Press Release
ECHO Dubai Art, Design and Technology Festival Launches in Dubai
ECHO – the Middle East’s first art, design and technology festival – will launch in Dubai this year as ‘ECHO Dubai’. The Festival will take place at Dubai Design District (d3) under the theme ‘Interacting with the Future’, and will provide a multi-sensory platform for people, businesses and brands to engage and collaborate through: a curated conference; an immersive exposition; interactive workshops; and an audio-visual sound festival.
Taking place from the 14th to the 16th December 2017, ECHO Dubai offers an already impressive line-up of speakers, artists, designers, technologists, brands and sponsors.
ECHO Dubai was conceptualised by MICE International, an integrated, UAE-grown events management company. Lana Hawilo, Managing Director of MICE International, explains: “Brands are looking to connect with businesses and consumers in more engaging, innovative ways that use all five of the senses, rather than limiting their reach to mobile devices and social feeds. We wanted to create a platform in the region to enable this, whilst also providing opportunities for local talent to be exposed to current and new trends, in a bid to launch innovators from the region. Our vision is to grow an ECHO community that creates dialogue, disrupts the status quo, and brings best practice to the region.
She added: “We are thrilled at the calibre of speakers who have joined us, including Dr Koert Van Mensvoort, Annouk Wipprecht, Chris Kesley, and Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz from CuteCircuit, who, amongst others, will all showcase some of their internationally famous innovations, as well as conduct workshops to help share their knowledge with the UAE community.”
The Festival will welcome a mix of local, regional and international visitors who will be given the opportunity to discover the latest international trends in technology; experience immersive sound and art installations; explore d3’s range of lifestyle boutiques, art galleries and culinary concepts; and grow their knowledge and skills through interactive workshops and talks hosted by some of the world’s leading subject matter experts.
Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, COO of d3, said: “We are delighted that the Design Quarter at d3 will this year be the host venue for ECHO festival, the futuristic exhibition that demonstrates how art, design and technology integrate and help shape future trends. As a design district, we play a central part in promoting and supporting innovative technology across many aspects of the design world thereby leveraging Dubai’s position as a global creative centre”.