About

First staged in 2003, the London Design Festival is one of the world's most important annual design events. The nine-day Festival programme is made up of over 200 events and exhibitions staged by around 160 partner organisations across the design spectrum and from around the world

Coming soon

The website for the London Design Festival 2011 goes live in July 2011 - look out for a complete listing of events.

About us

The diversity of world-class design talent in - and attracted to - London is one of the key strengths of the city over other global design centres; the London Design Festival brings this talent to the fore every year to connect with others, explore issues, do business, exchange ideas, and have fun.

The Festival is both a cultural and a commercial event. The programme ranges from major international exhibitions to trade events, installations to talks and seminars, from product launches to receptions, private views and parties. The majority of events are free of charge - enabling visitors to participate, listen, learn, commission and make purchases.

The Festival is funded through a combination of public and private sources. The London Development Agency has provided grant funding for the Festival since it was first staged. The London Design Festival Ltd is also an Arts Council 'regularly funded organisation'. Private funding (approx 60%) is raised through sponsorship of Festival projects alongside a small range of London Design Festival products and services delivered throughout the year.

Festival audiences are significant, with an estimated 350,000 direct visitors to events listed as part of the Festival in 2010. Visitors tend to be from four broad groups: the public, design professionals, students and overseas visitors – plus we had journalists arriving from 22 countries to see what we had on offer. And they like what they see: 88% of visitors said what they saw last year by the 188 organisations that took part either "good" or "very good". The Festival also attracts substantial press coverage, with 1,300 articles appearing in the UK press alone.

Visit the LDF

The London Design Festival is made up of programme of over 200 events, taking place 17-25 September 2011. There is a broad range of activities on offer, most of which are free to enter. The London Design Festival Guide is available at all Festival venues.

Before planning your visit check individual event details on the event listing section of the website. Not all exhibitions run for the duration of the Festival, and some events require booking. The My Festival tool helps you plan your Festival experience by tagging events you’re interested in attending.

A number of destinations in the city have a large number of Festival events taking place in relatively small areas. These Festival hubs are often good places to head, enabling you to take in the atmosphere of the Festival and to sample a wide-range of activity in one place, such as the Brompton Design District or Shoreditch. You can search by hubs in the event section of the website.

Travelling to London Design Festival events by undergound? Download the latest TfL London Underground map.[PDF 1.25Mb]

Frequently asked questions

What is the London Design Festival?
The London Design Festival is a city-wide celebration of design that takes place over nine days. The next Festival takes place 17 - 25 September 2011.

Where is the London Design Festival
Festival events are staged in up to 150 different venues across the city. Check individual event listings for details. The Festival's hub is at the V&A Museum, Which provides a good starting point from which to explore the Festival.

Where can I get a ticket for a Festival event?
Most Festival events are free to enter. Ticketed events are managed by host / organising venues. Check listing and contact details for each event you're interested in.

Where are the Festival events I’m interested in?
The Festival website has complete details of all events taking place. Use the search function and tag clouds to identify particular events and activities.

How can I take part in the London Design Festival?
The Festival is inclusive, and is made up of events and activities staged by a range of organisations, or partners. If you're interested in putting on an event, click here for further information.

Can you recommend a hotel to stay in during my visit to the London Design Festival?
No, but Visit London can.

Will you send me a letter inviting me to the London Design Festival?
We’re unable to provide personal invitations to attend the Festival.

How do I plan my visit to the London Design Festival?
We've built a 'My Festival' function on the website, which allows you to select events you'd like to attend. This builds into a personal Festival diary.

Can I volunteer / work / help at the London Design Festival?
The Festival runs a volunteer programme. Email us to find out more.

Our Supporters

The London Design Festival can only happen because we have such great support.

Find out more...