International Design Review

Graduation Projects is a review of projects created by graduates of design studies from Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and citizens of these countries who study outside of the territory of the Visegrad Group. Both Bachelor and Master projects can be submitted. The projects are evaluated in two categories: 2D – applied graphic design (including website design, active design, and application design) and 3D – industrial design (including fabric, clothes, glass, and ceramics design).

The review dates back to 2002 – it was then that the editors of the 2+3D quarterly presented selected graduation projects from several Polish design universities in their magazine. In 2006, Zamek Cieszyn joined in to organize regular exhibitions of the projects. In 2010, the review acquired the name of “Graduation Projects” and an international character, as graduates from the Czech Republic and Slovakia were invited to participate, and Typo from the Czech Republic and 1977 from Slovakia joined the organizers. A year later, Hungary (Plusminus Visual Intelligence) became a participant as well. Each of the following editions of the exhibition travelled to other cities in Poland and Europe – Berlin, Bratislava, Budapest, Prague, and Tallinn.

In 2017, three international design centres joined the organizers: Hungarian Design Council, Czechdesign, and Slovak Design Centre, while Zamek Cieszyn became the main organizer.

The idea and principles of the review behind have not changed. The jury will evaluate the submitted diplomas in two categories – graphic design and industrial design. The verdict is not competitive in nature: there will be no rankings or prizes. The selected works will be distinguished by a Polish-English catalogue publication, in an online presentation, and at exhibitions in Poland and other countries.

Cooperation platform

Graduation Projects Platform is an international platform of cooperation of institutions and organizations from the Visegrad Group promoting and facilitating the use of design. The platform aims to present the potential of Polish creative industries and designers as well as to support its development through cooperation with design institutions and universities from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. The platform derives from the yearly review of the best diploma works – Graduation Projects – organized by Zamek Cieszyn, the design 2+3D quarterly, and partners from the V4 countries. The goal of the platform, launched in 2017, is to initiate shared projects, to exchange knowledge and experience among graduates of design universities, and to enhance the cooperation in the field of design among Polish design universities and among the countries of the former Eastern Bloc.

Platform Partners: Zamek Cieszyn (PL), 2+3D (PL), Czechdesign (CZ), Hungarian Design Council (HU), Slovak Design Centre (SK).

The platform has been created as part of the “Graduation Projects Platform” project.

Implementation period: January 2018 – December 2020

Funding sources: the project is co- financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Creative Industries Programme

Agreement number: 10134/18/FPK/DWIM

Budget: 80 027,50 PLN, including 40 013,75 PLN from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage sources.