Design Fringe 2024

We have shared bread and salt is an Ancient Greek proverb which speaks of the ancient custom of welcoming strangers and expressing gratitude, friendship and trust through the act of eating. Today, like in Ancient Greece, the humble dining table is more than just a piece of furniture; it is a cornerstone of connection, community, and culture. It's around the dining table that we tell our stories: we debrief, download, debate, feast, celebrate, laugh, come together to break bread with the people we know, the people we love, and the people who might be thrust upon us. The dining table is both the centre of the home and a growing site for doing business, a symbol of family connecting and conflict and for the occasional solo frozen dinner.

From intimate moments shared with family to lively exchanges with friends and colleagues, the table is a symbol of unity and togetherness. It serves as a nexus for human connection, cultural exchange, nourishment, and the sharing of a diversity of perspectives. We have shared bread and salt invites creatives to take the concept of the dining table as a starting point to explore how design creates environments that facilitate meaningful conversations and build stronger communities. How it plays a pivotal role in shaping, enhancing and guiding meaningful interactions. We are looking for work that can throw new light on and reinterpret a piece of functional furniture that’s been bringing people together since, well, forever?

This year's exhibition celebrates the role of design in fostering togetherness. It highlights the power of the table as a gathering place, inspiring new forms of connection and understanding, and highlighting the vibrant intersections of culture, conversation and food.