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Africa Design Week is scheduled to run at London’s Crafts Council from July 8 to 10, 2027. Founder Bilen Zeremariam says it will bring together designers, artists and makers from Africa for exhibitions, conversations and networking, though the full programme and participating names have not been announced in the source report.
Africa Design Week, a new design event focused on creative work from Africa and its diaspora, is scheduled to take place at London’s Crafts Council from July 8 to 10, 2027. Founder Bilen Zeremariam says the three-day programme will include furniture, contemporary art, craft and installations, while creating opportunities for designers and makers to connect with audiences and industry contacts.
Zeremariam, the editor-in-chief of OLISE Magazine, told Livingetc that she established the event to give designers, artists, makers and creative entrepreneurs a dedicated international platform. She said her work in interiors and design had shown her both the depth of creative talent across the continent and the limited visibility and access to opportunities many practitioners face in the wider international design industry.
The planned programme includes collectible furniture, contemporary art, craftsmanship and immersive installations, alongside conversations and cultural experiences. Zeremariam also described networking, knowledge exchange and engagement among creatives, brands, industry leaders and international audiences as part of the event’s aims. The report did not provide a list of exhibitors, a ticketing schedule or detailed programming.
The event is being presented as more than an exhibition of objects: its organizers intend to connect creative work with potential collaborators and commercial opportunities. That is the stated goal, rather than a confirmed outcome; the report does not identify partners, participating businesses or specific deals expected from the gathering.
A Platform Beyond the Exhibition Floor
For readers interested in interiors, the event could offer a chance to encounter makers and design perspectives that receive less exposure in mainstream international showcases. Zeremariam says the aim is to introduce audiences to talent they may not know and to create tangible opportunities for the people behind the work. Whether those opportunities result in lasting partnerships or sales will depend on the participants and programme, details that have not yet been released.
The event also speaks to a broader question in design: how work rooted in particular places and traditions is credited, presented and commercially supported. Zeremariam has argued that the platform should reflect the range of creative identities across the continent, rather than treating African design as a single look or style. For homeowners, that distinction matters: engaging with designers and makers directly can provide context about the people, materials and ideas behind an object, rather than reducing cultural references to passing decoration trends.
London’s role is both practical and personal, according to Zeremariam. She described the city’s diversity, international reach and connections to Africa and its people as reasons it could serve as a meeting point for creativity, culture and commerce. She also said the ambition reaches beyond London, although no further locations or dates have been confirmed.
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Why London Hosts the Debut
Zeremariam was born and raised in London and studied at the University of the Arts London, according to the Livingetc report. She said launching the event in the city where her design journey began felt like a full-circle moment. Her background includes about 20 years in interior design, working on residential and commercial projects, as well as publishing through OLISE Magazine.
The event arrives amid discussions about moving beyond Eurocentric accounts of design and giving greater recognition to the origins and rights of creative traditions. Livingetc framed Africa Design Week as part of that wider shift, while Zeremariam stressed the continent’s diversity: Africa has 54 countries, each with distinct cultural identities, traditions, materials and creative expressions. The event’s planned scope is therefore described as varied, not as a single unified style.
The report points to designers including Tola Ojuolape, whose work at The Africa Centre in Southwark is cited, and Tolù Adẹ̀kọ́, whose interiors incorporate West African artists. These examples provide a sense of the work discussed in the report, but it does not confirm that either designer will exhibit at Africa Design Week.
“Africa Design Week was born from a desire to create a dedicated international platform that celebrates the extraordinary creativity, talent and innovation emerging from Africa and its diaspora.”
— Bilen Zeremariam, founder of Africa Design Week
Exhibitors and Ticket Details Pending
The event dates and venue are stated in the Livingetc report, but several practical details remain undisclosed. The source does not name confirmed exhibitors, participating countries, ticket prices, opening hours or a day-by-day schedule. It also does not specify which brands or institutions will take part in the networking and industry programme.
Zeremariam’s goal of creating commercial opportunities and building international connections is an ambition, not a result that can yet be measured. The report does not describe how those outcomes will be tracked or what support will be available to participating creatives. It is also unclear whether the event will return annually or expand to other cities; the founder’s international vision does not amount to a confirmed expansion plan.
Programme Details Still to Come
The next expected development is the release of further information about exhibitors, tickets and the programme for the July 8–10, 2027 event. The Livingetc report does not give a date for those announcements, so readers should treat the current outline as an early preview rather than a complete schedule.
Once participant and event details are published, visitors will be able to assess the range of work on display and whether sessions or networking events are open to the public or reserved for industry attendees. Until then, the confirmed information is limited to the dates, the Crafts Council venue and the organizers’ stated programme plans.
Key Questions
When and where will Africa Design Week take place?
It is scheduled for July 8–10, 2027, at the Crafts Council in London, according to the Livingetc report.
What will be shown at Africa Design Week?
Founder Bilen Zeremariam says the planned programme includes collectible furniture, contemporary art, craftsmanship, immersive installations, conversations and cultural experiences. A detailed schedule has not been published in the source report.
Who founded Africa Design Week?
Bilen Zeremariam, editor-in-chief of OLISE Magazine and an interior designer, founded the event.
Have exhibitors or ticket prices been announced?
The Livingetc report does not list confirmed exhibitors or ticket prices. Those details remain to be announced.
Does the event represent one style of African design?
No single style is identified. Zeremariam emphasized that Africa’s 54 countries have distinct cultural identities, traditions, materials and creative expressions, and described that diversity as a strength.
Source: livingetc.com
