Semi Permanent 2019

Overview

Some of the world's best thinkers and doers will unite for Semi Permanent 2019 this August. The festival of creativity will once again expand to three days, providing more opportunities to enjoy talks, book launches, workshops, lunches, cocktails, and the two-day symposium that has been inspiring creative thinking in New Zealand for 16 years.

Future of the Future will kick the festival off on Thursday, 15 August. The event has been called "a high speed briefing" and will feature bigwigs from brands like Google, Instagram, Microsoft, Kickstarter and AirBnB sharing their knowledge about working at some of the world's most disruptive companies and how they will change the future of the workplace.

The disruptive theme carries through to Semi Permanent's two-day symposium (Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August), with 18 creative practitioners taking to the stage to share stories, ideas and insights about the nature of creativity.

The lineup of speakers includes Shantell Martin, best known for her large-scale black and white drawings (and a Kendrick collab); Dutch artists Lernert & Sander who are known for their high-conceptual art films; graphic maestro ("und Konditorei") Erik Brandt; Los Angeles motion designer Heidi Berg; Kickstarter co-founder Charles Adler; and new school Swiss designers Studio Feixen. See the first speaker lineup here.

An intriguing event at this year's symposium is Light Leaks. The "profound and unusual experience," sees media artist/coder Kyle McDonald and Google creative technologist Jonas Jongejan fill a darkened room with 50 disco balls and use 3D mapping to create mesmerising lighting sequences. It has previously been installed at La Gaîté Lyrique, and Scopitone Festival and The Music Center LA.

Image: Kyle McDonald.