Of course, we also can’t forget other, more pressing commitments, such as Begihandi #55 in Bilbao or the Eskulangintza Azoka in Renteria at the end of April, Serifalaris in Getxo or Begihandi #56 in Iruña in May, the Creativity is Female Fest in Gasteiz in June, the launch of EIDE’s new website on 15 March, and new projects for the programme calls that are already being published. With the new Board of Directors elected at the General Assembly, we will continue to work to stabilise our role as a connecting and driving force within the design ecosystem of the Basque Country and Navarre.
New members
On the 10th of March, we welcomed around 100 professional and/or corporate members, as well as a new student and a new associate member. In the near future, the addition of a new member company will also be confirmed: a highly regarded industrial company from Gipuzkoa, which has always championed design and quality.
__ DAVID LÓPEZ-VENTURA. An interior designer with experience in window display and temporary architecture projects, he has worked in renowned studios on design and project management, as well as supervising and designing finishes. Additionally, as a freelancer, he has developed corporate identity, web design and interior design projects. After recently relocating to Bilbao, he has joined EIDE as a Young Professional member. More information →
__ DIEGO APELLÁNIZ. Project Director and coordinator of the Digital Enterprise programme at BIC Araba until December 2025, he has been associated with the Artium Foundation of Álava for over a decade. His relationship with the association has become closer over the last two years, as he has played a key role in organising events such as IndusDesign and Basquerville, and he will continue to participate in these events in a dual capacity, both personally and as an EIDE Associate. More information →
__ ANDREA ALIRIA SORARRAIN. A graduate in Product Design from the La Rioja School of Design (ESDIR) and, currently, This student from Zarautz, who is currently studying for a Master’s in Digital Graphic Design at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), has decided to enrol as a Student Associate of EIDE to collaborate and participate in activities and projects with other young professionals from the association. More information →
In the process
__ BAGARA II – Prototype Presentation
On Monday, 16th March, we concluded the second phase of the BAGARA project. In a session at the Getxo Sormen Hub, we had the opportunity to see the five prototypes developed by their pairs: Marina Blázquez / Sonia Bouso («Immersive nature experience for people experiencing grief»), Nora Inoriza, from Diaradesign / Emaku Sailing («Sailing together»), Leyre Julián, from Alda2u / Soil («Spaces for Support»), Laura Parralejo, from Detalleres («Recurring Workshop Service»), and Pamela Infante, from Weetbe / Bentaranoa Socio-Cultural Association («Corner of Memory»). The focus group for these prototypes was made up of Jesus Cao, Leire García (ColaBoraBora), and Ivana Ruiz and Xabier Eizagirre (Alda2u). We will be sharing the results report shortly.
__ BEGIHANDI #54 Vitoria-Gasteiz
On the 5th of March, we held the first edition in Vitoria-Gasteiz for 2026, the first since the special edition to celebrate the 10th anniversary in October 2025. It was also a special edition, as it coincided with the READ General Assembly; therefore, many colleagues from DIGA and other READ member associations joined us. We had the opportunity to enjoy a project promoted by DIP, presented by the excellent speaker Teresa Jular, to see first-hand the work of a production designer like Izaskun Urkijo, and to discover the creative madness of a local studio like Habemus, guided by its leaders Mikel, Ane and Joel. [Photo: Ardiluzu] More information →
On Tuesday, 28th April, we will be celebrating BEGIHANDI #55 Bilbao, the second edition of 2026, with three excellent speakers and a new venue. All the details will be available on the Begihandi website in the coming days. As with the rest of the year, the poster design will be created by our colleagues at Workoholics.
DESIGN OF THE FUTURE
Under the title ‘Building the Design of the Future’, IDarte organised the first part of this event on 6 March, which continued on 27 March at Deusto University, coinciding with the general assemblies of READ and EIDE, respectively. The first part was an international dialogue on innovation in design education, design policies and knowledge transfer, with speakers Borja Sobas, Juana Valcárcel, Agnes Willenborg, Christoph Böninger, Ruth Mayoral, Angélica Barco, Ander Igarza, Olaia Irulegi and Josu Ayerbe.
In the second part, however, this conversation was expanded to include its connection with the new event that will represent Bilbao Bizkaia Design Week on 19 and 20 November 2026; after eleven editions, the event will undergo a format change and will be led and organised by EIDE. The participants were Leire Bereziartua Gonzalez, Thomas-Eric Béliveau, Xabier Albizu and Angélica Barco. The full videos of both sessions can be viewed on our YouTube channel. [Photos: Endika Portillo and Dani de Pablos, respectively]
__ WLB CIRCULAR BIODESIGN ORGANISATIONAL CHALLENGE
On 30th April, WLB will launch the ‘Circular Biodesign Challenge’, a free training initiative to explore the potential of biodesign and biomaterials derived from local organic waste. Designed and launched by our partner Adele Orcajada, this challenge is aimed at professionals in the creative industries and companies interested in the recovery of organic waste. The challenge will last for two months, taking place over four sessions. More information and registration →
__ AZO!KA – CRAFT FAIR (30th April, Agustinak Centre, Rentería)
With the aim of reviving the Euskal Herriko Eskulangintza Azoka, which was held in Rentería for 39 years before being cancelled in 2017, the Rentería City Council has organised a new edition with a different format, where in addition to the Fair itself and the workshops (from 1 to 3 May), A Crafts Fair curated by EIDE will be held at the Agustinak Centre. It will feature renowned craftspeople — Amaia and Jesús Prieto (Baku Barrikupel), Paz Mesa, Aitor Martínez, Idoia Cuesta, María Ruiz (Atelier Mel) and Yolanda Sánchez (Ardi-ko) — and two speakers, Ramón Vergara Platero (Contemporary Art and Craft Association) and Manuel Martínez Torán (Head of the Craft Chair at the Polytechnic University of Valencia), who will open and close the morning and afternoon sessions, respectively. Idoia Cuesta, Paz Mesa, Aitor Martínez and Yolanda Sánchez will each lead a workshop on 1 and 2 May. More information and registration →
Other news
__ Serifalaris (15–16 May, Getxo)
At Serifalaris, they have long asked what inspires designers, and have concluded that it is often the lack of listening to local professionals in the discipline. For this reason, this year they have put together a particularly open and diverse programme, designed to inspire more than ever over two days. And, as in previous years, the organisers have wanted to make a special gesture to the Basque design community, members of EIDE and/or DIGA, by offering a 20% discount—simply use one of the following codes: EIDE20 (for EIDE members) or DIGA20 (for DIGA members). Get your ticket →
Talk: ‘Formatting the Invisible’ (23rd April, Ensanche Building, Bilbao)
The talk will be presented by Ioritz Hontecillas and Iratxe Goñi of Nexis Render, and will take place next Thursday, 23rd April, at 6 p.m. They will present this AI-powered platform for rendering 3D models, which they have created based on their experience in the field of design and product visualisation. During the session, they will explain what Nexis Render is, how it works, and what problems it aims to solve in the rendering and visualisation processes. They will also explore how artificial intelligence can be integrated into these workflows to make them faster, more flexible and more accessible, while at the same time opening up new possibilities for generating images from 3D models. More information and registration →
__ Zestafesta
On 21 March, the third edition of ZESTAFESTA was held in Hondarribia, with talks by Núria Vila (‘A Second Life. Experimenting with circularity»), talks by Teta y Teta, Relaja el coco and Fuego camina conmigo, the closing festival called TOPA! and the «Design of the Moment. ADG Laus 2025 Awards» exhibition. This new edition attracted the participation of many professionals and design enthusiasts. More information →
__ THIS Design Competition #9
Registration for the ninth edition of the Traditional Basque Design Competition is open until 4 May. The aim of the competition is to reinvent a traditional object from Basque culture, and the object selected for this edition is the oil lamp (kriselu). The competition is organised by Bitamine Faktoria and the San Telmo Museum, in collaboration with EIDE, Mondragon University, the Aranzadi Scientific Society and B.lux. The jury, including our colleague Xabier Llordés, will award a single prize of €2,000. In addition to the winner’s work, notable entries will be featured in an exhibition at the San Telmo Museum, and the designers will be invited to visit the B.lux facilities. More information →
Spanish design arrives at WDC Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 with ‘Aperitivo’
The Ministry of Culture, the Design Foundation of the Valencian Community and the Spanish Network of Design Associations (READ) present ‘Aperitivo: Spanish Design in Conversation’, an initiative that will take place on 7 and 8 May at the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026. As part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, a group of design and creative professionals will bring a dialogue- and process-based exhibition format to Frankfurt, fostering dialogue between the creative ecosystems of Spain and Germany. The session format, based on one-to-one conversations without digital assistance, focuses on design processes, decisions and practices, fostering a more open and horizontal exchange, and will feature the following Spanish professionals: Inma Bermúdez, Tomás Alonso, Idoia Cuesta, Sara Regal, Attua Aparicio, Lucas Muñoz, El Último Grito and Miguel Leiro. More information →
__ The Communication Company Association of Navarre has unveiled its new name
From now on, NACKOM will be the name of the Communication and Design Association of Navarre, as announced on 27th March by our colleague and president, Patti Martínez, at an event entitled ‘Long live the silence, long live communication’. The event brought together professionals from the sector to analyse the current challenges facing communication, in a context marked by the proliferation of fake news and the impact of artificial intelligence. Participants included Renfe’s Brand and Advertising Director, Nacho Padilla; the Director General of Communication and Institutional Relations of the Government of Navarra, Víctor Goñi; and the Marketing and Communication Director of Zabala Innovation, Adriana Mendívil. More information →
