Time for crafts

Krosno will welcome artists who are redefining the language of contemporary design. Karim Rashid, one of the world’s most recognizable designers, will return to the city with which he has a unique history – it was in Krosno that his glass collection “SAKRED by Karim Rashid” was created. During the Krosno Design Festival, the artist will show his latest works and lead meetings during which visitors will be able to learn about his design philosophy. Stefan Sagmeister, a master of visual storytelling, will present projects that reinterpret the relationship between emotions and images. Rikke Hansen, an expert in social design, will lead typography workshops and debates on how design can have a real impact on communities and public space. Marcos Novak, a visionary of digital architecture and a pioneer in combining art with AI, will also appear in Krosno, where he will present an interactive installation in the market square. The program will also feature projects by Wolfgang Stiller, Yasuyuki Saegusa, Lex Drewinski, Barnabas Wotton, Tao Ya-Lun, Mirosław Rymar, and Sebastian Smita – and that’s just the beginning. The list of names is much longer and promises a meeting of diverse visions, perspectives, and personalities that will make the festival a true celebration of contemporary design.

Katarzyna Szyc

The festival program has been conceived as a multidimensional experience—it includes not only exhibitions and installations, but also meetings, panels, workshops, and social activities. Discussions about the future of design will focus on topics such as bio-design, VR, AI, inclusive design, social responsibility, and the relationship between tradition and modern technologies such as 3D printing and slow design. The festival will enliven the city, engaging residents, tourists, and artists in a joint reflection on what creativity is today and what significance it can have for everyday life. “We want to show that craftsmanship is not only a tradition, but also a source of inspiration for contemporary designers and artists. It is a language that can be used to talk about the modern, bold, and open world,” says Dr. Marta Rymar, director of the Museum of Crafts in Krosno. The festival will also feature Most Kultury (Bridge of Culture), an international discussion panel devoted to the role of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in culture, held in a hybrid format, both in Krosno and online. The meeting will bring together experts from different countries and create a space for discussions on how new technologies influence the way we think about art and design. The festival is organized by the Museum of Crafts in Krosno, an institution that has been building a bridge between tradition and modernity for years and consistently puts the city on the map of the most important cultural events in Europe. The event is held under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of Krosno, with the support of the State Academy of Applied Sciences and national media. Krosno Design Festival 2025 is co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg program, and the “Bridge of Culture” project is implemented thanks to funds from the FEnIKS program – European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment.

Lex Drewinski portret (fot. Jadwiga Drewinski)

Krosno Design Festival 2025 is three days of intense experiences, meetings with exceptional personalities, and discovering how design can inspire, change perspectives, and build bridges between cultures. In September, Krosno will become a place where tradition meets the future—and the city will turn into a vibrant gallery.

Detailed schedule and registration: designkrosno.pl/harmonogram

Main photo: Stefan Sagmeister by James Braund