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National Design Bodies
British Design Innovation
British Design Innovation (BDI) is the representative voice to industry of established strategic designers operating in the innovation space. There are 500 members, 30 affiliates and 30,000 registered companies. These members include commercial design firms, brand owners, academia investors and innovation intermediaries. The initiative is concerned with the engagement of strategic design as the glue binding innovation together. BDI’s strategic designers are engaged by the world’s largest global brand owners to progress their product, service, digital and brand development strategies.
Website: www.britishdesigninnovation.org
British Institute of Interior Design
The British Institute of Interior Design (formerly BIDA) is a national body representing professional interiors designers. They promote best practice, set industry standards through education and continuing professional development, and provide networking opportunities for their members. In conjunction with RIBA enterprises they are publishing a series of contracts and related books and guides to professional practice.The Institute a member of both the Construction Industry Council and the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers. It has 1,179 members in total.
Website: www.bida.org
Chartered Society of Designers
The Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) has 3,000 members in 34 Countries and is the world’s largest chartered body of designers. The society is also a registered charity and adheres to best practice as a membership organisation. The CSD is governed by Royal Charter and as such its members are obliged to practice to the highest professional standard.
Website: www.csd.org.uk
Design Business Association
As the trade association for the UK design industry, the DBA helps to make design consultancies, and businesses that invest in design, more professional and well adapted to one another’s needs. We're determined to put the DBA at the heart of building a better, more robust, more clearly sign-posted bridge between design and business, through tools such as the DBA Directory, best practice guides for clients and the Design Effectiveness Awards.
A key part of the DBA's role is to represent the design industry in the wider world - in particular, in its dealings Government and the media. Whatever the issue, it's our job to ensure that our members' collective voice is heard.
Website: www.dba.org.uk
D&AD
D&AD is an educational charity that represents the global creative, design and advertising communities. D&AD focuses on graphic, book, environmental, packaging and product design. Since 1962, D&AD has set industry standards, educated and inspired the next generation and, more recently, has demonstrated the impact of creativity and innovation on enhancing business performance. D&AD currently has over 3,000 members.
Website: www.dandad.co.uk
Society of British Interior Design
Society of British Interior Design (SBID) was created in April 2009 to equally represent the interests of manufacturers, practitioners and education. The objective of the Society is to promote the profession and in doing so by creating a clear separation between those that are professional and those that are hobbyist or untrained. SBID has been inducted into the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA) adopting the code of conduct, ethics and membership regulations. This is the highest level of measured knowledge and best practice for interior design throughout Europe and aligns us to 15 existing member countries, all collaborating at the same level of measured qualification. There are currently 674 members.
Website: www.thesocietyofbritishinteriordesign.org
UK Web Design Association
The UK Web Design Association (UKWDA) was established in 2001 to encourage and promote industry standards within the British web design and new media sector. The UKWDA is the largest internet association in Europe and now has 10,881 members in total. Membership is free and the UKWDA is funded by a combination of sponsors and advertising revenue. Members include the self-employed through to international companies from many industry sectors, including publishing, marketing, design, ecommerce, television and education.
Website: www.ukwda.org
Regional Design Networks
Bristol Media
Bristol Media is an industry led organisation, whose primary role is to deliver projects, events and opportunities for their 3,500 members. Bristol Media was established in 2005 and is managed by a team of some of the city’s leading industry heads. They are supported by the South West RDA. Members represent over 2,200 companies and organisations across the digital, TV, animation, design, marketing, PR, publishing, film and advertising sectors.
Website: www.bristolmedia.co.uk
Codeworks Connect
Codeworks Connect is the trade association for digital businesses working in North East England. Set up in 2004, Codeworks Connect provides support to more than 300 businesses working in the region's digital sector.
Website: www.codeworksconnect.net
Cornwall Design Forum
Cornwall Design Forum was launched in 2004 to embrace and cultivate creativity in the design industry within Cornwall. The Forum encompasses all disciplines of design from 3D design, interiors, landscape, architecture and graphic design. It was set up for designers by designers and seeks to be a focus for the dynamic and growing business sector in the county. There are currently 57 members. See also: South West Design Forum.
Website: www.cornwalldesignforum.co.uk
Creative Bath
Creative Bath is the new group for creative people and industries in and around Bath. The primary aim is to raise the profile and help the growth of Bath’s creative sector by creating a forum for networking and knowledge exchange. Creative Bath currently has over 700 members.
Website: www.creativebath.org
Creative Lancashire
Creative Lancashire has a mission to realise the combination of creative and commercial potential of the county. Specialising in product design, the aim is to put Lancashire on the map as a centre of innovation excellence and take the appeal of design work and the talent of Lancashire deep into the business community. There is a small team of five people funded by Lancashire County Council and Arts Council England and there are approximately 2,000 registered members.
Website: www.creativelancashire.org
Creative Sheffield
Creative Sheffield is the UK’s very first city development company. Creative Sheffield’s core activities include being the lead marketing agency for Sheffield, achieving a positive shift in perceptions of the city’s image and reputation, and also to build on the success of Sheffield First for Investment in the attraction of quality inward investment into the city. Another aim is to follow on the achievement of Sheffield One, in developing the city’s physical infrastructure to internationally competitive standards. They intend to develop initiatives that will promote the growth of the city’s scientific, creative and cultural knowledge base. Creative Sheffield has digital businesses, with 23 design businesses listed.
Website: www.creativesheffield.co.uk
Creative Shropshire
Creative Shropshire is a network of Shropshire-based creative professionals working at a commercial level. Creative Shropshire was initiated by Steve Ashdown of Phoot Creative. Steve recognised the lack of networking opportunities and support services for like-minded creative individuals in the County. Along with a small group of other creative professionals from a range of commercial backgrounds, and the valued support of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Creative Shropshire was established and officially launched in February 2006. Members generally work in the business side of the creative industry rather than that which is involved in the arts. The group provides publicity, networking and business opportunities for around 55 members.
Website: www.creativeshropshire.org
Derby Creative Industries Network
Derby Creative Industries Network aims to support the development of the creative industries in Derbyshire and beyond. Initially set up by a group of young creative business owners in Derby in 2001, the Network today is a well established organisation run by creatives for creatives. There are a wide range of designers involved including 3D design, web design and interior design. Derby Creative provides services to help individuals build the relationships they need to be successful – relationships with other creatives, customers, suppliers and funders.
Website: www.creative-cin.co.uk
Design Business Ireland
Design Business Ireland is committed to developing an understanding of the effectiveness and value of design to Government, the Business Community and the Design Community itself through advocacy, education and debate. It encourages fair and open competition while seeking to promote ethical practice and viable market conditions for its members and the design profession. There are currently 50 member companies. Design Business Ireland fosters a spirited fraternity amongst its members, which facilitates an exchange of experience and knowledge, and assists them in managing a profitable business.
Website: www.designbusinessireland.org
Design Factory (East Midlands)
Design Factory is the leading creative development agency in the East Midlands, a non profit organisation that provides a wealth of market opportunities for the talented design and craft sector in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. The designers include product, jewellery and textiles. Design Factory offer a membership scheme that provides opportunities and initiatives to foster emerging talent, champion innovation and support the long-term creative and business development needs of the membership. There are 136 members.
Website: www.designfactory.org.uk
Design in Guernsey
Design in Guernsey aims to provide an opportunity for designers in Guernsey to meet up and share experiences and to raise the profile of design within the island population, government and business. Design In Guernsey members come from many different fields of design including architecture, interior design, interaction design, graphic design, fine art, product design / engineering and ceramics. As the market in Guernsey is small, it is the aim to maintain the momentum with enough people to make it effective. DIG has 74 registered members.
Contact: Jamie Falla jamie@mooarc.com
Design Initiative (North West)
Design Initiative promotes good design, visual arts and contemporary craft from the North West region. There are two offices: in Liverpool and Manchester. Design Initiative is a specialist regional agency, which works directly with practitioners and commissioners to expand the market in the North West and make it a centre for quality design practice. There are 50 members, who are working in communication businesses, product design, interior and fashion design.
Website: www.designinit.org.uk
Design Leicestershire
Design Leicestershire is a membership network of over 330 design and architectural practices in Leicestershire and Rutland. The network is currently led by Loughborough University in partnership with a broad range of private practices, De Montfort University, the University of Leicester and UK Trade and Investment. The primary aim of Design Leicestershire is to raise the profile of the very significant sub-regional design sector and to promote innovation, business growth and profitability. The network is funded by emda through Leicester City and Leicestershire County Councils.
Website: www.designleicestershire1.com
Design Network North
Funded by One North East and the European Regional Development Fund, Design Network North is co-ordinated by RTC North and supported by Knowledge House and the Universities of Northumbria, Newcastle and Teesside. Intended to enhance regional companies’ ability to employ high-quality design, skills and processes, DNN works closely with other regional, national and international design projects, and helps those without access to the relevant design skills, achieve their aspirations for growth. There are a wide range of designers including fashion, interior, product and food design involved with 164 companies as members and 557 individuals on their mailing list.
Website: www.designnetworknorth.org
Design Wales
Building on 15 years experience of the delivery of design support programmes and networks in the UK and Europe, Design Wales is a leading centre of expertise for design support and related national & regional policy. Design Wales already leads a network of 11 European design organisations and regional policy makers. The insight gained from engagement with this broad network of partners provides invaluable knowledge of the current level of regional engagement and best practice delivery. There are about 250 entries on their design expertise database and DW are about to launch a formal design network in Wales. The target for the network will be design agencies, designers, design-led companies and students.
Website: www.designwales.org.uk
Designed in Devon
Designed in Devon is a new organisation set up to represent and champion people and businesses working in design throughout Devon. It is open to all creative professionals living or working in the county and currently sends regular e-newsletters to over 400 creatives in Devon. Regular meetings are held in both Exeter and Plymouth. See also: South West Design Forum.
Website: designedindevon.ning.com
Designer Breakfasts
Designer Breakfasts is a hub for the owners of small creative businesses and their people. It runs events and practically-focused workshops based around the principles of entrepreneurship, co-ownership and co-creation, selling creativity not outputs and engaging with SMEs. It is a collaboration involving design businesses, Abrahams, Tatham Design and The Ministry of Love.
Website: www.designerbreakfasts.co.uk
Designers Network
Designers Network it is a community of designers in the East of England, which promotes effective design to business and to the public, shares good practice between designers and provides training and networking opportunities. Its aim is to help designers grow their business through cooperation and exchange of information.
Website: www.designersnetwork.co.uk
Digital Circle
Digital Circle is an association of digital content companies in Northern Ireland. Digital Circle encourages companies to develop skills and investment to ensure long term prosperity and aims to ensure this fast growing digital content industry is recognised as an important component of the economy. Digital Circle currently has over 150 members and is open to all businesses in Northern Ireland producing digital content and/or trading in this sector, whether sole trader, freelance, an SME or international company.
Website: www.digitalcircle.org
Dorset Design Forum
Dorset Design Forum aims to inspire the sector, graduates and design buyers. The Forum connects local companies and the industry with itself and others. There are 60 members of the Dorset Design Forum. See also: South West Design Forum.
Website: dorsetdesignforum.com
Gloucestershire Design Network
There are currently 30 members of the Gloucestershire Design Network. See also: South West Design Forum.
Website: gdn.org.uk
Group Hub
Group Hub is a platform on which Lancashire’s creative community can get together, exchange perspectives and develop as professionals. There are 600+ members across the North West, 70-100 of whom turn out to each of the bi-monthly events. Group Hub is a network run by creatives for creatives.
Website: www.grouphub.org and www.socialmarketinghub.co.uk
LongLunch
LongLunch is a non-profit organisation providing the design community with inspiration through an insight into the world of other creatives. We organise design related talks and events in both Scotland and London, which bring people from all design disciplines together – as regularly as possible – to help build a stronger, better connected, community.
Website: www.longlunch.com
Merseyside Acme
Merseyside Acme provides a number of free services including networking, professional development opportunities and evaluation services for clothing, fashion, textile and digital designers. The Futures Network, which ACME funded and set up with the Design Initiative (managed by the Initiative), has 50+ members. ACME’s kin2kin network consists of around 1,000 design businesses.
Website: www.merseysideacme.com
Milton Keynes Design Forum
The Milton Keynes Design Forum is a non-profit organisation created to support and promote the creative industries within the Milton Keynes area. Its main aims are to promote the need and advantages of good design to businesses, working with local government to create a stronger economy, with sustainable development, and to support and collaborate with design-based centres of Higher Education within Milton Keynes.
Website: mkdesignforum.org.uk
Newcastle Design Event
The Newcastle Design Event initiative began in 2005 as a festival, and has grown to be an organisation delivering an annual programme of design based exhibitions and events across the North East. Each year Design Event curates a festival celebrating design across the North East region and holds a programme of talks with leading designers in their fields. Design Event is not a membership organisation as such but runs events and exhibitions to promote design in the region. The Newcastle Design Event’s 5th Annual Festival attracted over 36,000 visitors during the 10 day period.
Website: www.design-event.co.uk
NI Design Alliance
The NI Design Alliance is a partnership between industry, education and stakeholders who are committed to supporting designers in Northern Ireland. Their goal is to promote professional standards and develop design skills that will help designers compete in global markets. The NI Design Alliance aims to ensure designers in Northern Ireland have access to quality professional development and skills training; give Northern Ireland's designers an influential voice in education; influence government and business and communicate the importance and value of design across all industries.
Website: www.nidesignalliance.com
PANEL
PANEL is a creative consultancy that aims to develop new and existing audiences for creative design practice through a programme of innovative exhibitions, events and community projects. PANEL aims to develop awareness of creative design culture through the work of designers and creative practitioners on a long-term, sustainable basis; increase public access to design through the on-going presentation of exhibitions and projects; support the work of designers, local and international, through exhibition, commission, publication and discussion; foster long-term approaches to education around contemporary design and culture and an environment in which it can occur; and promote a strong, confident image of contemporary design in Scotland.
Website: http://wearepanel.co.uk
Somerset Design Enterprise Network
The Somerset Design Enterprise Network was created in 2005 and is a vibrant, young organisation. Supported by South West RDA, Inspire South West, European Union, Business Link Somerset and the private sector, the aim is to boost and create a better design community for the county of Somerset. The designers include a combination of graphics, media, product and design related services. The Network is run by a steering group, members from the Somerset College of Arts and Technology and from local businesses throughout Somerset. See also: South West Design Forum. There are 45 members.
Website: www.somerset-design-network.co.uk
South Coast Design Forum
South Coast Design Forum – is a non profit organisation run for and by designers and creatives from all disciplines. The aims include providing support, awareness and network channels for designers, architects and creatives of all kinds, including graphic designers, product, landscape, interior and fashion designers. There are 400 members across 5 branches in Brighton, Coastal West Sussex, Chichester, Portsmouth and Southampton. South Coast Design Forum has strong links with education establishments to further raise standards and help create jobs for graduates and students.
Website: www.scdf.org.uk
South West Design Forum
South West Design Forum is the voice of design in the region. They are the lead body for strategy and communication and aim to reflect and drive the aspirations of the whole sector throughout the seven counties of the South West. The forum is run by its 26 board members and includes designers of all disciplines as well as creatives involved in web photography and copy writing. SWDF connects and shares ideas between sub-regional and cultural agencies, national design bodies, higher education institutions and other key public and private sector organisations. SWDF brings together 6 sub-regional Design groups: Cornwall Design Forum, Designed in Devon, Dorset Design Forum, Gloucestershire Design Network, Somerset Design Enterprise Network and West of England Design Forum. There are a total of 1,800 members who are listed in a directory available online.
Website: www.swdf.co.uk
West of England Design Forum
There are currently 1,000 members of the West of England Design Forum. See also: South West Design Forum.
Website: www.wedesignforum.co.uk