BEDA - The Bureau of European Design Associations

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BEDA - The Bureau of European Design Associations

BEDA’s vision is for design to be embraced in Europe as a driver of sustainable growth and prosperity.

BEDA’s 53 members include design promotion organisations and professional and trade associations from 27 countries of Europe. Through its lobbying and advocacy at the European level, BEDA seeks to enlarge the opportunity for design to be a positive contributor to a successful Europe, supporting design as a strategy for social and economic development and the sustainable evolution of society. It do

es this through promoting and enabling next generation design policy for Europe. Established in 1969 as a not-for-profit organisation and based in Brussels, BEDA is led by an elected President, Vice President and Board of Directors. Through its members’ members, BEDA represents to the European Commission and the institutions of Europe, some 800,000 designers in every discipline of work from industrial design and interiors to digital design and branding. Through its design promotion members, it taps into the national and regional agendas for design across Europe.

18/08/2026

🎤 Meet the speakers for BEDA Connect: Accessibility as Business Opportunity

👉 Link in bio to register!

What is it about accessibility that encourages innovation and business growth? We’re bringing together two design experts with different viewpoints, using examples from two continents — and that’s exactly what makes this discussion so exciting.

👤 Myles Igwebuike (Nigeria/UK) — designer, researcher, and cultural strategist. He’ll present a case study exploring an accessible e-learning library concept for a school for impaired learners in Nigeria — accessibility in education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and new opportunities through partnerships. Myles Igwe

👤 Jeremy Hugh Aston (Portugal) — award-winning industrial designer, educator, and researcher with 30+ years across product, mobility, and healthcare design. In „Design as an Opportunity for Inclusive Innovation“, he’ll present the FACS automotive research project and a visual tool for spotting accessibility challenges and market opportunities.
Two continents, two very different design contexts — one discussion: how far can accessibility carry innovation and business?

Moderated by Pia Betton, business leader and design professional with 25+ years of experience.

Myles, Jeremy and Pia are all part of the MADres G42 Expert Group.

📅 10 September 2026
🕓 16:00–17:15 CET
💻 Online | English

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

17/08/2026

Join BEDA & EUIPO for a hands-on morning exploring how design protection turns creativity into competitiveness and growth. 🚀

📅 Mon, 21 September 2026
🕤 09:30–12:00 CEST
📍 Faculty of Design, Ljubljana 🇸🇮
💶 Free of charge

Designers, SMEs, and design-driven businesses — this one’s for you. Find out why registration matters, and what’s new under the modernised EU design framework (in force since 1 July 2026) — including protection for digital and dynamic designs. ✨

Expect:
✅ The strategic value of design rights
✅ Real stories from design-driven companies
✅ AI, authorship & IP — who creates the future? 🤖
✅ Round-tables with BEDA & EUIPO experts
✅ An EUIPO Registration Corner with hands-on guidance

A side event of the DesignEuropa Awards 2026 🏆, hosted by the Fakulteta za dizajn

👉 Full programme & registration — link in bio!

13/08/2026

Why is accessibility becoming such a critical topic for designers right now? 👀

We keep asking our Glorious 42 Experts this question — because the more voices you hear, the clearer the picture gets.

🎥 In this video: K**e Correcher, Marzia Mortati, Raúl Álvarez González, Katerina Katmada & Dr. Andrea Augsten share why this topic is becoming so urgent for designers today.

🔹 K**e: accessibility has been sidelined for far too long.

🔹 Marzia: it’s not about a separate group of people — it’s about people, full stop.

🔹 Raúl: nothing is designed in isolation. Design only for the majority, and people get left behind.

🔹 Katerina: digital services are part of daily life — designing for different abilities isn’t optional.

🔹 Dr. Andrea Augsten: if design calls itself human-centred, it has to reflect every perspective in the systems it creates.

💡 Five different entry points, one shared idea: accessibility shapes whether design actually works for people — or just for some of them.

We’re building the MADres Accessibility Playbook right now, and we want designers, design organisations, and policymakers across Europe part of this conversation.

💬 What’s driving accessibility up the agenda for you right now?

👉 Find all Glorious 42 Experts on the MADres Website (link in bio)

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

07/08/2026

If your design work has delivered real, measurable impact, now’s the time to enter the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.

The deadline is 📆 1 December and entries from the across the globe are welcome.

Winners use their case studies to open doors, strengthen their client relationships, prove the value of what investment in design can deliver.

A DBA Design Effectiveness Award turns impact into a compelling business story – one you can use long after judging ends.

See who’s on the judging panel and start preparing your entry: https://effectivedesign.org.uk/

💬 “I look forward to fascinating conversations as we explore the entrants’ stories of the impact and success forged from every type of design activity.” Chair of the Judges, Clive Grinyer Clive Grinyer

Contact the Design Business Association if you have any questions. DBA

06/08/2026

Why is accessibility becoming such a critical topic for designers right now?

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance.  It’s about creating products, services, and experiences that work for more people. 🌍

🎥 In this video from our MADres Accessibility series, Teri Okoro, , and share why accessibility has become such an important topic for designers today.

For Teri, it’s about responding to growing demand for better products and environments, while accessibility becomes increasingly embedded in legislation.

For Rihards, accessible design creates new possibilities, helping more people participate in society while opening new opportunities for innovation.

For Karel, the challenge is clear: if our designs work for 80% of people, what happens to the remaining 20%?

💡 Accessibility isn’t about designing for a few. It’s about ensuring that more people can use, benefit from, and participate in the world around them.

As we continue developing the MADres Accessibility Playbook, we’re inviting designers, design organisations, and policymakers across Europe to join the conversation.

💬 Why do you think accessibility is becoming a more urgent topic for designers today?

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

30/07/2026

If accessibility had a rebrand, what would you call it?

Most people hear accessibility and think of disability.

But accessibility is about so much more. 🌍

🎥 In this video from our MADres Accessibility series, and Teri Okoro share how they think about accessibility and what language could help more people connect with it.

For Rihards, it’s simple: Design for All.

For Teri, accessibility means designing for everyone. It means recognising the wide range of differences people experience, whether temporary or permanent, and creating solutions that work for more people.

💡 Accessibility isn’t about designing for a few. It’s about embracing human diversity and building products, services, and experiences that everyone can use and benefit from.

As we continue developing the MADres Accessibility Playbook, we’re inviting designers, design organisations, and policymakers across Europe to join the conversation.

💬 If accessibility had a rebrand, what would you call it?

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

28/07/2026

📣 Join us for the next BEDA Connect: Accessibility as Business Opportunity
🌍 What if accessibility wasn’t just about compliance, but a driver of innovation, growth, and better design for everyone?

As the European Accessibility Act comes into force, accessibility is becoming a strategic opportunity for businesses, designers, and organisations to create more inclusive products, reach wider audiences, and unlock new value.

Join us on 10 September for an engaging discussion on how accessibility can strengthen businesses while contributing to a more inclusive society.

📅 10 September 2026  🕓 16:00 - 17:15 CET  💻 Online  🎤 Speakers to be announced soon.

👉 Register via the link in bio. 🔗

MADres is a European initiative advancing design as a key enabler of sustainable growth, innovation, and economic value.

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

23/07/2026

What does accessibility mean to you? ♿

Is accessibility about compliance? Standards? Regulations?
💡 For us, it’s about something bigger: participation.

In this first video from our MADres Accessibility series, Raúl Álvarez González and Rihards Funts share their perspectives on why accessibility matters.

🔹 Designing beyond the “80%” and considering those who are too often left at the margins.
🔹 Creating the freedom to participate, contribute, work, and share knowledge.

Accessibility isn’t an add-on. It’s an opportunity to create better design for more people. 🌍

As we develop the MADres Accessibility Playbook, we’re bringing together designers, design organisations, and policymakers from across Europe to join the conversation around accessibility.

💬 What does accessibility mean to you? Tell us in the comments.

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

10/07/2026

🌍 Welcoming as BEDA Vice President!

At the BEDA Design Forum 2026 in Munich, Antonella shared a powerful vision: design isn’t just a discipline, it’s a connecting force across sectors, cultures, and borders.

💬 “Design can improve all sectors, all products across Europe. That is what we have to reach together.”

As VP of and now BEDA, she champions a uniquely European approach — one where diversity is a strength and collaboration drives progress.

BEDA creates the space for that dialogue to happen, helping design be recognised as a strategic driver for a more resilient, sustainable, and innovative Europe.

▶️ Watch the reel to hear her reflections from the Forum.

Welcome, Antonella 👏 An exciting chapter begins.

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe

17/04/2026

🌟 Beyond Thoughtless Design: Putting accessibility at the heart of design.

Join us at the BEDA Design Forum in Munich on 8 May 2026!

We’re excited to welcome Rihards Funts , a designer, curator, and educator who explores how design can open doors—to culture, education, and everyday life—for everyone.

🎤 As founder of the International  and a MADres G42 Expert on Accessibility, Rihards has worked across design, art, craft, and social responsibility for years. Since losing his sight in 2020, he has redefined his design practice—bringing a powerful, lived perspective to our Forum.

💡 Don’t miss him at our Accessibility Panel, where he’ll share how design can move beyond assumptions to create environments and experiences that are truly empowering, and accessible to all.

🎟 The event is free to attend – register via link in bio
🗓 8 May 2026 | 9:30–18:00
📍 Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy; Prinzregentenstraße 28, 80538 Munich

✨ The provisional programme is now available. Find it via the link in our bio.

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Supported by • • .bayern

MADres: Co-funded by the European Union • Powered by BEDA • Supported by Creative Europe
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Adresse

C/o Wallonie-Bruxelles Design Mode (WBDM) Place Sainctelette 2
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1080

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http://www.beda.org/

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