This was Experience Valencia 2022

One of our Signature Events, Experience Valencia 2022 was a great occasion that brought together national and international personalities from the world of design. A festival that combined talks and workshops with networking moments, music and a relaxed ambience for all attendees.

Held over the course of a week, and shared by La Marina de València for the workshops of the first four days, and La Rambleta for the other two days, the festival brought to World Design Capital Valencia 2022 names such as: Brian Collins, Roanne Adams, Alex Trochut and Caterina Bianchini. Each intervention was an opportunity to explore that designer’s or agency’s own world, to discover the personal histories of some, the formula for the work of others, and to take delight in the pieces and creativity of one and all.

The workshops, in order, were hosted by:

• Raúl Goñi, who focused his message on the poster as a protest medium via his own project public protest poster.
• Borja Holke emphasised the importance of movement associated with brand, via the comparison between motion graphic and body language, looking to a future in which the screen has a lot of ground to make up.
• Rubio y del Amo spoke of the complicated relationship between the public authorities and design.
• Arnau Ros, from the Veles e Vents building, explained to the audience his processes and work as a web designer and content creator.

At all the workshops, the attendees had the chance to intervene and ask the speakers questions, as well as to enjoy spending time beside the sea at the end of each session, including coffee from the trolley provided for the occasion by News and Coffee.

On Friday, the real “fiesta” began. From La Rambleta, with full days from morning to evening, with DJs, and with loads of design in small capsules of approximately 30 minutes. The Experience Valencia 2022 Festival shone with every professional who took to the stage, thanks to the wonderful selection and the quality of all the presentations.

Beginning with Yarza Twins, with a presentation of multiple and interesting projects. Continuing with the typographies of Mathieu Desjardins & Valerio Monopoli of Pangram Pangram and the inspired visual narrative of Rebeka Arce.

During the next session, Diana Kasay & Alya Datiy from the sponsor Readymag took the stage. They were followed by Rubén Sanchez, founder of Dgrees, who showed all his strength in the area of digital design and innovation. The morning was brought to a close by T.O.T, the multidisciplinary studio that handles not only branding, but artistic direction and musical design. An example: Rosalía.

Friday afternoon began with Thomas Kurppa of Kurppa Hosk, the important branding agency based in New York and Stockholm, who showed a large and inspirational portfolio. He was followed by the design and advertising studio Rubio y del Amo. And then Realmente Bravo, the graphic design and art direction studio responsible for creations full of personality for, among others, C. Tangana.

The breaks were a time to share impressions, follow the accounts of all the speakers, review notes, buy a journal or take a look at the Fedrigoni stand.

Marta Cerdà picked up the rhythm with her selection of graphic projects for publications such as Vogue and The Guardian. The day was brought to an end by Braulio Amado, who brought to La Rambleta his excellent work of editorial and musical design.

Just as in any festival worthy of the name, there was no lack of music. Wisemen Project brought the day to a close by getting the audience dancing on the ground floor of the premises, setting a very high standard for the following day.

On Saturday the public arrived early at La Rambleta, wanting more. Eager to absorb ideas, creativity and good design, to continue discovering all that the great names of the day had to tell them and to get to know each other in the intervals of the Experience Valencia 2022 festival.

The boundless energy of Cuchillo came on stage and the only way was up with the sample of their work and an explosive ending. Simon D’haenens focused his speech on the project for the virtual expo 2020 Dubai, a challenge met by Dogstudio. For her part, Caterina Bianchini showed the refined projects of Studio Nari, graphic design with great conceptual work.

After the break Roanne Adams, founder of RoAndCo, made all the attendees dream as she talked about her magazine. Thanks to her storytelling we discovered more about her personal life, which guided her professional career, and about the great pieces she exhibited.  Sebastiaan Scheer of Media.Monks, on the other hand, brought to Valencia the data and numbers applied to digital design. The attitude and the humour of Buba Viedma helped us end the first part of Saturday with a smile and a clear vision of his illustrated microcosmos.

The afternoon began with the live recording of Hey Studio’s “Women at Work” podcast by SHIFTA. This new chapter benefitted from the female voices and experiences of Caterina Bianchini, Roanne Adams and Liza Enebeis. Alex Trochut delighted the public with his moving graphics and the meticulous process followed to achieve the definitive pieces. He was followed by creative director Liza Enebeis, of Studio Dumbar/DEPT, with compact projects and brilliant concepts. The grand finale: Brian Collins, who had everybody seated in La Rambleta in the palm of his hand. With a tribute to Valencia, Collins made us feel proud of design “from here”, which he complemented with his work and found time for a game with the public.

And Collins and all the other professionals mixed with all the attendees at the final party, with Paradise Phantoms in concert. What a great end to the festival!

World Design Capital Valencia 2022 has been an exceptional occasion to celebrate design: Valencian, Spanish, but also the design that comes to us from so many parts of the world to make us open our eyes and our minds. Experience Valencia 2022 represented a week of inspiration and networking for a total of 1031 attendees (from 38 countries and 4 continents).

And we cannot thank the sponsors enough for their support in this international event. Thanks to Sancal for its Rift cases, to Rolser for its LN bags, to Actiu for its Second Act accessories, to Diabla Outdoor for its “La siesta” bottle, for providing us with their magnificent products and gifts for the speakers. To Andreu World for its “Nuez” chair, to Patricia Urquiola who designed part of the scenery for Experience Valencia 2022. And to Fuente Primavera for being the Official Water both in the festival and in any other event of World Design Capital Valencia 2022.

See you next year!