Northern Design Competition (NDF) has revealed the total line-up for its 2025 version, returning to Lancaster from 15–17 Could with a programme that places transparency in course of, apply, and private expertise, firmly within the highlight.
Now in its second yr, the three-day competition is quick turning into a standout second within the northern design calendar. With a deal with dialogue over dogma, this yr’s occasion guarantees a candid exploration of the inventive trade’s much less polished corners and the conversations that too typically go unstated in studios, companies, and portfolios.
Co-founder and director Antonia Arbova explains the motivation behind this yr’s theme: “This yr’s competition is centred round uncovering the uncooked, trustworthy tales that always go untold – tales that won’t have come to gentle with out the dedication and encouragement of our group.
“Every speaker invited to participate has been thoughtfully chosen for his or her alignment with our core values: fostering an inclusive and equitable inventive neighborhood, not simply within the North, however throughout the broader trade.”
In line with that ethos, the line-up strikes a stability between sensible help and soul-searching reflection. Alongside keynote talks and panels, the programme consists of hands-on workshops, portfolio evaluations, reside podcast recordings and casual chats, all designed to spark connection, problem assumptions, and demystify trade norms.
Highlights embrace Work in Course of with Hondo Studio, a behind-the-scenes keynote lifting the lid on the collaborative, generally chaotic actuality of working a inventive studio. Louise Sloper’s Typographic Truthiness tackles how kind can make clear or confuse relying on the way it’s wielded – a well timed reminder for anybody working with phrases and visuals.
In the meantime, The Clear Model panel brings collectively voices from Studio Up North, M1 Studios, BAGGI and extra to debate how manufacturers can construct belief by pricing readability and values-led collaboration.
Ya’Qub Mir, lead designer at Studio Up North and one in every of this yr’s audio system, says: “Transparency actually resonates with me – it’s a celebration of identification, resilience, and the ability of design to form tradition and neighborhood. To me, transparency shouldn’t be solely a necessity, but in addition a duty that every one designers ought to need to decide to, and I’m trying ahead to the panel dialogue round this subject.
“The competition is such an necessary occasion, giving northern creatives a possibility to attach, be impressed and showcase the energy of expertise in our area. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”
The road-up additionally includes a reside recording of the My Life in Design podcast with Claire Blyth (Pink Setter) and Claire Parker (The Chase), who’ll be sharing private reflections on careers constructed by branding. In the meantime, storytelling takes centre stage in Trustworthy Storytelling: Being Genuine, a panel hosted by BBC Artistic, Wash, The Chase and The Engine Room, diving into what it actually means to “present your working” as a inventive.
There’s a lighter aspect too. Friday night time’s Over a Pint session sees Dave Sedgwick and Artistic Increase’s very personal Abbey Bamford sink just a few and swap tales on the grind of unbiased apply – count on struggle tales, knowledge, and possibly not less than one pint-related mishap.
For these early of their careers, the competition presents sensible periods on routes into the trade, plus portfolio evaluations led by Craft and companies together with Robotic Meals, Studio North and Ultralight. Fingers-on workshops embrace a tile ceramics session – a tactile counterpoint to the theory-heavy talks.
Aaliyah Rice from BBC Artistic, who joins the panel on trustworthy storytelling, factors to the competition’s worth for rising creatives: “Northern Design Competition is such an amazing house for newbie designers to actually perceive their trade, particularly with a theme like transparency the place they are often concerned in trustworthy conversations surrounding design to higher perceive the profession path they is likely to be dealing with.
“Design can typically have a sure glamour and sheen to it as a profession and I’m actually trying ahead to having these conversations. I can’t wait to listen to and reply all their insightful questions on the day.”
The competition additionally consists of social moments just like the Opening Evening at The Storey Gallery and a closing celebration at Mint Cafe Bar. For one thing extra intimate, Demystifying the Company: The Good, the Dangerous, and the Ugly presents small-group storytelling periods the place no query is off-limits.
Niamh Cartwright, NDF’s co-founder and director, says the spirit of openness runs by each side of the occasion: “The NDF group is so excited to convey collectively such an unbelievable lineup of audio system for the second Northern Design Competition. It has been such an honour attending to know all of those superb creatives and companies which might be concerned this yr. Their ‘clear’ method to innovation and creativity actually represents what we are attempting to champion.
“We hope that our talks and workshops encourage you and that you’ll be able to depart Lancaster with the boldness to be open and trustworthy as a inventive, realizing that you’ve a supportive neighborhood round you!”
