DVF 2026 Theme: Build

Design Vancouver Festival returns this September with a city-wide invitation to experience design up close. Under the theme BUILD, the best response to uncertain times is to build something stronger together.

Design is not just something we admire. It impacts how we live, connect, and belong. Through Open Studios, building tours, talks, exhibitions, and gatherings, DVF connects the public with the people behind the work, while creating real pathways for students and emerging designers to step in, meet the industry, and be seen.


REGISTRATION FORM


Key Dates

• Application and registration fee due: June 5, 2026

• Participant marketing toolkit available: September 1, 2026

• Festival dates: September 17–27, 2026

Who Can Participate
Designers, studios, architects, landscape architects, educators, students, organizations, brands, collectives, cultural institutions, and collaborators working in any design-related discipline.
We invite all members of the design community to curate and host events as part of DVF.


What We’re Looking For
We welcome proposals that:

• Invite the public into design, process, and making

• Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing

• Build connection across disciplines and neighbourhoods

• Support students and emerging designers with real access and visibility

• Highlight local practice and emerging talent

• Contribute something meaningful to Vancouver’s design culture

Event Formats (See examples here: DVF 24' Recap)

• Open Studios (More Details)

• Building tours or landscape tours, including behind-the-scenes site tours

• Talks, panels, lectures

• Workshops (hands-on, skill-based, community learning)

• Exhibitions, installations, screenings

• Mentorship sessions and portfolio reviews (especially student-forward)

• Social gatherings that support connection (with a clear design focus)

Key Requirements
To be listed as part of DVF, your event must:

• Take place during DVF, September 17–27, 2026

• Be hosted in Vancouver

• Be open to the public (free or ticketed)

• Have a confirmed venue or location and a clear plan for audience access

• Provide final event details by the required deadlines

What DVF Provides
Accepted events receive:

• Event listing on DVF Calendar

• Promotion through DVF channels

• DVF brand assets and guidance for marketing

• DVF signage and poster for onsite use

Registration Fees
DVF has a registration fee for accepted events, scaled by organization size. This fee supports the administrative and design support required to coordinate listings, promotion, and participant communications. DVF is funded through registration fees and sponsorship.

• Solo designer or ad hoc collective: $250

• Small businesses (4–40 employees): $350

• Large businesses and institutions (40+ employees): $500

Curation and Refund Policy

• DVF is curated. Submitting does not guarantee acceptance. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis weekly.

• If a project does not meet our artistic guidelines and is declined, DVF will notify the applicant and refund the registration fee in full.

• If you withdraw before June 5, 2026, we will refund your fee minus a $50 administration fee. After June 5, 2026, fees are non-refundable.

If you are unsure where your idea fits, contact hello@designvancouver.org. We’re happy to help guide placement.