2020 Go (online)! Design Society

In a time of mounting issues around public health, climate, value creation and ecological resilience, design once again can prove its value. Design Society from its inception has expressed its faith in the power of design to contribute, and be catalyst of positive change. Responding to the changing roles of cultural institutions, Design Society endeavors to form institutional collaboration and consensus, exploring more flexible and effective ways to boost our cultural relevance.

As an innovative cultural platform in China, characterized by its vibrant international collaborations, Design Society connects creative initiatives from different corners of the world. Together with the V&A, London and Ars Electronica, Linz among other partners, Design Society launches 2020 Go (online)! Design Society (Go!DS) to form a virtual neighborhood and network where people meet and exchange ideas, skills and knowledge. Go!DS will run from June through December in 2020, stirring energies from the design world and envisioning our future together. It also presents a new extended mode of operation of Design Society, proving its dynamic development.

With reflection of the ongoing exhibitions in its physical venue—Values of Design: China in the Making, Humanizing Technology: 40 Years of Ars Electronica, and the upcoming Fashioned from Nature—Go!DS will focus on three leading threads: promoting the values of design, exploring new realms of technology and arts, and advocating sustainability in design and fashion.

Go!DS opens up a platform for more content partners to share dialogues on vibrant topics. A series of online programs will be organized with the following content partners: Neuni (China's first new material and design platform), BottleDream (a B Corp which promotes social innovation and sustainable lifestyle), Demo (a studio on pan-design publication/research, design consulting and design curation), ME College (a STEAM educational institution for kids) and MANA (a digital platform on art, design and technology synergy innovation).

We welcome thinkers and actors in the creative design sphere to join our society. No matter you work as design professional, academic, social worker, enterpreneur brand representative, or media, we welcome you to help empower our Go!DS. You may write to us via info@designsociety.cn with proposals and ideas.

As an innovative cultural hub based in Shekou, Shenzhen, Design Society launched its brand in 2016 and opened its first flagship venue Sea World Culture and Arts Center and the V&A’s first international space in 2017. In the past four years, Design Society has curated world-class design-themed exhibitions featuring representative practices from both domestic and international designers, research houses, academies and brands. Taking its name as its motto, Design Society has been summoning public engagement with creative thinking and making for the society through vigorous public programmes. Go!DS is one of our highlight programmes aiming to open up our resources to the wider community online.

Go!DS is initiated by Design Society in collaboration with the V&A and Ars Electronica.
Partners: Neuni, Bottledream, Demo, ME College, MANA, LxU
Duration: June-December 2020

About Design Society
Design Society is an innovative cultural platform founded by China Merchants Shekou (CMSK), with the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) as its founding partner. It has already built an extensive network of partners. With the advice of industry experts, the growth of this network demonstrates the overlapping creative practices - closely bound to society and industry – vital to the sustainability of Design Society. Design Society is an institution and a mission at once, encouraging audiences to make, create and connect with design.

For further information, please contact:
Wish Wang, PJ Arts & Communications
wish.wang@poejay.com, T +86 18521063896
Gu Ling, Head of Communications at Design Society
guling@cmhk.com, T +86-139 1672 3974