New York City is set to host the annual NYCxDESIGN Festival from May 15 to 21, 2025, under the theme "Design is for Everyone." This citywide event will feature hundreds of exhibitions, trade shows, talks, and tours across all five boroughs, emphasizing the role of design in fostering inclusivity and cultural exchange.

Organized by the non-profit NYCxDESIGN, the festival aims to showcase the city's vibrant design community and its global significance. "NYCxDESIGN is guided by core values of community, creativity, inclusivity, diversity, and sustainable design for the greater good," the organization states on its website. The festival serves as a platform for diverse design disciplines, including architecture, interior design, industrial and product design, graphic design, landscape architecture, urban design, technology, art, and entertainment.

Key Highlights of the 2025 Festival:

• International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF): Scheduled from May 18 to 20 at the Javits Center, ICFF will showcase over 450 design houses from more than 35 countries. The fair emphasizes original and sustainable design, presenting a broad range of furnishing products for residential, contract, and hospitality environments.

• Design Pavilion Installations: The festival will see the return of public-facing Design Pavilion installations, offering interactive experiences to attendees. These installations aim to engage the public with innovative design concepts in accessible urban spaces.

• Keynote Series: The inaugural NYCxDESIGN Keynote series will feature daily presentations by notable innovators, sharing creativity, inspiration, and lessons learned with the industry and guests. These keynotes will be held at world-class locations, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Museum of Arts and Design.

In 2024, the festival attracted over 200,000 visitors across 31 neighborhoods, underscoring its significance in the global design community. The 2025 edition aims to build on this success, highlighting New York City's position as a leading global design center.

The theme "Design is for Everyone" underscores the festival's commitment to inclusivity and the role of design in shaping a more equitable society. By engaging a diverse array of participants and audiences, the festival fosters a sense of community and highlights the transformative power of design in addressing societal challenges.

"NYCxDESIGN’s Festival highlights the strength of New York City’s design and creative sectors, which represent 12 percent of the nation’s jobs in these industries," said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. "Thanks to industry and public support, 2024 was a year of impressive growth; the NYCxDESIGN website traffic tripled; we launched our first NYCxDESIGN App, and in addition to this digital growth, we created GRID: The Official NYCxDESIGN Festival Guide, helping expand our reach and enhance user experience," Executive Director Ilene Shaw commented. "In 2025 we plan to build upon this growth with the return of NYCxDESIGN programming and exceptional public Design Pavilion installations."

The festival's diverse programming not only celebrates design excellence but also contributes significantly to the local economy by attracting international visitors and fostering collaborations among designers, businesses, and cultural institutions. As New York City continues to recover and thrive post-pandemic, events like NYCxDESIGN play a crucial role in revitalizing the city's cultural and economic landscape.

For more information on the NYCxDESIGN Festival, including a detailed schedule of events and ticketing information, visit the official website at nycxdesign.org.