Since its launch in 2021, Southern Sweden Design Days has grown into an international platform for design, architecture, and crafts. The new name, Malmö Design Days, gives the festival a clearer identity and stronger geographical connection, reinforcing Malmö’s position as an international design destination.
– The previous name was perceived as long and did not make it clear where the festival takes place or who can participate. We want the name to reflect the location more clearly. Malmö has a unique design community, characterised by a strong culture of collaboration and a distinctly international outlook. With Malmö Design Days, we want to build on that strength and create an even stronger international platform, says Terese Alstin, Head of Strategic Development for the Design Industry at Form/Design Center.
Following five successful festival years, 2026 was dedicated to the long-term development of the event. In keeping with the festival’s co-creative approach, where development is shaped by the perspectives and needs of the design community, a range of stakeholders were involved through workshops and focus groups to jointly identify opportunities and directions for the future. These insights have laid the foundation for an extensive development process, ranging from improved processes for participants to more visible changes to the festival itself. One example is a stronger industry focus, creating more opportunities for professional exchange, meetings, and new connections for both participants and professional visitors.
– This is the next chapter for the festival. We are taking with us everything that has made it strong – its openness, engagement, and the energy of Malmö’s design community – while developing the format to create more opportunities for new collaborations and for the industry as a whole. Our ambition is for Malmö Design Days to continue growing as an important meeting place, both in Malmö and internationally, says Ann Isler, Project Manager for Malmö Design Days at Form/Design Center.
A stronger industry focus
Malmö Design Days will remain a generous and open city-wide festival for both professional visitors and a broad design-interested public. For 2027, the focus on design professionals will be strengthened. The festival will move from Thursday–Sunday to Wednesday–Saturday, adding another weekday for meetings and exchange between the design industry, businesses, academia, and other professional stakeholders, while Saturday will take on a clearer role as the main public festival day.
Another change is that participation will now be based on an application and selection process. Previously, participation was open to anyone who registered. The aim is to further strengthen the quality of the festival and create greater coherence across its content. At the same time, more industry-focused initiatives and activities are being developed – both during the festival and throughout the rest of the year.
Form/Design Center becomes the festival hub
During the festival’s first five years, Lokstallarna in Kirseberg served as its main venue. In 2027, the festival hub and central meeting point will move to organiser Form/Design Center in central Malmö. Here, an easily accessible festival hub will offer visitors information, maps, and an overview of the programme before they head out to the festival’s many locations across the city.
Form/Design Center will also host an extensive festival programme featuring exhibitions, workshops, seminars, and other events. It will serve as a central meeting place for design professionals, international guests, and the public – creating opportunities for new perspectives, knowledge exchange, and conversations about design.
At the same time, the ambition is for the festival to continue taking place throughout Malmö, with larger venues and exhibition spaces across the city. Rather than concentrating much of the programme in one main venue, Malmö Design Days aims to encourage more clusters and shared platforms where exhibitors and other participants can come together around different areas of design, themes, and current issues.
This will create opportunities for more extensive exhibitions and programmes in multiple locations across Malmö, while enabling participating organisations and practitioners to form stronger contexts and collectively reach relevant audiences.