Jurnate del Design

A different kind of design week, born in Messina

The Jurnate del Design is an event dedicated to design and social innovation that has its heart in Messina, Sicily, but unfolds as an itinerant journey through various towns on the island. The initiative is promoted by the Fondazione di Comunità di Messina together with the Fondazione Horcynus Orca, with the contribution of the design collective Komad, The Playful Living, and the studio Toy Bee. The underlying idea is both simple and ambitious: to use design not as an aesthetic exercise, but as a development tool capable of enhancing the genius loci of Sicilian territories and generating new economic and social supply chains.

A widespread creative workshop

Unlike classic design weeks made of exhibitions and installations, the Jurnate del Design is primarily a week of workshops. Prominent national designers work side-by-side with high school and university students, artisans, and workers' cooperatives. From this exchange, concepts and product designs are born that embody the identity of the places: Messinese goldsmithing, the bobbin lace of Mirabella Imbaccari, Sicilian ceramics, and even new bioplastics derived from beer and coffee production waste.

2026 Edition: "Si può fare" (It can be done)

The theme of the 2026 edition was "Si può fare", an invitation to believe in the concrete possibility of transforming local resources into opportunities. The week opened in Messina with a lectio magistralis by designer Luca Fois and featured, among others, designers Marta Meda, Bernardo Corbellini, and Giada Maria Battiato. The workshops focused on the innovation of Sicilian ceramics, the creation of art toys inspired by the island's myths, and the enhancement of traditional crafts, involving not only Messina but also Patti, Mirabella Imbaccari (in the province of Catania), and Palermo.

A long-term project

The Jurnate del Design follows a biennial schedule: the first year is dedicated to design and concept development, the second to the presentation of the finished products. The stated goal is the creation of a permanent Design Center in the spaces of the Fondazione Horcynus Orca, on the edge of the Capo Peloro nature reserve. For the city of Messina and the Sicilian Region, this is a social economy experiment that links culture, education, and enterprise.

Who it is for

• Students and teachers from Sicilian art institutes and universities
• Local artisans, ceramicists, goldsmiths, and cooperatives
• Enthusiasts of design, social innovation, and artistic crafts
• Citizens curious to discover a new way of looking at Sicily

The event is primarily cultural and educational in nature, with free admission to public sessions.