From the beginning, nearly 20 years ago now, Design Miami/ has endeavored to ensure our events not only support the collectible design market but also contribute to design culture more broadly. This goal would not be possible without the partnerships we build with cultural institutions like the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Working together with SCAD, we are proud to offer the next generation of design talent a platform to showcase their work as well as insider access to professional experiences at the launch of their careers.

For the last five years, SCAD has been the Official University Partner of Design Miami/. Each year since, under the invaluable leadership of President and Founder Paula Wallace, SCAD has enriched our fairs with dynamic SCAD AT MIAMI installations of alumni work and changing lineups of design-driven programs, while also bringing groups of students to Miami to experience the Design Miami/ world in person.

To commemorate our five-year milestone and toast design’s next generation, here’s a lookback at all that SCAD has brought to Design Miami/ as our Official University Partner.

SCAD first became the Design Miami/ Official University Partner in 2018, a year that marked the 40th anniversary of the college’s founding and the introduction of the alumni showcase platform, SCAD AT MIAMI.

For the debut, SCAD exhibited the work of six talented alumni—Christian Dunbar, Katie Glusica, Kristina Larson, Kyle Millsap, Eny Lee Parker, and Katy Skelton—all rising-stars in their fields practicing at the intersection of art, design, and handcraft. As an ensemble, their work generated an inviting, sophisticated yet homey environment full of warmth, texture, and artistry.

But that’s not all that SCAD brought to this auspicious kick off to our partnership. In addition to hosting two thought-provoking Design Talks on the future of design education, SCAD also co-presented the 2018 Design Visionary Award, which was given to Mexico City-based duo, artist Pedro Reyes and fashion designer Carla Fernández.

For its second year as our Official University Partner, SCAD returned with another edifying, multifaceted program. Embracing a dazzlingly immersive, Pop Art aesthetic, the SCAD AT MIAMI installation featured the work of alumni Trish Andersen, Andrew Greenbaum, Maximilian Rauber, and Justin Armstrong.

In addition, SCAD took over the fair’s Design Talks Theater, creating a state-of-the-art media suite that broadcast live-streamed interviews, workshops, and podcasts dedicated to discussions on design trends and innovations. SCAD made the theater welcoming to speakers and visitors alike by enveloping the floor and seating surfaces in colorful textiles from Shaw Contract as well as hanging fiber art works handmade by Andersen.

Participants in SCAD’s lively broadcasts included the likes of Fernando Laposse, Marilyn Minter, Harry Nuriev, Marcin Rusak, and Robert Stilin.

Following a hiatus necessitated by the pandemic, SCAD’s presence at Design Miami/ 2021 was nothing short of a sensation. Featuring the work of alumni Scott Carter, Jose Gallo, and Archana Menon, the SCAD AT MIAMI installation wowed fairgoers with a fabulously futurist vibe. It was very rock-and-roll—literally.

Among the highlights of the fair week, Latin Grammy award-winning musician Nicolas Ramírez performed in the SCAD AT MIAMI space amid pulsating, interactive objects crafted from guitar cables, acoustic foam, LED lights, and even a hand-made guitar.

And if that weren’t enough, President Wallace that year moderated a Design Talks conversation with designer-curator Cliff Fong.

Last year, SCAD AT MIAMI spotlighted a gorgeous collaboration with the internationally celebrated Mexican ceramics studio Cerámica Suro. In the lead up to the fair, SCAD alumni Nicolas Barrera, Lauren Clay, Gonzalo Hernandez, Cory Imig, Abel Macias, and Nikita Nagpal traveled to Guadalajara to create glazed tile collections with Cerámica Suro artisans.

For the SCAD AT MIAMI installation, a dramatic arched structure was designed by Barrera to display the vibrant tile collections alongside spirited lighting and furniture designs by SCAD alum Marcelo Suro. A new tile collection was reinstalled each day.

Beyond the alumni showcase, President Wallace led a stellar Design Talks conversation with exhibiting alumni and José Noé Suro, Director of Ceramica Suro, who shared insights into his creative processes and his experiences building a global creative brand.

In 2023, Design Miami/ and SCAD celebrate our fifth year in partnership, which is built around our shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of design talent. This year is also SCAD’s 45th anniversary!

In a jewel box-like space, SCAD AT MIAMI 2023 shined its light on vanguard jewelry design and wearables created by alumni Shuoyuan Bai, Seth Carlson, Xinia Guan, Miao He, Xun Liu, and Andrea Ortiz—all of whom in their own way embrace jewelry’s relationship to the human body while exploring motifs inspired by nature, geometric patterning, and popular culture. The intricate installation included fiber art by alumna Paola Maldonado, which she crafted in her textile studio in Quito.

For this year’s Design Talks program, President Wallace hosted a highly anticipated conversation with global lifestyle, superstar designer Kelly Wearstler.

Here’s to the next 5+ years, SCAD!