Design Trust 2026 October Call for Grants under Theme “Technology as Community”

Since its establishment in 2014, Design Trust has been offering grants to individual designers, curators, collectives as well as non-profit organisations, supporting over 260 research projects supported by Seed & Feature Grants and Fellowship schemes. To continue advocating for the positive role of design facing the ever-changing context of urgent topics, the theme for the upcoming grants cycle of October 2026 for applications for Design Trust Seed Grant and Feature Grant will be “Technology as Community”, exploring how the evolving technology landscape may inform new opportunities for design research, heritage activation, industrial design and material innovation to engage a wider community. By reframing digital and physical tools as collaborative platform, the theme “Technology as Community” encourages projects that mobilise data-driven insights and immersive media tools to further advocate the positive role of design for the community.

Design Trust offers grants to individual designers, curators, collectives and non-profit organisations for projects and activities that are relevant to various design disciplines. These grants support projects relevant to the context and content of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Cities within the Greater Bay Area include: the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and the nine municipalities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province. We support innovative, thought-provoking investigations in various design disciplines from graphics, media, wearables, architecture to the built environment; and actively aim to accelerate creative design and research development of meaningful projects. These projects shall demonstrate originality, criticality and urgency of the research topic, and include but are not limited to: exhibitions, research projects and creative installations, that can benefit and further advocate the positive role of design in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

DESIGN TRUST SEED GRANT fosters a culture of experimentation, testing and sharing. It is awarded to individuals seeking to kick-start a meaningful and intellectual project with social, educational, economical or environmental impact for communities. Seed Grants may support applicants who have a project in the pipeline that needs additional resources, as well as emerging designers, and young scholars. Design Trust highly encourages applicants from the region to international applicants to apply for this grant to support their research projects and prototypes focusing on Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area issues to be showcased at international venues, symposium or international biennales, and in return mutually benefit the public realm and knowledge exchange in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

DESIGN TRUST FEATURE GRANT fosters cross-disciplinary projects focusing on the Greater Bay Area region. Projects awarded have a wide reaching audience and may be sited in an exhibition or biennale venue with international recognition and standing. This grant supports international exchanges between a Hong Kong/ China based collective with an international renowned cultural institution, as well as research efforts on Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area region. It aims to excel, share and build new knowledge and unique positions on the value of design, critical research and provocative outcome. Applicants are also encouraged to submit critical and creative ongoing research proposals that advance design competency for the benefit of the public. Share with us your ideas and proposals by October 20th 2026!

More details on application here.