About

Photo: Pernille Snedker Hansen, MIZU, Officinet 2019. Photo credit: Snedker Studio 

Danish Crafts & Design Association (DKoD) is a national organization for professional designers and makers. DKoD is dedicated to promoting Danish crafts and design.

Makers and designers generate significant value for Denmark as drivers of innovation, as business-owners and as bearers of tradition for a proud crafts and design nation.

That contribution should be made visible, and contemporary makers and designers should have the opportunity to continue building on history with new expressions, formats, techniques and materials.

DKoD was established in 1976.

Our goal is: 

to promote an artistic and craft-based development of Danish crafts and design
to promote the members’ professional and commercial interests
to improve working and living conditions for makers and designers
to spread awareness and promote the involvement of makers/designers and their work throughout society
to promote and coordinate the field of crafts and design in order to generate understanding and appreciation of the field of crafts and design as a cultural factor

 

Projects: 

The Biennale for Craft & Design
The Biennale is an exhibition and a competition taking stock of Danish crafts and design today. All professionals within the craft and design field receive an open call. A jury with 3-5 (Nordic) people (writers, exhibition designers, professors and craftspeople) make the selection.
The Biennale Award comes with a prize sum of DKK 100,000.
The Biennale has existed since 1995 when it was launched at the initiative of DKoD and varying museums across Denmark.

Officinet, Bredgade 66, 1260 Copenhagen
Officinet is a room for contemporary crafts and design featuring crossover projects within crafts, design, architecture and art. Providing a fusion between traditional crafting techniques, new technology from the design industry and the aesthetics of an artist, Officinet makes a beautiful framing. The room is the closest neighbour to Designmuseum Danmark and is situated in the former 17th century Frederiks Hospital. Free entrance.

Crafts Fair/ Kunsthåndværkermarkedet Frue Plads
The Crafts Fair is an annual event, arranged by DKoD. The market provides a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of the many crafts and design studios in Denmark.
Experience more than 130 professionals within the fields of ceramics, glass, textiles, wood/basketry and jewellery. All participants have either graduated from Danish design academies, or have been included through strict censorship. Free entrance to the fair.

VÆRK – a Christmas Fair at Designmuseum Danmark 
The fair takes place the first 2 weekends of December in the beautiful garden of Designmuseum Danmark. A cozy and warm tent makes a nice frame for the fair. Meet 37 different designers and makers each weekend. Free entrance to the fair.

Danish Design Festival
Danish Design Festival is an initiative uniting major Danish design events and organisations. Taking place in locations across Denmark during spring.
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Network

The Nordic Network of Crafts Associations (NNCA) was founded in 2010. The network fosters collaboration and dialogue between its members, strengthening the field of contemporary crafts across the Nordic region and beyond. 

The NNCA’s activities are twofold: it conducts meetings to discuss political, social and economic issues relating to craft artists and the fields of contemporary craft in the Nordic region. Secondly, the NNCA produces and participates in projects to promote and mediate Nordic contemporary crafts in an international context. 

The NNCA consists of: Danske Kunsthåndværkere & Designere (Denmark); HANDVERK og HÔNNUN (Iceland); Konsthantverkscentrum (Sweden); Konstnärernas Riksorganisation (Sweden); Norske Kunsthåndverkere (Norway); Norwegian Crafts (Norway) and ORNAMO (Finland).

The NNCA has received long-term network funding from the Nordic Culture Point.
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World Craft Council, Europe 
DKoD is a part of WCC Europe
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