Surface Spotlight, curated by Sally Angharad, has been a central attraction at Surface Design Show since its conception in 2023. In the Archive of Innovation we explore the Themes we have covered so far and look forward to our theme for our 2026 show: Material Evolution. 

Shaping Communities aims to improve the built environment through collaboration, design solutions, and exploring an open dialogue among industries and brands to build stronger relationships between people and places. It holds that our built environment should inspire conversations where human experience and community identity are paramount. SDS23 highlighted that design decisions not only create pleasing areas but evoke emotional responses and enhance productivity and mental wellbeing. It emphasized that sustainable practices are imperative to positive human and environmental outcomes.

Mindful Living embraces intuitive design and analytical insight to craft meaningful spaces, recognizing materials, tangible or digital, as cornerstones of multisensory experiences. As technology and creativity converge, virtual and physical realms blur, inviting a rethinking of the built environment. By balancing human and machine intelligence, designers pioneer innovations, such as AI driven research and immersive digital aesthetics that respond to our evolving world. In 2024, this approach highlights the ambition to design well while doing good, emphasizing zero waste manufacturing and sustainable alternatives.

The theme for 2025 is Creative Conscience. Creative Conscience embodies a drive and commitment to sustainable, ethical, and innovative design. This forward-thinking attitude explores the harmonious fusion of colour, sustainability and ingenuity in surface design for architecture and interiors. Harnessing creativity while encouraging meaningful connections to the world around us, designers can offer more sophisticated, adaptable, and user-centric solutions. Creative Conscience not only enhances functionality and aesthetics but also promotes a deeper connection to sustainable living.