Design Manchester is a not-for-profit organisation celebrates creativity, collaboration and inclusivity in art, design and digital, in Manchester and around the world.

In 2018, its focus is on ‘disruption: the transformative power of design’ – with the aim of increasing awareness that design is not something that only sits in culture or interiors or fashion, but that it is an agent of innovation and improvement in all sectors of the economy and all aspects of life.

Airport City Manchester is one of the most exciting business destinations in development today and John Owens described at a special “WisdomWednesday” networking event how design and the booming ‘design economy’ is critical for business growth in the UK.

The Airport City x DM18 collaboration also saw local arts collective, SWALK, bring a pop-up version of their Afflecks Palace shop to the Platform Airport City event space, selling hand crafted affordable artwork and a unique range of alternative eco-friendly cards and gifts.

Local Year 5 and 6 students from schools across Wythenshawe, including St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, also took part in an interactive community craft workshops hosted by Megan Price, Owner of SWALK.

John Owens, Artistic Director at Design Manchester said: “Design and design skills are at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution in this country, giving us the tools to respond to complex challengers – from shaping our built environment to the new digital products and services we use

“Manchester has excellent design education that is envied all over the world, with China working closely with us to forge creative links in schooling in cities like Wuhan.

“We’re truly passionate about design in Manchester and how it can make a positive change. Airport City is at an incredibly exciting stage and about to see incredible change with the recent announcement of The Hut Group locating their HQ.

“This is a solid commitment that has the potential to help create a new creative cluster – and some of the local students attending the design workshops today could one day be working here in a creative role.”

For more information on DM18, see: www.designmcr.com

For more information on SWALK, see: www.instagram.com/swalkcreative