red dot is inviting the world to the international design show in the next European Capital of Culture – award ceremony for the red dot award: product design 2009 to start Ruhr 2010

Essen’s creative climax for the year is rapidly approaching – red dot is doing the trial run for the European City of Culture year in 2010. With star guests from all over the globe, red dot is celebrating with the award ceremony for the red dot award: product design 2009 on 29 June. This will place the City of Essen at the center of the international creative industry. Luc Donckerwolke, the former head designer at Lamborghini and current head of design at Seat, Paul Flowers and Professor Ernesto Gismondi, the founder of Artemide, are just some of the top names from the international design scene that red dot is bringing to Essen in a spectacular launch for the upcoming year as European City of Culture.

The two special exhibitions ‘Design on stage – winners red dot award: product design 2009’ and ‘Tupperware – Sophisticated simplicity advanced through engineering’ will open in the red dot design museum at the Zeche Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex on the afternoon of 29 June. The award ceremony will follow in the Aalto Theater in Essen – one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses and the hub of Essen’s cultural activity. One of the highlights of the event is sure to be the Aalto Ballet Theater, which will present an excerpt from the 'Dance tribute to Queen' ballet. As well as honoring around 50 winners with the top award, the red dot: best of the best, the event will also include the award for the red dot: design team of the year. This sought-after award is only given to one international design team each year and counts as one of the highest distinctions in the industry. This year, the award goes to the Tupperware World Wide Design Team under the leadership of Susan Perkins.

Creative start to the European City of Culture year
“I am delighted to have so many international design experts coming to Essen this year”, said Professor Dr. Peter Zec, the initiator of the red dot design award and head of the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen. The design expert, who lives in Essen, went on to say: “We see the event as a fitting creative start to the year as European City of Culture. And we promise to come up with a very special highlight for our award ceremony in 2010”.
 
The Designers´ Night in the red dot design museum has developed almost legendary status and will give the guests – expected to number in excess of 1,000 – the unique opportunity to see the stars in the design industry up close and to have an informal setting in which to exchange ideas and celebrate well into the early hours. The jazz pianist Joanna Eden will provide the musical accompaniment to the Winners` Dinner created by star cook Frank Rosin.