Brief Festival 2018  

This graphic design festival, the fifth edition of which will be held this year, is taking place from October 4 to 6. The closing conference will include the participation of curator and multilingual typesetting designer Huda AbiFarès.

The Brief Festival has two different objectives: to promote excellence among current and future professionals and to increase awareness among the population about the importance of graphic creation and its role. It is a multidisciplinary, egalitarian festival that cooperates with professionals to seek out solution for the major problems of society and to spread awareness out towards the rest of society. Its schedule includes conferences, workshops, exhibitions, networking, a design competition and the creation of macro-collages, as well as other activities. It is held annually at the Conde Duque Cultural Center.

Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès is the founder and director of the Khatt Foundation and the publishing firm Khatt Books. She is a curator, writer, designer and independent publisher, as well as being a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale since 2015. Headquartered in Amsterdam, her professional, cultural and educational activities stretch from the United States and Europe to the Arab world. She has earned degrees at the University of Leiden (PhD, 2017), Yale University School of Art (MFA, 1990) and the Rhode Island School of Design (BFA, 1987). She specializes in researching and designing multilingual typesetting. She has had several books published on Arabic typesetting and design and is a regular contributor to academic and professional publications. She has taught design in Beirut and Dubai and regularly holds workshops all over the world. Since 2016, she has been a supervisor of PhD candidates in the Arts Program at the University of Leiden. She works as a curator, writer, designer and independent publisher.

Her talk will be taking place on  Saturday, October 6 at 7:10 p.m.In order to attend, you must acquire a ticket here.

Further information