WDC Helsinki 2012 can be seen and heard around the world

World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is already actively operating, especially outside Finland. Numerous events are an important part of the WDC Helsinki 2012 programme and a means of focusing the international design community’s attention on Finland.

Rather than focusing on the upcoming WDC Helsinki 2012 programme, international events centre on the kind of competence and thinking that can be found in Finland. This background work is one of the reasons why Finland is, for example, the theme country of the large DMY International Design Festival being held in Germany at the beginning of June and why the audience will encounter the Finnish REDDRESS at the London Design Festival in September.

“International functions help us create interaction. We demonstrate the strength of Finnish thinking and promote interest, in terms of both travel and financing. We want to promote the recognition, business and co-operation networks of the actors involved,” says Pekka Timonen, Director of WDC Helsinki 2012.

As in all WDC Helsinki 2012 activities, international openness and information distribution are also important factors. WDC Helsinki 2012 wants to serve as a catalyst, share contacts and develop new connections. Other important factors include learning from others and showing what people here can do. Co-operation is also being used to create entities that might continue in Finland in 2012.

Finnish concepts captivate Berlin, New York and London

The next demonstration of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 networking will be seen in Berlin on 1–5 June, when Finland is the theme country of the DMY International Design Festival. WDC Helsinki 2012 has been closely involved in planning the theme. REDDRESS, which will be at the London Design Festival in September, has already attracted plenty of interest in London. During May, experts from WDC Helsinki 2012 will be visible in Tallinn at the Nordic Look Pop-Up Shop fashion event.

WDC Helsinki 2012’s international functions cover all cities outside Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti – both in Finland and abroad. The functions focus in part on activities that are already recognised as important, which actors in the field take part in and which are followed.

International functions consist of various events, projects and actions as well as participation and interaction. They include festivals, fairs, exhibitions, social events, workshops, conferences and seminars, store activities and professional visit programmes. The extent of the functions varies greatly; from distribution of brochures to broad entities such as participation in the Berlin DMY. During the spring, WDC Helsinki 2012 has had a presence at Stockholm Furniture Fair, the IvanaHelsinki fashion show in New York and at the Milan Furniture Fair.

The first extensive co-operation was carried out in New York at the beginning of May 2011. In line with its name, Scenarios: New Finnish Design presented new Finnish design and was very enthusiastically received. An Open Identity workshop was also held in conjunction with the event, and focused on further enriching and building the WDC Helsinki 2012 look. There are plans to hold more Open Identity workshops at other international functions.

Huippu Design Management is responsible for co-ordinating international functions for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012.