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Credit: Courtesy of Semi Permanent

A proliferation of Vans Old Skools and camera straps slung across the body this morning at Carriageworks was as sure a sign as any that Semi Permanent, the annual creative conference, has returned to Sydney.

Over the coming days, Semi Permanent will play host to a number of headline talks, panels, experiences and workshops drawing on movers and shakers from the worlds of art, design, media and business.

Iconic director Oliver Stone, and senior figures from the likes of Google, VICE media, Nike, Frog, DesignStudio, Tilt Brush and more are slated to discuss topics as disparate as immersive storytelling, AI and VR, rebranding and redesigning cities, as well as unpacking the future of creative communities, work and publishing.

One session, Going International/Staying Local, will host a discussion between Australian-based creative collaborators – architect Kelvin Ho, and designers David Caon and Henry Wilson – who’ll share their experiences when it comes to identifying the moment in the development of a business when time comes to decide whether to head international or return home and funnel resources into local industry. Another, Designing Global Empathy, will feature Nike’s Global Brand Director Ron Dumas and Design Director Meirion Pritchard, who’ll talk about how the iconic sportswear brand has been able to grow and evolve to meet market needs since the 1970s. And over three separate sessions, DesignStudio’s Paul Stafford will unpack the ambitions, planning and process required of creatively overhauling some of the world’s biggest brands, including Airbnb, The Premier League and Deliveroo.

Tickets for Saturday’s events are still available, and in keeping with Semi Permanent’s legacy of providing a largely unrivalled forum for generating and unpacking new and established ideas about the world in which we live, are not to be missed. You can find out more information at Semi Permanent.

Tile and cover image: Courtesy of Semi Permanent