Festa del Grafisme: Underground Design Festival on Costa Brava

Portbou, the last town in the Pyrenees on the Costa Brava, hosts the Festa del Grafisme, an annual late-summer gathering celebrating underground design. Now in its 11th edition (September 10–16, 2018), the festival introduces the Tallers de la Festa, a new program of five-day workshops led by international designers including Anthony Burrill, Bendita Gloria, Curro Claret, and members of Leve (Francesc Pla and Eva Serrats). The workshops are followed by two days of exhibitions, conferences, and concerts. Founded in 2007 after a trip to the International Poster and Graphic Design Festival of Chaumont, the non-profit event was organized by a group of friends, educators, and professionals. Art director Raul Goñi, co-founder and organizer since the first edition, notes that the 2016 (ninth) edition marked a turning point when the festival opened to other disciplines for a broader perspective on design. All activities are free except the workshops, which require registration. The location was chosen for its tranquil, liminal setting at the border between Spain and France, reflecting the festival's position at the intersection of art and communication, culture and business, inspiration and reflection, city and nature. The festival aims to provide a calm, humanistic space for professionals, students, and the public to reflect on the communicative and social function of graphic design.