Visions of a Sustainable Future and Creative Dialogue
The Design Hub zone of this year’s Mikser Festival is set to become the central meeting point for innovation, education, and visionary design solutions aiming to shift global and local paradigms. Hosted primarily within the inspiring space of Atelier Hasanbegović, this festival segment functions as a dynamic platform that—through a series of lectures, exhibitions, workshops, presentations, and discussions—re-examines the role of design in contemporary society, steering it toward circular, regenerative, and socially responsible practices.
At the center of this year’s Design Hub is the premiere of the prestigious international competition for young designers, NEXT GEN DESIGN, under the overarching theme “Futures Worth Living”. This traveling exhibition, born out of a collaboration between five leading European design platforms, brings bold and inclusive responses from young creatives to burning climate and social challenges. The showcase celebrates a new generation of professionals who integrate circularity and sustainability into the very core of their practice, fostering environmental restoration and strengthening social cohesion.
In parallel with these European movements, the regional initiative DESIGN LINK unfolds at Atelier Hasanbegović. Developed in partnership with the British platform Arts Thread, this project creates an empowering space for young designers and creatives from the Western Balkans. Through practical tools and strategic knowledge, Design Link helps them position themselves within the contemporary digital and international environment, building much-needed bridges for a professional breakthrough on the global stage.
A special spark and aesthetic refreshment will be brought to the Design Hub zone by the students and teachers of the High School for Design and Art. They will present a grand fashion show inspired by the works of Gustav Klimt to the festival audience, demonstrating how art history and youthful creativity intertwine in authentic clothing creations. Nearby, within the Novi Bazar, this creative momentum spills over into a lively exchange where artists, designers, and handicraft makers present their unique brands and ideas to the broader public.
The Design Hub is not merely an exhibition space—it is an educational and engaged platform that transforms the festival into a space for collaboration and learning centered around the principles of a circular economy. Join us to explore together how design can shape a more just, resilient, and humane world.
