Who We Are
Latvian Design Centre is a non-governmental organisation that works to advance the use of design in Latvia by connecting and engaging design ecosystem members and promoting Latvian design locally and abroad. Latvian Design Centre was founded in 2018 with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Latvia.
The mission of the Latvian Design Centre is to facilitate the development of design in Latvia by promoting the use of design as a strategic tool for economic growth and innovation, environmental sustainability, well-being of the society and the individual, as well as strengthening of cultural identity and nation brand.
The Director of the Latvian Design Centre is Dita Danosa, an experienced creative industries strategist and educator.
Latvian Design Centre is involved in design policy making, research and education, it holds events that inform and bring together companies, designers, end users, and policy-makers, as well as participates in and initiates cooperation and strategic partnerships with other design organisations. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Latvian Design Centre runs an online platform for creative industries FOLD. It highlights the best works in design, architecture, fashion, and other creative fields and publishes daily news in Latvian and English.
Most notable activities of the Latvian Design Centre include Tactile Baltics, an exhibition of Baltic design as part of the London Design Festival 2021, co-organised with Lithuanian Design Forum and online platform NID, hosting a series of stakeholder discussions on the Design Strategy of Latvia 2021–2027, and laying the foundations for cooperation with Latvian Association of Architects and Latvian Association of Landscape Architects for the promotion of the New European Bauhaus in Latvia. In 2021, Latvian Design Centre began implementing its first European Strategic Partnership project — Design and Creative Thinking Toolkit Development — together with partners from Latvia, Estonia, and Denmark.
Latvian Design Centre is a member of the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) and an official partner of the European Commission’s New European Bauhaus Initiative.