We Can Create.

Every year, just a few months before August rolls around, I start to get excited. Two of my favourite days of the year are on their way and I just cannot wait. Once those two days are over, I'm always left with a feeling of sadness, yet, I'm inspired.

Semi-Permanent is an annual event held in Auckland, New Zealand (as well as Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia) which brings together thousands of likeminded people for an international showcase of creatives.



I have been lucky enough to see so many inspirational people such as Stefan Sagmeister, Jessica Hische, Kate Moross, Duncan Speakman, Andrew Gordon (Pixar), Storm Thorgerson, Alexia Sinclair, Pentagram, Bibliothéque, Marian Bantjes and Genevieve Gauckler. Images shown above are of or made by these designers.

Every year I plan out who I do and don't want to see and usually end up seeing all of them 'just in case'. Often some of my favourite speakers have been people I never intended on seeing.

However... this year, The Church (who pull the entire SP event together) decided to branch away from Semi-Permanent and curate their own art and media festival;

We Can Create

New Zealand's biggest art and creative industries showcase.

So far these are the speakers who have been announced:

1. Taika Waititi
2. Morag Myerscough
3. Hort
4. KesselsKramer
5. The Rumpus Room
6. Sara Blake
7. Stamen Design
+ 5 more still to be announced

To make it all even sweeter, Semi-Permanent will still be carrying on and will be held in April/May 2012. Now I have two awesome creative design events to attend every year!

So if there are any graphic designers in New Zealand who haven't attended Semi-Permanent before, I strongly urge you to go to We Can Create and/or Semi-Permanent. It may be a fair bit of money, but trust me, it will be worth it. And you will no doubt end up going every year from there on in. Just like me!