For 22 years, Budapest Design Week has been the most important event of Hungary’s creative industry, shining a spotlight each autumn on the values, innovations, and creators of design. The 2025 edition, held under the motto “Fluid Boundaries” and reflecting on the blurring lines within the design industry, will present more than 175 colorful events across 10 cities between October 8-19.
The series aims to provide opportunities for everyone—regardless of age or gender—to find inspiring programs nationwide, from professional deep dives to accessible public experiences, offering insight into the worlds of design, fine arts, and applied arts. Through exciting encounters and mostly free community events, the public will discover how the objects, interiors, and spaces that shape our daily lives are created.
In the capital alone, around 130 events will take place, while a further 50 programs will unfold across the country. Exhibitions, guided tours, design walks, open studios, workshops, roundtable discussions, professional lectures, and community gatherings will follow one another, while showrooms and galleries prepare with special offers. The program is remarkably diverse: open studios, professional talks, community design walks, family craft sessions, designer meetups, design installations, gastro events, book launches, and interactive experiences all form part of the offering. With such variety, visitors of every age and background can find something to engage with.
One of the festival’s greatest strengths is that it extends far beyond the capital, offering opportunities to explore the design world across the country. The national program includes long-established initiatives such as DesignPécs, held for the 11th time, and Sopron Design Week, celebrating its 10th anniversary. This year, Debrecen joins for the first time with a vibrant line-up of events deepening understanding of the creative industries. In addition, six other cities—Győr, Kecskemét, Szentendre, Balatonfüred, Tata, and Veszprém—contribute with their own programs, ensuring that the values of Hungarian design are visible nationwide.
The 2025 motto, Fluid Boundaries, highlights the dissolving borders within the design industry—the permeability between materials, technologies, disciplines, and the roles of designer and manufacturer. Today, design is far more than object-making: it is a complex mindset that creates new connections across materials, technologies, and cultures. It emphasizes problem-solving, innovation, and the creation of experiences simultaneously. Budapest Design Week programs offer encounters where different artistic and design fields freely intersect: hybrid installations, interactive showcases, and inspiring meetings await visitors, with designers present not only as exhibitors but as active contributors.
“Budapest Design Week’s key mission is to showcase outstanding Hungarian designers, brands, and creations, and to ensure they receive the professional recognition they deserve nationwide. These 12 days are about collective thinking, professional dialogue, and demonstrating how closely design is tied to our everyday lives. I trust the programs will bring the values of design closer to the public and contribute to a deeper appreciation and love for the field. BDW has become a platform where players can present innovations, exchange experiences, and forge new collaborations—while audiences can even benefit from special purchase opportunities,” said Zsófia Jakab, CEO of the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency and Ministerial Commissioner responsible for developing and coordinating the creative industry.
She added: “I am convinced that if young people discover the diversity and values of design sectors, as well as the fine and applied arts, this can create a national knowledge base that not only strengthens talent but also supports the economy of the future. The creative industries in Hungary not only generate aesthetic value but also represent economic and social strength.”
Among the festival’s highlight events is 360 Design Budapest, the central exhibition of Design Week now in its 6th year, showcasing nearly 400 contemporary works conceived by Hungarian and regional designers. Art Market Budapest will open its doors for the 15th time, hosting Central and Eastern Europe’s largest international contemporary art fair. The long-standing Without Borders Design Exhibition, with a 21-year history, offers international insights with design highlights from 15 countries. The EDIDA Awards will, for the fourth time, spotlight Hungary’s best design works, while MaxCity joins with its traditional partner events. Educational institutions also play a central role: graduation exhibitions from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest Metropolitan University, University of Sopron, and the Budapest Complex Vocational Training Centre will present the works of their graduating students.
A special printed publication will help guide visitors this year, summarizing the entire program while offering a creative experience in itself. On the official website, detailed descriptions and interactive maps will assist audiences in curating their personal schedules. In the city, BDW flags will mark participating venues, making it easy to spot events while strolling. Most events are free of charge, though some require prior registration or a ticket. To make regional programs more visible, the newly launched Local+ section highlights and communicates local initiatives.
Organized by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency, Budapest Design Week has the long-term ambition of becoming a regionally significant, experience-based platform that both strengthens Hungary’s design ecosystem and enhances the international visibility and recognition of the country’s creative industries.
The full program and registration information are available at budapestdesignweek.hu.