The 11th Brumen Graphic Design Biennale kicked off yesterday in Ljubljana with an international conference featuring presentations by the jury members of the 11th Biennale: Lana Cavar, Thierry Brunfaut, Perniclas Bedow, Cvetka Požar, and Gerry Leonidas.
The exhibition runs until April 23, culminating in an awards ceremony attended by Demetrios Fakinos, president of the European Design Awards (EDA).
At this moment, Fakinos is of particular interest to us since Ljubljana has been chosen as the host city for the European Design Awards (EDA) in 2025, a major project led by Demetrios Fakinos. This prestigious and highly coveted award for European designers will be organized in Ljubljana by the Brumen Foundation.
This is a perfect reason for a brief conversation about this event with Radovan Arnold, owner of Arnoldvuga Studio, an industrial design graduate whose strategic vision, business talent, and artistic prowess make him a key player in any marketing challenge. Three years ago, he took on the role of Chairman of the Board of the Brumen Foundation. He excels at transforming business ideas into effective brand management and strategies, leading to the realization of a wide range of design projects. Arnold has received over 100 domestic and international awards in design, advertising, and marketing. He co-founded Herman & Partneri and the visual communications studio arnoldvuga+. Previously, he held leading positions at Joshua in London, Pristop / Grey in Ljubljana, and Studio Marketing. Additionally, he is a lecturer at the College of Business Studies in Ljubljana and one of the founders of the Rotary Club Ljubljana Tivoli.
MM: How did Ljubljana end up being selected as the host city for next year’s EDA?
Radovan Arnold: In September of last year, Mr. Demetrios Fakinos (CEO of the European Design Awards) got in touch with the Brumen Foundation, recognizing us as a potential partner for organizing their annual festival. At that time, the call for hosting the 2025 festival was open, which includes organizing exhibitions, a designer congress, and the awards ceremony. The Foundation promptly responded and, together with the city of Ljubljana, prepared the bid to host the festival. After several months of discussions, visits, and final evaluations of all the applicant cities, the EDA organization decided to hold the 2025 European Design Festival in Ljubljana. This places us alongside other significant European design hubs such as Athens, Stockholm, Zurich, Rotterdam, Vilnius, Helsinki, Cologne, Belgrade, Istanbul, Porto, Oslo, Warsaw, Valencia, Tallinn, Luxembourg, and, this year, Naples.
MM: What have been the initial reactions in Slovenian design circles?
Radovan Arnold: The initial reactions in Slovenian design circles have been extremely positive. The Brumen Foundation (established in 2003) promotes the best works in design and rewards the top achievements, highlighting the quality of graphic design and fostering a critical approach to visual communications in Slovenia. By organizing this event, the Foundation’s mission extends beyond our borders and aligns with the mission of the European Design Awards. Slovenian designers are particularly pleased as the festival will offer them the opportunity to connect with European peers and clients while showcasing their work to a broad international audience.
MM: What does the EDA mean for the design community in the Adriatic region?
Radovan Arnold: I believe that the EDA festival next June will bring designers from across the region together, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration on new projects. The festival aims to be an annual celebration of European design, showcasing its regional diversity and shared history. By facilitating networking and inspiration, the EDA hopes to elevate design standards across Europe. Just as the Brumen Foundation seeks to enhance design communication standards in Slovenia, the EDA is dedicated to raising the bar throughout the continent. Through its awards, the festival recognizes and honors designers who pour their passion into their work, contributing to the European design landscape. This is especially crucial for our region, as it remains essential for us to stay connected both within our area and with Europe as a whole.
