Why Valencia

“Being chosen as the 2022 Capital is a reward for several decades of consolidation of a sector as unique and admired as the design industry in the Valencia region. A land brimming with highly creative people that was already publicly admired well beyond our regional borders. Valencia has reached a point of maturity in design that it will now be able to showcase to the rest of the world.”

– Xavi Calvo, Managing Director, World Design Capital Valencia 2022

Valencia is a land of creativity. Over the last century, the work of professional designers, architects, interior designers and illustrators have given rise to a unique design culture that now extends throughout the whole region. It is also home to traditional ceramics, the toy and graphic industry: it is therefore no coincidence that many designers have trained in its territory.

With impressive urban infrastructures that coexist harmoniously with the natural and built environment, the city has become a leading example of effective and strategic use of design in public policy. From the Turia Gardens, to the Central Market and the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia combines the effective application of Mediterranean design with a desire to leverage the creative sector as an agent for social change.

Collaborating alongside both public and private sectors, Valencia is determined to utilize its time as World Design Capital to connect and communicate with citizens, shed light on the local design community and identify new strategies for the sustainable and inclusive development of the region.

Selection Committee

The 2022 Selection Committee was comprised of Luisa Bocchietto, President, World Design Organization; James Anderson, Head of Cities, Bloomberg Philanthropies; Mauro Porcini, SVP and Chief Design Officer, PepsiCo; Frédérique Seels, Vice President, Lille Metropole; Anne Stenros, Chief Executive Officer, Creative Catalyst.