New Zealand Design Week 2026

New Zealand Design Week is Aotearoa New Zealand’s national design festival, held each March in Auckland (Tamaki Makaurau) since its debut as Auckland Design Week in 2024 and expanded into a nationwide event as New Zealand Design Week, with its hub at Shed 10 on Queen’s Wharf and a nine-day programme of Design Days and a Design Conference.

The festival centers on how design shapes people and place, exploring the relationship between design, community and culture through exhibitions, talks, workshops and immersive experiences, alongside a Design Depot supporting emerging designers. Programming spans public and professional days, with international keynote speakers and partnerships with brands such as IKEA, Lexus and Dulux, plus a day trip extending the festival to Whanganui, a UNESCO City of Design. Founded by Jen Jones, it has grown quickly into one of New Zealand’s most visible design events.