Valencia, World Design Capital 2022

Valencia has been chosen World Design Capital 2022 by the jury of the World Design Organization in recognition of the importance of design in Valencia as a cross-cutting activity that includes fields as diverse as illustration, industrial design, graphic design, fashion or architecture, developed by professionals who have achieved a global recognition.

This nomination is the result of the work of the Associació València Capital del Disseny, a private initiative chaired by the designer Marisa Gallén that brings together professionals, companies and institutions from all these areas and has received the support of local, regional and national public institutions. This association has designed for 2022 a program of talks, workshops and exhibitions throughout the year that seeks to bring design closer to citizens.

The choice of Valencia against the other finalist city, the Indian city of Bangalore, recognizes on the one hand the historical and current importance of design in the Valencian industrial network, with special weight in sectors such as ceramics and furniture, the international projection of Valencian companies in these fields, as well as the presence both locally and globally of Valencian professionals in disciplines such as industrial design, graphic design and architecture. On the other hand, this choice responds to the potential of Valencian design as an effective tool for urban development and the improvement of the quality of life for the citizens and its commitment to challenges such as climate change or gender equality.

Valencia is the first Spanish city chosen as World Design Capital, after the candidacy of Bilbao in 2014. Valencia will come after the French city of Lille, capital in 2020. The previously designated cities were Torino, Seoul, Helsinki, Cape Town, Taipei and Mexico City.