Now in its 9th iteration, Detroit Month of Design is a citywide celebration gathering designers and the greater community to honor Detroit’s role as a national and global design capital.

Detroit, MI – February 19, 2019 – Design Core Detroit announced today an open call for submissions for Detroit Month of Design, an annual festival highlighting multi-disciplinary design practices throughout the city. Commencing September 2019, designers are encouraged to apply for three competitions: Detroit City of Design, Commerce Design Awards and Designer Putt Putt. Detroit’s design community can also participate by hosting an event, facilitating a Youth Day activity, offering their venue for local designers to activate or by volunteering. Month of Design is an opportunity to experience the best of Detroit’s design community and celebrate its role as an international design resource.

Submissions close on April 14, 2019. Please see details below.

Detroit City of Design Competition
Design Core Detroit announces the first edition of the Detroit City of Design Competition, an international multidisciplinary competition for designers in Detroit and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to prototype design solutions for Detroit neighborhoods that address safety and accessibility. Supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the goal is to design and test creative, innovative design solutions that make it easier for all Detroiters to move freely, safely, and efficiently around their communities.

Designer Putt Putt Competition
Calling all designers, makers, and visionaries to submit ideas for the Designer Putt Putt Competition. Five winning teams will receive $2,000 to go towards the costs of their materials, delivery, set-up and take away of their installation. The goal of the display is to broaden the perception of design while introducing an interactive and playful experience to the festival.

Commerce Design Awards
Commerce Design: Detroit is an award that honors and recognizes business owners who have hired local professional designers to help them in the renovation of their space. This program aims to increase investment and growth in Detroit’s commercial corridors, promote accessibility and preserve local identity. Commerce Design will recognize projects submitted jointly by the business owner and design team, completed within the last five years in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck.

Youth Day Workshop
Youth Day is an afternoon of creative exploration for junior design stars and their parents. Youth Day will feature a variety of workshops, demonstrations, and interactive experiences from local makerspaces, youth collectives and more. It is the perfect way for children to express their creativity while learning about different design disciplines and creative professions. Activities sought for ages 5-14.

Host an Event
Design Core Detroit is looking to infuse the month of September with diverse experiences that inspire and are calling all designers, curators and innovators to submit ideas for an independent happening. Independently hosted events include tours, workshops, talks, open studios and exhibitions that are funded and produced by the event organizer. Up to 20 happenings will be selected by a jury of professionals to be included in the printed and digital Detroit Month of Design program guide.

Offer your Venue
Great ideas require great spaces. If you are interested in offering your space in-kind for a Month of Design event or installation, please apply. A member of Design Core’s team will contact you.

Become a Volunteer
Design Core volunteers are passionate advocates for Detroit’s design community. Whether you’re a design enthusiast, creative professional or neighborhood leader, Design Core is seeking volunteers to help produce one of the largest design experiences in Detroit while having fun. Year-round volunteer opportunities also available.

About Design Core Detroit
Design Core Detroit champions design-driven businesses and their role in strengthening Detroit’s economy. It offers services to strengthen, grow and attract design businesses, increases market demand for design services, and tells Detroit’s design story locally and globally. Design Core is the steward of Detroit’s UNESCO City of Design designation and is a partnership of the College for Creative Studies and Business Leaders for Michigan.

About Detroit Month of Design
Detroit Month of Design is a citywide celebration of creativity that gathers designers and the greater community to celebrate Detroit’s role as a national and global design capital. Every September, partners from all across Detroit, from emerging studios to established companies and educational institutions, come together to show off their latest works and ideas. These cross-disciplinary events take place in all corners of the city, highlighting the work that makes Detroit a City of Design.