Workshop Space. Image courtesy of R L Foote Design Studio.
About
Melbourne Design Week (MDW) is Australia’s leading design festival, held annually over 11 days in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Driven by ideas, MDW provides a platform for designers, thinkers, educators, businesses, and enthusiasts to come together to share perspectives, showcase new work, and consider how design can be a force for good in an increasingly complex world. The program features talks, tours, dinners, exhibitions, launches, and workshops, and will run from 20–30 May in 2027.
Events take place across a wide range of venues across the state – studios, retail spaces, universities, galleries, gardens, sports courts, restaurants and public spaces – celebrating Melbourne’s identity as Australia’s design capital.
Participation is open via an expression-of-interest process. This inclusive approach has helped MDW cultivate an international reputation for promoting design discourse, fostering critical thinking, and encouraging Australia’s design community to shape a better future. It has also supported capacity-building within the sector, offering opportunities for both emerging and established designers.
An initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, MDW has grown significantly since its launch in 2017: from just under 100 events in its first year to over 500 in 2026. With more than 120,000 attendees in 2026, MDW is Australia’s most influential design event. It is also one of the Asia-Pacific’s largest design festivals with over 1,300 participating designers.
The festival’s curation is led by NGV’s Department of Contemporary Design and Architecture.
Workshop Space. Image courtesy of R L Foote Design Studio.