Semi Permanent is a creative experience company, best known for hosting annual design festivals.[1] Semi Permanent provides creative and production services via SP Studio and SP Productions. Semi Permanent produces innovative creative experiences for clients, including Google, Dropbox and National Geographic.[2]

Semi-Permanent
2023 Semi Permanent Sydney 2023
GenreDesign Festival
FrequencyAnnually
Years active1 January 2003 (2003-01-01) – present
FounderMurray Bell and Andrew Johnstone
Websitesemipermanent.com

The first Semi Permanent event was hosted in Sydney, Australia in 2003. Semi Permanent host events throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as international events in the United States, United Kingdom and China. Semi Permanent curate and host new events throughout the world each year.[3]

Some of the executive attendants of the event have been Industrial Light & Magic, Ed Templeton, Wieden+Kennedy, Shepard Fairey, Jeffrey Deitch, Paula Scher, Oliver Stone, Radiohead and Paul Pope.

In 2020 Semi Permanent announced their partnership with digital publisher Highsnobiety.[4]

Since 2013 Semi Permanent has been part of the Vivid Ideas calendar. Previous Semi Permanent festival line-ups have included presentations from Fancesco Zizola,[5] Brian Roettinger,[6] Numskull,[7] and many more.



Background

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Founded in 2002 by Murray Bell and Andrew Johnstone, Semi Permanent encompasses three core business pillars: Semi Permanent, SP Brand Studio and SP Productions.[8]

The Semi Permanent office is located in Sydney, Australia.

Semi Permanent is the company's namesake brand, encompassing a global design festival, annual book, website and more. Semi Permanent have been running creativity festivals since 2003 in cities across the globe, including Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Portugal. Past speakers and collaborators include iconic filmmakers Oliver Stone, Michel Gondry, and the Coppola family; artists Tom Sachs, CJ Hendry and Alex Israel; and the world’s most renowned creatives including Nike’s Tinker Hatfield, Pentagram’s Paula Scher, Pro Skater Tony Hawk, architect Bjarke Ingels and many more. Previous festivals have included the collaborations with Google Tilt Brush[9] and National Geographic.[10] Previous festival themes include "Truth" in 2019,[11] and "Restless" in 2020.[12]

Semi Permanent publishes an annual book, featuring interviews with creative thought leaders. Previously featured interviews, conversations and work include talent such as Alicia Keys, Cara Stricker, Takashi Murakami, Nadia Lee Cohen and Kevin Parker.[13]

SP Brand Studio co-created a two-day live sport & creativity experience in 2021, and created an immersive retrospective with Stanley Donwood and Radiohead with a bespoke soundscape by Thom Yorke.

SP Productions is Semi Permanents 'white label' events and production agency.

SP Productions worked with Google to curate, program and produce their global diversity and inclusion program, Rare.[14]

Past speakers and collaborators (selection)

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References

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  1. ^ "Semi Permanent Sydney 2020". Broadsheet.
  2. ^ "Semi Permanent Brand Studio". Semi Permanent.
  3. ^ Magazine, Wallpaper* (3 May 2012). "Semi-Permanent creative conference: Wallpaper* Magazine". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  4. ^ "Highsnobiety and Semi Permanent announce strategic partnership in Australia". Mumbrella. 11 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Francesco Zizola: the camera as a tool for democracy | afr.com". 2016-03-09. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. ^ "'A collaboration is always a journey'". Daily Life. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  7. ^ "العاب نار". www.nargames.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  8. ^ "Semi Permanent - What we do". Semi Permanent.
  9. ^ "Google Tilt Brush Case Study". Semi Permanent.
  10. ^ "National Geographic Make Good Not Plastic". Semi Permanent.
  11. ^ "Semi Permanent 2019 at Carriageworks". Carriageworks.
  12. ^ "Semi Permanent Sydney 2020". Broadsheet.
  13. ^ "Semi Permanent Restless 2020". Semi Permanent.
  14. ^ "Google Rare 2020 Case Study". Semi Permanent.