How can design contribute to both socially and ecologically sustainable solutions? How can it be critical and connect us in meaningful ways to the objects, spaces and services we need?” 

These are the questions the events of the Vienna Design Week are seeking to answer.   
 
The exhibition presents the workflow, background, and creative ideas behind the production of art and design works within the process of the cooperation between the European Capital of Culture – Veszprém-Balaton 2023 and the Budapest Metropolitan University.   

We especially relied on the phrase “connect us”, as the collaboration between the University and the European Capital of Culture is a perfect example of how we are connected through art, culture, and design. The cooperation between the two institutions is not just a simple joint venture, as our students are all young aspiring students-creators, for whom working together is an exciting learning process.    

The Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries of the Budapest Metropolitan University regularly integrates real projects based on real collaborations into its semester programme, which is why we were delighted to be part of the European Capital of Culture – Veszprém-Balaton 2023 initiative. Students and teachers worked on assignments in several areas within the framework of the courses, the results of which were selected for the Vienna Design Week presentation. The challenge produced complex results that were shaped in an ongoing dialogue process with the European Capital of Culture team on the workflow.  

The relations made during the project show us how art and culture connect us. Once the concepts are developed and implemented, the final products will be an experience for visitors on the spot – for example through the Arbor of words or the card decks. In this way, the art and design products coming from the collaboration between the two organisations become a unifying force. They will be moments of experience and joyful memories.