North East Mayor Kim McGuinness is backing the region’s design industry, with £150,000 to boost the reach and impact of the Design in Everything programme.
Design in Everything is aiming to celebrate and support the North East’s growing design ecosystem, build new collaborations, connect communities and inspire action on the big challenges facing society. It brings together creative professionals, businesses, innovators, students, educators, community leaders and public sector changemakers to explore and celebrate the design across the North East.
Design in Everything is facilitated by Gateshead-based design innovation consultancy Edge Innovation. The programme is overseen by a steering group made up of the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Newcastle College, Gateshead College, Design Network North, Gardiner Richardson, Layers Studio, E3 Design and Gateshead Council.
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The confirmation of the North East MSA as a core funding partner is a major step forward for the programme and ensures it can build on the success of a pilot design week in 2025, which brought together designers from across graphics, digital, architecture, fashion, film, marketing, service design, packaging and product design.
Design in Everything includes an annual North East design week (taking place this year from 5th to 9th October), smaller events throughout the year and work to connect designers to each other for learning and collaboration.
The Design Council recently reported that design activity now accounts for 5.5% of total UK GVA, or approximately £1 in every £20 generated in the UK. The sector expanded by 40% between 2019 and 2023, nearly double the 24% growth seen across the wider UK economy during the same period, whilst North East design jobs have increased by 22% since 2020.
Simon Green, CEO of Edge Innovation, welcomed the new commitment and said: “Design and the wider creative industries are a big part of the social fabric of our region but sometimes their contribution to economic success is undervalued. Design in Everything is about celebrating what’s already happening in design and building a foundation to grow this in future.
“We’ve been working with the North East MSA to pull together the programme but this new commitment is a massive step up in ambition and what we can achieve. Along with the wide range of public, private and third sector organisations already supporting the programme, this gives us the opportunity to create something really exciting for the region.”
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness added: “This region is full of creativity with amazingly talented individuals telling stories through art. But too often young people from working class backgrounds struggle to be a part of it. That’s why I’m already investing over £104m to create more opportunities in the creative sector for everyone in the region, no matter where you come from.
“With our backing, this year’s programme will be bigger than ever, creating even more important connections in the industry, opening up career opportunities for aspiring creatives, and shining a spotlight on North East design.”
