Valencia has spent years establishing itself as one of Southern Europe’s leading creative hubs. But beyond the figures, accolades and headlines, that position is also built through events capable of bringing together some of the most interesting minds in design, visual culture and innovation. Paradís is one of them.

On 13 June, CaixaForum Valencia will once again become a meeting point for designers, strategists, creatives, students, entrepreneurs and visual culture enthusiasts as it hosts the sixth edition of this event organised by the Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana. In just six years, it has established itself as one of the most compelling gatherings on Spain’s creative calendar.

In an era defined by speed, hyperconnectivity and information overload, Paradís offers something seemingly simple yet increasingly necessary: a few hours to pause, listen, learn, reflect and be inspired.

Much more than a conference day

Paradís was launched in 2020 within the framework of World Design Capital Valencia 2022. However, far from remaining tied to that historic moment, the project has developed its own identity and evolved into a key reference point within Spain’s creative ecosystem.

For Xavi Calvo, Director of the Fundació del Disseny, the success of Paradís lies precisely in its ability to create meaningful spaces for inspiration.

“It continues to fulfil a very specific need: creating spaces where professionals from very different disciplines can pause for a few hours, step away from their routines and listen to people who are pushing the boundaries of creativity, design, technology and visual culture”, he explains.

At a time when so much knowledge is consumed through screens, algorithms and short-form content, Paradís champions the value of shared experiences. Listening to someone develop an idea over the course of an hour. Having conversations in the corridors. Discovering unexpected perspectives.

Because, as Calvo points out, the objective goes far beyond showcasing projects or portfolios.

“Creativity remains an extraordinarily powerful tool for understanding and transforming the world.”

Perhaps that is one of the keys to its growing relevance.

Nine voices exploring contemporary creativity

The 2026 edition once again brings together a diverse range of profiles that reflect the complexity of contemporary design.

From London comes Venetia Thorneycroft, Design Director at Ragged Edge, one of the world’s most influential branding studios, who will explore how brands can become drivers of cultural transformation.

Also arriving from the UK is Zak Kyes, founder of Zak Group and one of the most respected figures in European design, offering a critical perspective on the impact of artificial intelligence and the identity crisis currently facing the creative professions.

From Amsterdam, Georgios Athanassiadis and Joost Huver of Your Majesty will discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming design processes, innovation and digital experiences.

The programme also includes voices redefining contemporary branding in Spain, such as María Cerdán, former Creative Director of VICIO and one of the most interesting professionals working in brand-building for new generations, and Nico Reyners, co-founder of Tres Tipos Gráficos, a leading studio in visual identity and typography.

Alongside them, Alberto Martínez (Venture Experience), Marta Botas and Tedi Bergareche, Quinner Baird (Caliper) and visual artist Lara Lars complete a programme spanning disciplines as diverse as spatial design, material exploration, gastronomy, brand strategy, contemporary manufacturing and collage.

The message is clear: more than talking about design, Paradís explores how we think, build and shape the world around us.

“Creativity remains an extraordinarily powerful tool for understanding and transforming the world.” Xavi Calvo

The art of creating unexpected conversations

One of the festival’s defining characteristics has always been its ability to connect seemingly distant disciplines.

Behind that vision is Wences Sanz, curator of Paradís since 2022, founder of MadinSpain and co-founder of Domestika.

His approach consciously avoids the conventional logic of many creative events.

“If I were only chasing the most relevant names of the moment, Paradís would simply be a showcase. And a showcase becomes exhausted as soon as you’ve looked at it.”

For Sanz, the real challenge is not bringing together the most recognised professionals, but creating a narrative in which each participant contributes a different piece to a much broader conversation.

“I like putting a typography studio in dialogue with someone working in brand strategy, a generation trained on paper with another that was born on screen, local voices with international ones. Not so they agree, but so they brush against each other.”

That idea of friction is particularly revealing. Innovation rarely emerges within isolated silos. It appears in the points of contact between different disciplines, perspectives and experiences. And that is precisely where Paradís finds its true value.

“The challenge is not gathering the best. The challenge is creating a narrative in which each name gains a meaning it would never have on its own.”

Perhaps that is why so many attendees return year after year. Not only because of who is speaking, but because of the unexpected connections that emerge between the different talks.

“The challenge is creating a narrative in which each name gains a meaning it would never have on its own.” Wences Sanz

Creativity as a territory in constant transformation

This year’s programme also reflects some of the questions currently shaping the creative industries.

What role will artificial intelligence play in the future of design?
How can brands remain relevant in an environment saturated with stimuli?
How can physical spaces generate meaningful experiences?
How can creativity and business be connected without sacrificing authenticity?
How can visual culture help us imagine alternative futures?

Paradís doesn’t seek to provide definitive answers. Instead, it aims to open conversations.

That is particularly inspiring at a time of profound transformation across almost every creative discipline, where graphic designers, strategists, architects, visual artists, digital creators and branding specialists now share challenges that barely existed a decade ago.

A visual identity that never repeats itself

If there is one thing that has distinguished Paradís since its early editions, it is its ability to reinvent itself visually year after year.

The person behind that evolution is designer and creative director Lorena Sayavera, whose art direction has become one of the event’s defining features.

What makes it remarkable is that Paradís has achieved something unusual: remaining recognisable precisely through constant change.

“The essence of Paradís is not a fixed identity or an untouchable colour palette. The real essence lies in the very concept of a paradise for design.”

That conceptual freedom has allowed completely different visual worlds to emerge with every edition. From flowers, snakes, skies, beasts and typographic compositions to this year’s keys, symbolising access to the hidden processes and secrets behind every creative project.

The 2026 visual identity also marks a shift towards a more mature and editorial language.

“Now that we have reached six editions and established ourselves as a reference point, the aesthetic has become more grown-up.”

Sayavera acknowledges that much of this capacity for reinvention comes from the creative freedom she has been given since the beginning. And that trust probably explains why each edition continues to surprise without losing coherence.

“The true essence of Paradís lies in the very concept of a paradise for design.” Lorena Sayavera

Valencia as a capital of contemporary creativity

The consolidation of Paradís also reflects something broader: Valencia’s transformation into one of Southern Europe’s leading creative centres.

Its inclusion once again as a Featured Event within Valencia Disseny Week confirms the importance it has acquired within the city’s cultural calendar.

But beyond figures and institutional recognition, what is truly interesting is seeing how events like this contribute to building communities, attracting talent and strengthening the relationship between creativity, business, culture and innovation.

Indeed, Paradís has become a reflection of that energy: a space where students just beginning their careers mingle with creative directors from major companies. A place where graphic designers share conversations with architects, artists, strategists and entrepreneurs. A place where disciplines stop functioning as closed categories and become part of a much richer and more complex conversation.

Perhaps that is why it continues to grow. Because it continues to champion something far more valuable: dedicating an entire day to ideas.

And today, that feels almost revolutionary.

Paradís 2026 will take place on Saturday 13 June at CaixaForum Valencia as part of the 17th Valencia Disseny Week. Tickets include access to all talks, a networking breakfast and entry to the venue’s exhibitions.

Tickets are available via the following link.

Save the date!

(*) Images provided by Fundació del Disseny.

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