The festival NDF 2025, themed ‚Transparency,‘ will be held in Lancaster from 15–17 May 2025. It aims to create accessible career pathways in a field often clouded by exclusivity and unspoken rules. The festival directors, Niamh Cartwright and Antonia Arbova, hope to spark conversations about the realities of the creative industry, moving beyond its polished surface to address the obstacles that designers face in building sustainable careers.
Hosted across three venues—The Storey, Fraser House, and Assembly Arts—the festival will feature talks, workshops, and networking events. It aims to challenge the illusion of instant success in the creative industry, addressing issues like unclear career pathways and lack of mentorship opportunities. NDF 2025 also aims to decentralize design, highlighting the creative talent in regional cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle.
To promote openness and accessibility, NDF 2025 has introduced an Advisory Board comprising industry professionals who share the festival’s commitment to transparency. The board includes figures such as Kyle Soo, Luigi Carnovale, Sana Iqbal, Emily Sharma, Katy Cowan, Adrian Gardinar, Louiza Cookson-Rabouhi, and Daisy Crowder. The festival is also supported by industry sponsors like Fedrigoni, Kellanova, Pentawards, Abbey Bamford Creative Communications, Hotfoot, Lancaster University School of Design, University of Cumbria, Assembly Arts, and Fraser House.