Voxpop

London lights the way with its cutting-edge creative sector, but it is so easily snuffed out in times of recession. Boris Johnson should use us, not lose us. He should support us to trailblaze good design thinking through these up-and-coming bleak times by employing our creative minds to help his team tackle the big city issues of regeneration and climate change right from the beginning, not just getting us to design the website after the project has been signed off.
Sophie Thomas, Director, Thomas Matthews

The Mayor’s ongoing support for design across the board – from commissioning to showcasing and supporting the design industry – is critical for the city to thrive. However, lending support to a dedicated design-showcasing project as part of the Cultural Olympiad in 2012 is a real opportunity for him to support design. A world-class design exhibition staged while the world watches further reinforces the message that London is the global creative capital. It’s an opportunity not witnessed since the 1951 Festival of Britain.
William Knight, Deputy director, London Design Festival