepreneurs when market conditions are tough or when they need to change direction. Come and learn about rewiring the way you think so that no matter what idea you have or how business is going, your mindset is programmed with the fundamental processes that will make you future-proof.
- “Business Model Canvassing”, from 1pm to 2:45pm, R150 per ticket. Planning and starting a business doesn’t have to mean planning for every eventuality from the start. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use the business model canvassing tool to understand the basics and get those right, whilst getting to market as quickly as possible, rather than relying on projections that are, at best, an educated guess.
- Futuresplash, on Friday, 21 April in the MAN Building, from 9am to 10:30am, R150 per ticket. Trend forecaster and business consultant Dave Nemeth will present his 2018/2019 trend report. This year’s report will cover retail, design, architecture, marketing and technology, and the effects of changing consumer attitudes on business.
- “Unknown: A business journey into the unknown”, on Wednesday in the MAN Building, 19 April, from 9am to 3pm Friday, 21 April 2017, R350 per ticket. The only certainty in business today is the death of business as we know it. Join some of South Africa’s leading creative and business minds for a one-day conference exploring the future of business and how to think differently.
- Hour-long workshops with Adobe (R100 per ticket) on how Adobe programs and apps can help improve your business:
- Tuesday, 18 April at 10 am, in the MAN Building: Introduction to Adobe’s new products.
- Tuesday, 18 April at noon, in the MAN Building: Using Creative Cloud to help solve collaboration challenges across creative teams.
- Wednesday, 19 April at 10 am, in the Milner Room, Hall 6: Working wherever inspiration hits with Adobe mobile apps.
- Thursday, 20 April at 2:30 pm, in the Milner Room, Hall 6: Photography and Lightroom.
- Friday, 21 April at 1 pm, in the Milner Room, Hall 6: What’s new in the Photoshop family.
Tickets to these workshops and conferences include entry to the Rand Show. Seating is limited, so hurry to www.jhbdesignweek.co.za to book your spot.
The Rand Show has a full lineup of top-class entertainment for the whole family, so why not bring along the rest of the family to enjoy the fun while you expand your mind?
South Africa’s biggest consumer expo is the only show to offer attractions covering everything from sport, motoring, military, and science and technology, to design, animals, gardening, health and beauty, and variety shows... there’s an entire day out for the whole family packed into each Rand Show ticket.
Visit www.randshow.co.za to find out about what’s on this year at the Rand Show.
When, where, how much?
The Rand Show runs from Friday, 14 April to Sunday, 23 April 2017, from 9am to 7pm (last entry at 6pm), at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec (GPS – S26°14.484’ E27°58.510). There is ample secure paid parking at the venue, with visible policing.
Rand Show tickets at the gate cost R150 for adults, R50 for pensioners, R50 for 13-16 years, R20 for 6-12 years, and under six enter free. Midweek specials for Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 April only are R75 for adults, and R20 for 13-16 year olds. Open-air parking is R20 per car. Tickets are available at the gate or through Computicket. Tickets give access to a wide variety of entertainment attractions, but exclude rides on the helicopter and monorail, drifting, bagjumping, the fun fair, and refreshments and food.
