Clerkenwell Design Week returns from 19–21 May 2026 for its 15th edition, confirming its position as one of the most compelling fixtures on the international design calendar. More than a trade festival, CDW continues to turn Clerkenwell into an urban route of discovery, where showrooms, historic architecture, installations and public spaces sit naturally alongside the everyday rhythm of the neighbourhood. This year’s programme moves between design research, evolving ways of living and wider reflections on the future of the industry, with a format that blends curated exhibitions, immersive installations and conversations that open a dialogue between design, technology and contemporary culture.
Among the most notable initiatives, “Design Interventions” takes design out of traditional exhibition spaces and places it directly into the streets and squares of Clerkenwell. Temporary works and context-led interventions turn the area into an open-air gallery, inviting visitors to encounter design in a more immediate, unforced way. The project reinforces the urban dimension that has always defined CDW, where the line between city and festival becomes increasingly blurred.
Resonance by Fung+Bedford – Photo © Sam Frost Photography
One of the focal points of the 2026 edition is the Light exhibition, staged in the atmospheric Crypts of the Charterhouse, one of Clerkenwell’s most evocative heritage sites. Set beneath the historic complex’s medieval stone structure, the underground crypts provide a dramatic and intimate backdrop for a curated journey through lighting design. Here, light is explored as both material and experience, through atmospheric installations, technical experimentation and fresh readings of contemporary interiors.
Resonance by Fung+Bedford, detail – Photo © Sam Frost Photography
Alongside the installations, the “International Collections” section brings together a curated selection of international brands united by a strong focus on materials, craftsmanship and aesthetic exploration. Rather than a straightforward product showcase, it offers a snapshot of where contemporary design is heading, shaped by cross-disciplinary thinking and shifting creative approaches.
Michael Anastassiades – Photo © Sam Frost Photography
The “Conversations at Clerkenwell” programme returns with a series of talks addressing some of the most pressing topics in the industry today: from the impact of artificial intelligence on creative processes to shifting models of workplace design and hospitality, as well as wider changes in production and manufacturing. These discussions move beyond objects and interiors, opening broader cultural questions around how design is evolving.
With open showrooms, installations and historic venues such as the Museum of the Order of St John – a former medieval priory now used for exhibitions and events – and Haberdashers’ Hall, Clerkenwell Design Week continues to tell the story of London through design, turning the district into a dynamic, open platform for three days each May.
