Design Horizons: Dizarіum Forum
On October 11-12, Lviv hosted the nationwide youth forum «Dizarіum», the largest design event of the year. At !FESTrepublic, professionals from various fields gathered to discuss the changes in professions and the significance of design in a country facing war and reconstruction.
This year, the forum attracted over 9,000 participants, including:
- men - 1,800
- women - 7,200
- internally displaced persons - 500
- people with disabilities - 10
The main theme of “Dizarіum” was identity: personal, professional, and cultural. Discussions revolved around design not just as an industry but as a way of thinking that combines creativity with social responsibility.
This year introduced new formats, including the first-ever design battle, where UX/UI specialists solved real problems live. The program also featured “ironic conversations” — candid stories about professional failures that became growth points, along with morning workouts from the BetterMe team.
Special joint episodes of two podcasts — «Chumaky» and «What’s the Challenge?» were recorded on-site, while the Creative Practices team created their special season «Creative Practice on Creative Practices», where Dizarіum speakers shared insights on identity. Additionally, the Dysarium Market operated nearby — a curated market featuring over 30 top Ukrainian brands shaping the contemporary visual culture, including JUL, Gushka, Tsvite Teren, Players Get Ready, Poetry Home, 13PERFUMES, lyhytskiy, WHY ME, ArtHuss, and others.
The event was organized by the design space Pixlab as part of the initiative «Lviv — European Youth Capital 2025» in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Department of Sports, Youth and Tourism of the Lviv Regional State Administration, and the Lviv City Council, with support from the Emotion Holding «!FEST» and financial backing from KredoBank. CASES, a super app for creative industries, co-organized the conference. The event also received support from MacPaw, WIX, Excited!, ELEKS, Headway, Qubstudio, action, Uklon, and others.
