DESIG*ness comes to a close with a final conference in Vilnius

On 25 March, DESIG*ness will celebrate its final milestone with a public conference in Vilnius, bringing together partners, researchers, designers and stakeholders to share results, reflections and future perspectives on inclusive design in art and design education.

The DESIG*ness Conference: Inclusive Design in Education will be an opportunity to present the main outputs developed throughout the project and to open a broader conversation on how design education can respond to today’s social challenges by embracing accessibility, equality and inclusivity as core values in creative practice.

Over the course of the project, DESIG*ness has worked to strengthen inclusive design approaches within art and design academies, promoting new ways of thinking, teaching and designing that place people, diversity and access at the centre. The final conference will mark not only the conclusion of this international journey, but also a moment to share knowledge, experiences and inspiration with a wider audience.

The event will feature contributions from project partners and invited speakers, including Saulius Jusionis (Vilnius Academy of Arts), Vineta Kreigere (Art Academy of Latvia), Federica Doglio and Luca Poncellini (NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti), and Benedetto Puccia (BAM! Strategie Culturali), Alessia Planeta (CERPA), Francesco Rodighiero (Design for All Italia). Guest speakers will also include Jonas Liugaila, Rokas Kilčiauskas and Rusnė Kirtiklytė.

The conference will be moderated by Audronė Drungilaitė-Čepienė, Director of the Design Innovation Centre at Vilnius Academy of Arts.

The conference will be held in English on 25 March at 10:00 AM at the Design Innovation Centre, Auditorium 112.

For more details of the programme, visit the official page of the academy!

To attend the event, participants are invited to register in advance here (registration deadline: 20 March 2026). 

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