SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Inc. (NYSE: TIME) and DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) announced today a joint partnership to host the Brainstorm Design conference in Singapore in 2018 and 2019. The new annual event, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will debut in March 2018. The two-day conference will bring together global thought leaders in design and business to share insights and strategies for design innovation.
Led by the editorial teams of Time, Fortune and Wallpaper*, Brainstorm Design will feature presentations and panel discussions on how design can help to build businesses, improve sustainability, engage communities and enrich people’s lives. Speakers and participants will include leaders in industrial and product design, architecture, urban planning, landscaping, service design, experience design, graphic design, branding, fashion, software and nanotechnology.
The conference will also include exclusive access to exceptional venues, exhibitions and demonstrations, as well as extensive opportunities for networking.
“Time Inc. is pleased to launch Brainstorm Design in Singapore, a premier global destination for design and business,” said Norman Pearlstine, Vice Chairman of Time Inc. “Together with DesignSingapore Council and the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board, our brands will lead a dynamic exchange of ideas on design today with some of the industry’s most prominent experts.”
“We value the strategic partnership with Time Inc. because we share a similar mission to drive business growth using design. In today’s digital economy, businesses need to turn to broader and deeper aspects of design to give themselves a competitive advantage. Through Time Inc.’s reach and sharp acumen for content that speaks to the business community, we hope to deepen the influence of Singapore Design Week and encourage wider adoption of design as a business strategy among the C-level,” said Agnes Kwek, Executive Director, DesignSingapore Council.
“Design has become a necessary capability for companies seeking to innovate and create new business,” said Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of EDB. “EDB is delighted to support this partnership and promote greater adoption of design by companies and organizations in Singapore. This also has the potential to generate fresh insights on how design and designers can contribute to sustainable economic growth and societal wellbeing.”
Brainstorm Design will coincide with Singapore Design Week, which celebrates all things design with more than 100 local and international events and programmes. The annual event encourages businesses to adopt design; and offers an important platform for presenting design in social innovation, as well as creativity and craftsmanship of local designers.
“Singapore is undoubtedly one of the great economic success stories of the past 50 years. We want to make it the great design success story of the next ten years. And great design always makes for great business,” said Tony Chambers, Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief. “Wallpaper* is delighted to be partnering with DesignSingapore Council and the Singapore Economic Development Board, not only for the Brainstorm Design Conference but also for Wallpaper* Handmade, our annual salute to craft, creativity and innovation. We look forward to bringing the exhibition to a Singaporean audience, and involving local talents in design collaborations for 2018 and beyond.”
Wallpaper* Handmade will also be establishing its first home in Asia with a showcase of annual bespoke exhibitions and Singapore commissioned pieces:
- Singapore + Wallpaper* Handmade Classics; a showcase of original pieces and design collaborations commissioned by Wallpaper* and created by internationally renowned talents
- Wallpaper* Handmade-On-Tour; a showcase of the latest Handmade pieces and design collaborations commissioned by Wallpaper* arriving into Singapore from Milan’s Salone del Mobile
- Singapore Commissioned Pieces (2018 & 2019); a showcase of original pieces and design collaborations commissioned by Wallpaper* and created by Singaporean designers and talent to inaugurate at the Singapore Design Week and then travel to Milan Design Week
Today’s announcement took place at the second edition of the Innovation by Design Conference (IDC), the feature conference of Singapore Design 2017. The conference is organised by Dsg, in partnership with Time Inc. IDC expands to become Brainstorm Design in 2018 and 2019.
About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading content company that engages over 150 million consumers every month through our portfolio of premium brands across platforms. By combining our distinctive content with our proprietary data and people-based targeting, we offer highly differentiated end-to-end solutions to marketers across the multimedia landscape. Our influential brands include People, Time, Fortune, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Real Simple and Southern Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom, including Wallpaper. Time Inc. has been extending the power of our brands through various acquisitions and investments, including Viant, an advertising technology firm with a specialized people-based marketing platform; The Foundry, Time Inc.’s creative lab and content studio; and the People Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). The company is also home to celebrated events, such as the Time 100, Fortune Most Powerful Women, People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year, the Essence Festival and the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
About Wallpaper* Handmade
Now embarking on its eighth year, Handmade is Wallpaper’s most proudly ambitious annual project – the creation of a groundbreaking exhibition and a special edition of the magazine, dedicated to the marriage of craftsmanship and design through the essence of customisation. Acting as patron and creative director, Wallpaper* cherry-picks a selection of some of the world’s finest artists, craftsmen, makers and manufacturers, commissioning unique and one-off luxury items of furniture, fittings, food stuffs, fashions and much more. wallpaper.com
About DesignSingapore Council
The vision of the DesignSingapore Council is for design to differentiate Singapore from global competition. As the national agency for design, the Council’s mission is to develop the design sector, and to help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, as well as to make life better. The DesignSingapore Council is part of the Ministry of Communications and Information.
The National Design Centre supports the DesignSingapore Council’s efforts to enhance the vibrancy of the design ecosystem as well as catalyse industry collaborations and business opportunities for innovation and growth.
Singapore was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Design in December 2015. This designation will support the development of a creative culture and eco-system in Singapore that fully integrates design and creativity into everyday life. It also enables Singapore to collaborate internationally with the cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The City of Design Office will be sited within the DesignSingapore Council to coordinate and implement programmes that contribute towards the UCCN mission.
Further information about the DesignSingapore Council, the National Design Centre and Singapore’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Design is available at www.designsingapore.org.
About the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)
EDB is the lead government agency for planning and executing strategies to enhance Singapore’s position as a global business centre. We dream, design and deliver solutions that create value for investors and companies in Singapore. Our mission is to create for Singapore, sustainable economic growth with vibrant business and good job opportunities. For more information on EDB, please visit www.sedb.com.
About Singapore Design Week
Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2017, the fourth edition, is held from 3 to 12 March 2017. The annual SDW brings together a collection of local and international design activities in Singapore. Organised by the DesignSingapore Council, the SDW is open to the design community, businesses, design students, public sector officers and the general public, and aims to raise awareness of good design, deepen the appreciation and understanding of design innovation and encourage the use of design for innovation and productivity. Through this platform, the Council hopes to enhance the synergy with design partners, and boost Singapore’s profile and attractiveness as a global city for design. Further information: www.designsingapore.org/SDW.
