Crafting Connections Between Art, Design, and Society
Following the success of its inaugural edition, the International Conference of Crafts and Design (CIMAD in french) returns in May 2025 for a vibrant second edition.
This major event, dedicated to exploring the intersections between artistic crafts, design, and society, will be held in France, across two emblematic sites: the University Jean Monnet in Saint-Étienne and the SEPR in Lyon.
Organized by a dynamic consortium of educational institutions and cultural actors, CIMAD 2025 aims to bring together researchers, designers, craftspeople, educators, students, and policy-makers from around the globe to question and reimagine the role of crafts and design in a rapidly changing world.
This year’s colloquium will welcome 18 speakers from diverse backgrounds and countries, including France, Armenia, England, Morocco, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Norway, India, Italy, and the United States. Their voices will fuel rich debates across disciplines and perspectives, fostering a truly international dialogue.
CIMAD 2025 will also host a poster session, offering an opportunity for emerging scholars and young professionals to share their projects, research, and ideas in a collaborative format.
Main Themes of CIMAD 2025
The program is structured around 3 transversal and interconnected thematic axes that reflect current questions facing the fields of crafts and design:
- Theme 1: Encounters between heritage and Modernity
- Theme 2: Frugality and ecological innovation
- Theme 3 : Ethical responsibility of the craft industry
These themes are not isolated silos but rather lenses through which to analyze the complex interactions between practice, theory, and social context.
Stay tuned for the official program with details on the conferences and speakers, to be share at the end of April at https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/hENpc2nVUb16K
An Inclusive and Interdisciplinary event
CIMAD 2025 reaffirms its commitment to dialogue between fields—welcoming contributions from design research, anthropology, history, sociology, education sciences, philosophy, cultural studies, and more. Whether rooted in academic research or fieldwork, theoretical inquiry or experimental practice, each contribution enriches the collective reflection.
In addition to conferences and poster sessions, participants can expect round tables designed to stimulate knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Join Us in May 2025
The CIMAD is more than a conference—it is a space for meeting, imagining, and building bridges between disciplines, cultures, and generations. By placing crafts and design at the heart of public debate, it seeks to inspire sustainable, inclusive, and inventive futures.
To learn more about the event, its full program, and registration details, visit the official site: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/hENpc2nVUb16K
Let’s craft the future together!
