Seattle Design Festival

Seattle Design Festival We unleash the design thinker in everyone to illuminate Seattle’s challenges and ignite action

Every year, Seattle Design Festival brings together the design community, a diverse public, civic leaders and business innovators to explore the role of design in inspiring and advancing our quality of life in Seattle.

Thanks for participating in the SDF 2026 Call for Proposals! We're excited to share that we received 71 submissions from...
06/01/2026

Thanks for participating in the SDF 2026 Call for Proposals!

We're excited to share that we received 71 submissions from 84 partnering firms and organizations, representing over 260 individual multi-disciplined designers 🥳

The Festival Planning Team will be carefully reviewing all proposals over the next week, with acceptance notifications beginning to go out on June 5.

We're excited to be awarding funding this year, with priority given to first-time partners whose work strongly aligns with our Festival goals of inclusivity, innovation, and community engagement.

📆 Save the date: the complete lineup goes live June 24!

It's time! Submit your SDF Proposal tonight by 5pm PT⏰Ensure your proposal's consideration for the SDF 2026 by following...
05/27/2026

It's time! Submit your SDF Proposal tonight by 5pm PT⏰

Ensure your proposal's consideration for the SDF 2026 by following these steps:

✔️ Review the Call for Proposals to make sure you understand the design parameters for each Festival element

✔️Complete the proposal form on our Submittable site

✔️Be sure to respond thoughtfully to all of the prompts in Sections 1-4! The form contains tips to help you understand what our reviewers will look for

✔️Click SUBMIT at the bottom of your Submittable form. We won’t be able to review any drafts that aren’t submitted

📆Submit by 5pm TODAY, May 27
🔗Submit: https://seadesignfest.submittable.com/submit

One day until the Call for Proposals closes!⏰Don't miss the chance to participate in SDF 2026 - share your idea for a Bu...
05/26/2026

One day until the Call for Proposals closes!⏰

Don't miss the chance to participate in SDF 2026 - share your idea for a Built Installation, Mainstage Program, or Pop-Up Experience by 5pm PT tomorrow.

This year's theme IN[FLUX] examines the ways our city is evolving, and the role design can play in navigating change. What will you propose?

📆Submit by Wednesday, May 27 at 5pm PT
🔗Call for Proposals: https://seadesignfest.org/participate/sdf-2026-influx-call-for-proposals/

Thinking about submitting a proposal before the deadline Wednesday? Hear from Clara and Josefina Ruival about their SDF ...
05/23/2026

Thinking about submitting a proposal before the deadline Wednesday? Hear from Clara and Josefina Ruival about their SDF experience!

In 2024, the sibling duo displayed their Built Installation "STORYTIME" at the Block Party. Filled with 500+ free books, the installation was intended to illustrate the community aspect of storytelling.

"Becoming Partners with the Seattle Design Festival taught us something we didn't expect: you don't need credentials to make something meaningful. If you've been thinking about proposing a design this summer, do it. You never know what kind of impact you can make on your community, and the Seattle Design Festival is the perfect place to begin making it." - Clara and Josefina Ruival

Read more in our latest Blog Post!

🔗https://seadesignfest.org/blog/creating-storytime-clara-and-josefina-ruivals-sdf-experience/

Thanks for joining us at Smith Tower last night for our final Spring Mixer🎉So fun to see your creations and hear about y...
05/21/2026

Thanks for joining us at Smith Tower last night for our final Spring Mixer🎉

So fun to see your creations and hear about your proposal ideas!

And now, it's the final countdown😉⏰ Submit your proposal before next Wednesday at 5pm to be a part of this year's Festival

Looking for inspo before submitting your proposal?We've got you covered! Head to our YouTube channel to watch interviews...
05/20/2026

Looking for inspo before submitting your proposal?

We've got you covered! Head to our YouTube channel to watch interviews with past Festival partners.

Just make sure to submit your proposal by 5pm next Wednesday, May 27✔️

📸Simran Jagnik, SDF 2025 Partner | photo by Zion Thomas
🔗Watch the Festival Replay: https://www.youtube.com/

Our Call for Proposals closes next Wednesday - how will you respond to this year's theme IN[FLUX]?The modular theme shif...
05/19/2026

Our Call for Proposals closes next Wednesday - how will you respond to this year's theme IN[FLUX]?

The modular theme shifts to include four modes - IN[FLUX], IN[HABIT], IN[TENSION], IN[FORM] - but you only need to pick one (or more!) to inspire your proposal.

• IN[FLUX]: How can design respond to change and uncertainty?

• IN[HABIT]: How do your routines, behaviors, and systems shape the way we live?

• IN[FORM]: How do ideas take physical shape through design, materials, and space?

- IN[TENSION]: How can design engage conflict, difference, and competing priorities?

📆Submit by 5pm Wednesday, May 27
🔗Call for Proposals: https://seadesignfest.org/participate/sdf-2026-influx-call-for-proposals/

One week (and 2 days) until our Call for Proposals closes ⏰👀Start your draft on Submittable today and save as you go! Th...
05/19/2026

One week (and 2 days) until our Call for Proposals closes ⏰👀

Start your draft on Submittable today and save as you go! The form asks for all the practical details (title, description, set-up requirements, dimensions for Built Installations, and marketing materials that can be updated until June 15), plus:

Reflections on how the theme "IN[FLUX]" inspired your Proposal, which Festival goals it embodies, how accessibility will be prioritized, and more.

We can't wait to see what you submit for SDF 2026: IN[FLUX]!

🔗Call for proposals: https://seadesignfest.org/participate/sdf-2026-influx-call-for-proposals/

What's in Submittable for our Call for Proposals? 👀Our Submittable form will ask for all the practical details - title, ...
05/15/2026

What's in Submittable for our Call for Proposals? 👀

Our Submittable form will ask for all the practical details - title, description, day-of set-up requirements, dimensions for Built Installations, and more.

Plus your reflections on:

• How does your proposal explore the theme IN[FLUX]?

• Which Festival goals are embodied by your proposal (engaging youth, highlighting co-design, creating lasting interdisciplinary connections, empowering communities to leverage design, etc.)?

• How does your proposal prioritize accessibility holistically?

+ Marketing materials (image or graphic, social media handles, descriptive copy), which can be updated until the final media deadline, June 15

💡You can start answering these questions in Submittable now, and save as you go! Just make sure to submit by the final deadline on May 27 @ 5pm PT😉

🔗CFP: https://seadesignfest.org/participate/sdf-2026-influx-call-for-proposals/

Address

Smith Tower, 506 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA
98104

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Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

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+12069571915

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