5 design things to look out for in April 2017

Festival: Salone del Mobile Milano

What: The annual Milan Design Week is back this April with a selection of furniture and product fairs, talks and exhibitions, and is this year expected to see 2,000 exhibitors and 300,000 visitors. Alongside the main exhibition Salone Internazionale del Mobile, there are also shows devoted to lighting and accessories, and one dedicated to young and emerging designers. Design Week will be attending the festival this year to cover the Lexus Design Awards, which looks to make sustainable design solutions a reality. Look out for our coverage on the site, Twitter (@Design_Week) and Instagram (@designweekmag).

When: 4-9 April 2017.

Where: Various venues across Milan, Italy.

Info: For more information, head to the Salone del Mobile Milano website.

Conference: Offf

What: Another graphic design festival will grace Europe this month, with the likes of logo revolutionary Lance Wyman, Moving Brands, Anthony Burrill, and Wes Anderson films’ graphic prop designer Annie Atkins speaking at Offf this year. Organised by Adobe, the festival will feature talks, workshops and performances spanning digital and mobile, print, illustration, exhibition and sound design. Design Week will be attending, so look out for our coverage on the site, Twitter (@Design_Week) and Instagram (@designweekmag).

When: 6-8 April 2017.

Where: Museu Del Disseny de Barcelona, Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38, 08018 Barcelona, Spain.

Info: Three-day tickets cost €163 (£139.50). For more information, head to the Offf website.

Conference: Grand Designs: New Thinking on Exhibition Design

What: This London-based conference organised by the Museums Association will explore the art of exhibition design and its impact on the visitor experience. Aimed at professionals, it will offer advice on working with designers of other disciplines, writing clear briefs and creating environmentally responsible exhibition spaces. Alongside this, there will be a panel discussion on creating digital content for exhibitions. Speakers include the co-curators of the recent You Say You Want a Revolution? exhibition at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum, the director at Helsinki City Museum and directors from Nissen Richards Studio and Ralph Appelbaum Associates.

When: 24 April 2017.

Where: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.

Info: Tickets range from £55-£195. For more information, head to the Museums Association website.

Book: Type Tells Tales

What: Typography is brought to life in this new book by design journalist and critic Steven Heller and New York-based graphic designer Gail Anderson. Type Tells Tales aims to challenge preconceptions that typefaces are just vehicles for carrying words neutrally, by showcasing examples of typography that have “a voice of their own”, says publisher Thames & Hudson. The book reinterprets everything from classic fairy tales and literary classics to rap lyrics with exciting, imaginative typography.

When: Published April 2017.

Where: Available via the Thames & Hudson website.

Info: The cover price is £24.95.

Festival: D&AD Festival

What: Design & Art Direction (D&AD) Festival returns for the second year in 2017, organised by the same team which offers emerging and professional designers the coveted pencil awards. It will be host to a selection of talks from the likes of Stefan Sagmeister and David Shrigley, alongside an exhibition of the winning entries from the D&AD Professional Awards.

When: 25-27 April 2017.

Where: The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QR.

Info: A three-day pass costs £222 in advance. For more information, head to the D&AD Festival website.