Finnish and Chinese Design Industries Meet at Snowball Shanghai
During the first week of November, the Snowball / Finnish-Chinese Design Industry event in Shanghai brought together a large number of Finnish designers and design agencies interested in the Chinese market and members of the Chinese design community and media.
The three-day event was constructed around a design seminar with an additional programme. Snowball Shanghai surveyed the current state of the Chinese design market and the transformation of China from the "factory of the world" into a nation investing efforts and resources in design, in addition to presenting the strengths of Finnish design to the Chinese participants.
Snowball Shanghai was part of a longer process seeking to establish contacts between Finnish and Chinese actors of the design industry, improve the business opportunities of Finnish companies, and to generate added exposure for Finnish design in China. While China is a suitable focus because of World Expo 2010, which will open in Shanghai next spring, Asia in general with its growing consumer groups interested in Western design skills and products is also an important market area.
The seminar's section on China presented fashion and design brands, graphic design, sustainable design and education in the field. The programme included visits to design shops in Shanghai and building projects serving the creative economy. The main focus of the Finnish section was on the Finland pavilion of World Expo 2010, its design and forthcoming exhibitions. Finnish designers and design brands were presented as well as their experiences of the Chinese market or plans to enter it. The teaching of design at Finland's new Aalto University was also featured.
Coinciding with the seminar, Finnish design was on display in Shanghai at an exhibition of the CTRL Clothing brand and a graphic design workshop of Kokoro & Moi, among other events. The Agent Pekka illustration agency created a live illustration presentation as part of the multidisciplinary NOTCH festival at the Mao Live Club on Wednesday 4 November, and Durat presented its new showroom.
The speakers at Snowball Shanghai included a wide range of Finnish and Chinese designers, university and design school faculty and representatives of the building and development industry. Evening functions provided contacts and meetings with the Chinese design, cultural and economic media.
Snowball Shanghai was well received. The programme with its variety of themes and the well-chosen subjects and speakers of the seminar were felt to be interesting and rewarding. The evening functions and outings permitted personal contacts – an important aspect particularly when seeking to enter the Chinese market. In addition, there are plans to continue cooperation. Feedback also noted the significant contribution of local experts and manufacturers to the success of the seminar.
Snowball / Finnish-Chinese Design Industry was the second part of the series of Snowball events for cultural-industry professionals in connection with World Expo 2010. The first Snowball, an export event for professionals in the music industry was held in June. The design-themed Snowball was jointly realized by Design Forum Finland, Finpro/Finland at World Expo 2010 Shanghai China, Greater Helsinki Promotion and Lychee Productions. The Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai and the Finnish Embassy in Beijing also participated in making the event possible, along with Finland's Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Ministry of Education and Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
For more information, please contact:
Marketing Manager Päivi Kaira, Design Forum Finland
Tel. +358 (0)44 055 6071, paivi.kaira@designforum.fi
Cultural Producer Jani Joenniemi, Finland at World EXPO 2010 Shanghai China
Tel. +358 (0)400 727 241, +86 1522 1949 053 (China), jani.joenniemi@musex.fi or jani.joenniemi@finlandatexpo2010.fi
Johanna Korhonen, Director Marketing and Communications, Greater Helsinki Promotion
Tel. +358 (0)400 995 699, johanna.korhonen@helsinkibusinesshub.fi
Pluto Finland, Ossi Luoto
Tel. +358 (0)40 739 0036, ossi.luoto@plutofinland.fi
Lychee Productions, Ni Bing
songbeijing.cn@gmail.com