DEMO Festival Crosses Borders

On January 30th, 2025, the world's largest motion design event will take over public spaces for 24 hours in fifteen cities in seven countries - from Amsterdam and Madrid to Los Angeles. Large digital screens in public areas, usually displaying advertisements, will be transformed into art installations showcasing work from over 300 designers from 52 countries. This third edition of the DEMO Festival for motion design marks its first international event.

DEMO stands for DEsign in MOtion and the festival provides a platform for both emerging talents and established creators of dynamic and innovative motion design. Dutch agency Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, the event organiser and initiator, collaborated with an international team of curators to select 600 designs created specifically for DEMO. The 2025 Cities Edition received a record-breaking 5,334 submissions. This selection for DEMO 2025’s Cities Edition reflects the diversity and potential of the rapidly growing field of motion design. Due to its powerful communicative ability, motion design is gaining momentum worldwide.

Motion brings design to life

On January 30th, colourful and surprising animations from the DEMO selection will be displayed for a full 24 hours on more than 250 screens located at train and metro stations, squares, public buildings, and shopping centres. In five cities in the Netherlands including Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the full programme will be screened. A specially curated selection will be on show on XL screens in Antwerp, Brussels, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, Utrecht Cardiff, Leeds, Madrid, Barcelona, Vancouver, and Los Angeles.

“New digital technologies have blurred the boundaries between static graphic work and motion design for designers, unlocking a rich and new visual language. Motion brings design to life,” says Liza Enebeis, creative director of Studio Dumbar/DEPT®. “DEMO is a platform to celebrate the creators and the endless possibilities of creativity in motion. With this outdoor festival, Studio Dumbar/DEPT® introduces the broader public and brands to the possibilities and beauty of this new visual language.”

DEMO is also an inspiring event for both the general public, motion designers and motion enthusiasts. During the DEMO symposium at Amsterdam Central Station, which serves as DEMO’s headquarters for the day, participants will reflect on the influence of motion design. “Our work in the public space shapes how we perceive cities, becoming an essential part of their identity and fabric. For the third edition of DEMO Festival, we expanded our reach to cities across Europe, the USA, and Canada. Designers from around the globe are invited to share their personal work, offering the people who live and work in these cities a new way to connect with these screens in the public space.” LIza adds.

Partner of the DEMO Festival is Global Media & Entertainment. “With DEMO, we highlight the importance of creativity in the Digital Out-of-Home industry,” says Guy Grimmelt, marketing and sales director of Global Media & Entertainment. “Together with adtrackmedia and blowUp media, we use digital screens in various major cities to give designers' work a broader platform in public spaces. In doing so, we show that public space doesn’t have to be reserved solely for commercial messages, but can also be a place for art and inspiration.”

Sneak Peek

Among the 600 designs showcased are works from prominent names in the motion design world, such as Swiss designer Dirk Koy, German designer Vincent Schwenk, and Finnish 3D design duo ALANKO+NUOTIO.

Click here for a sneak peek.

For DEMO 2025, visitors can follow a route along various screens at the stations or book a special guided tour led by Studio Dumbar/DEPT® designers. All selected works can also be viewed online in the DEMOverse that goes live on 30th January on DEMO's website.