That was Design Month Graz 2025
Design Month Graz 2025 has come to an end – leaving a strong impression. With around 50,000 visitors, over 140 events and contributions from 15 nations, the festival served as an international meeting point for design, creativity and social issues centred on the guiding theme »The New Real«.
How is creativity changing in the age of artificial intelligence? What can still be considered real when virtual spaces and technologies shape our lives? These questions were explored throughout the festival programme in numerous exhibitions, installations, talks and workshops. The immersive main exhibition at the Festival Centre, Hornig Areal presented 50 video works by AI artists from across the globe, blurring the boundaries between reality and virtuality.
International diversity and local strength
The rest of the programme was equally characterised by international diversity: contributions from Argentina, Portugal, Germany, South Korea and many other countries encountered a vibrant local design scene. Highlights included Eduardo Fuhrmann, Poster Rex with participatory screen printing as part of their exhibition »Rebel Prints«, and Eike König’s critical take on consumer culture.
Initiatives such as »Design in the City« with 21 shops in Graz city centre, »Design ab Hof« in Pöllau, collaborations with »Schloss Hollenegg for Design«, and the »Absteige zur bärigen Therese« in Trahütten extended the festival beyond the city limits.
Farewell to Eberhard Schrempf
For Creative Industries Styria, this year’s Design Month also marked a turning point: Managing Director Eberhard Schrempf, who has played a decisive role in shaping the format over the past 16 years, will retire at the end of August. His parting message: “Over the course of 16 editions, Design Month Graz has built up a strong network and placed the city firmly on the international map, particularly in its role as a UNESCO City of Design. This foundation must now be developed sustainably rather than being carelessly and shortsightedly undermined by further budget cuts.”
