Ads
Description
- When: September 17–27, 2026 (Opening: Sept 17 | Closing: Sept 27)
- Where: Various venues citywide, Vancouver, BC
- Cost: Varies by event — see individual event listings
- Hosted by: Design Vancouver Festival, presented by Open Format Arts & Culture
Design Vancouver Festival is a citywide, community-driven celebration of the city's architecture and design community, running open studios, walking tours, talks, exhibitions, and gatherings across Vancouver. The festival exists to meet, inspire, and get inspired — bringing together designers across disciplines, students, emerging talent, and supporters of the creative sector.
Key Events
DVF Opening — PechaKucha Talks & Screenings
September 17
The festival kicks off with a night of PechaKucha-format talks and screenings.
DVF Closing — ADFF Film: Green Over Gray, Emilio Ambasz Talks & Screenings
September 27
The festival wraps with a design film screening and accompanying talks.
Design Districts
New for 2026, DVF is evolving toward a Design District model — grouping studios, showrooms, schools, and community partners by neighbourhood on dedicated days. The shift is designed to make the festival more walkable, easier to plan, and more connected, helping participants build shared visibility and community energy across neighbourhoods.
About the Festival
Design Vancouver Festival believes design connects people to place, to each other, and to what's possible. The festival's mission is to fill the city with accessible, inspiring opportunities to experience design up close, learn from the people behind the work, and celebrate the creativity shaping everyday life in Vancouver.
About Open Format Arts & Culture
Design Vancouver Festival is produced by Open Format Arts & Culture (OFAC), an experience design studio specializing in curation, production, and communication. OFAC also produces the PechaKucha Night speaker series and collaborates with local groups on design-forward cultural projects throughout the year.
Plan Your Visit
- Event: Design Vancouver Festival (DVF'26)
- Date: September 17–27, 2026
- Time: Varies by event
- Location: Various venues across Vancouver, BC (see DVF Map)
- Admission: Varies by event
- Website: designvancouver.org | Full Event Schedule
From opening night PechaKucha talks to neighbourhood-grouped Design Districts, Design Vancouver Festival turns eleven days into a citywide walkthrough of the people and ideas shaping Vancouver's architecture and design community.