Creative Sectors
Making it Matter: The Power of Sustainable Design
Date: 15th July 2025, 17:30 – 19:30
Location: CodeBase, Edinburgh
Panellists
● DesignStorie - Alicia Storie, Designer & Founder (Facilitator)
● V&A Dundee – Scott, Head of Production
● Scottish Design Exchange - Lynzi Leroy, CEO
● Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) - Victoria Briones, Members &
Events Lead
Event Overview
This Creative Sectors event will shine a spotlight on sustainable design, with a particular focus on product, interior, craft, homewares, and furniture design. We’ll bring together contemporary designers, curators and creative organisations to explore how designers are driving innovation while tackling the urgent need for sustainability.
Attendees will gain insights into:
● The role of sustainability in future-focused design practice
● How leading Scottish organisations are supporting sustainable innovation
● Creative approaches to materials, production, and environmental impact
● Practical tips for emerging designers
This event is aimed at contemporary designers and makers working across furniture, interiors, jewellery, homewares, craft, fashion and textiles.
Event Objectives
● Collaborate with leading organisations championing sustainability in design.
● Strengthen relationships between designers, creative freelancers, and sector leaders.
● Promote sustainable innovation and responsible creative practice.
● Provide practical tools and inspiration for early- and mid-career designers.
Running Order
17:30 – Welcome & Introductions from Creative Edinburgh and Business Gateway
17:45 – Panel Discussion hosted by Alicia Storie (AdesignStorie)
18:30 – Focused Q&A / Informal Networking
19:00 – Community Announcements
19:30 – Event End
Tips for Panellists
● This event is geared towards early and mid-career designers; please avoid excessive
technical language or jargon.
● A screen and projector will be available for short presentations or visuals.
● Please feel free to bring business cards, brochures or any helpful resources for attendees.
Focused Q&A
Depending on the panel format, we may follow the discussion with rotating Q&A tables. This allows attendees to speak more directly with panellists in smaller groups. No extra prep is required, but panellists are encouraged to bring relevant information or links to share.
More about the Creative Sectors series:
Creative Sectors is an ongoing event series delivered by Creative Edinburgh in partnership with Business Gateway, which has been running since 2023. The series aims to foster connections between Edinburgh’s creative practitioners and key cultural organisations, strengthening the city’s creative network and providing valuable career development opportunities. Through our collaborative events, we bring together experts from various creative sectors and freelancers eager to learn from them. Each event is designed to create networking opportunities, enhance industry knowledge, and equip attendees with the skills needed to thrive in their respective fields.
Themes explored so far:
● Publishing, Poetry & Creative Writing – in collaboration with Scottish Poetry Library, Publishing Scotland, Literature Alliance Scotland, Creative Scotland, and The Scottish Book Trust. (October 2023)
● Sustainable Fashion & Textiles – in collaboration with Dovecot Studios, Craft Scotland, Shrub Coop, and Applied Arts Scotland. (March 2024)
● Exhibition Design, Curation and Engagement – in collaboration with Engage Scotland,
Fruitmarket Gallery, National Museum of Scotland and Edinburgh Art Festival. (May 2024)●
Music Industry – in collaboration with Royal High School Preservation Trust/National Centre
for Music, Scottish Music Industry Association, Tinderbox Collective, and Help Musicians
Scotland. (March 2025)