THE Association of Professional Interior Designers (Apid) will launch the region’s first Festival of Interior Design (FOiD) across Dubai, UAE, this October as part of initiatives to highlight the role of interior design in daily life and to also spotlight works of emerging talents and design firms.

The festival that will be accompanied by the Interior Design Congress to be held on October 22, which will feature four keynote speakers and two panel sessions conducted by well-known design personalities.

FOiD is slated to become a catalyst event that binds and unifies all interior design professionals in the region, allowing them access to key opportunities created by the event, says Farida Kamber Al Awadhi, president of Apid, an organisation for professional interior designers in the Gulf region.

“Apid remains steadfast in its commitment to improving the status and work environment of interior design professionals in the region, by implementing strategic initiatives and programmes that are aimed at further developing and improving their interior design skills,” she added.

The festival comes at a time when the UAE interior design segment is expected to spend $22.5 billion this year, according to recent business intelligence reports.

Apid says it will complement this upswing with the adoption of new strategies and creation of more opportunities for interior design professionals.