Every June, people from around the world come together in Copenhagen to celebrate design. Among them are our Design Ambassadors – a group of passionate creatives who help bring the festival to life, welcoming guests, connecting people and sharing their perspectives on everything happening across the city.

Launched in 2025, the Design Ambassador programme was created with a simple idea in mind: to open our doors a little wider and invite more people into the 3daysofdesign community.

"We wanted to give people the opportunity to experience the festival from the inside and feel that they were genuinely part of our community," explains Oliver Wilson from 3daysofdesign, who leads the programme. "But it's also about what they bring to us. Different backgrounds, cultures and perspectives enrich the festival and help us see things in new ways."

A community that keeps growing

Across Copenhagen's 8 Design Districts, our Design Ambassadors welcome visitors, support exhibitors and capture memorable moments through their Leica cameras.

Over the programme's first two years,we've seen how the connections made during the festival continue to grow long after everyone returns home.

"One of the most wonderful things has been seeing the connections between the ambassadors themselves," says Oliver. "They arrive from different parts of the world, spend these intense days together and form friendships that last. Some return to Copenhagen the following year, and suddenly you see ambassadors from different years connecting. In that sense, once you're an ambassador, you're always part of the community."

The moments that stay with us

For Anika Ghaghda, an interior designer from Toronto, Canada, who joined the programme in 2025, one particular moment stands out.

While visiting an exhibition by &Tradition in a historic Copenhagen mansion, she caught sight of a beautiful spiral staircase through a doorway. The light coming through the windows stopped her in her tracks. Armed with her Leica camera, she began photographing the staircase from every angle.

"I think the festival is just so high energy, that that moment really allowed me to just stay present and slow down and really take in what was around," she recalls.

But the experience also had a much bigger impact. Having previously experienced much of the international design world through her phone, being in Copenhagen surrounded by inspiring designers encouraged Anika to pursue her own ideas and find her voice.

Since the festival, photography has also become an important creative outlet for her, leading to new connections and opportunities.

Beyond Copenhagen

At 3daysofdesign, we believe in the power of design to bring people together, open new perspectives and act as a catalyst for positive change. Copenhagen is where we gather each year, but the ideas, inspiration and connections travel much further.

The Design Ambassador programme is one way of bringing that vision to life. Through the people who participate, the relationships they build and the experiences they carry home, our international community continues to grow beyond the three days of the festival.

For Anika, some of her most meaningful memories came from the simplest interactions: conversations with fellow ambassadors, exhibitors and festival guests, or sharing discoveries over breakfast before heading out into the city.

The festival may last three days. But the connections, friendships and new perspectives lasts much longer.

You can now apply to take part in our 2027 programme during the 14th edition of 3daysofdesign, 9 – 11 June 2027.