Semi Permanent’s theme for 2023 is ‘reformation’, inspiring conversations around ideas of rebuilding a positive collective future while referring to history to re-write past wrongs. Mitchell Oakley Smith, Semi Permanent’s global Creative Director, says, “we thought the world would seek to build itself back as it was, but it’s increasingly clear that our collective future cannot – nor should not – look anything like its past.” He continues, “one look around will tell you the seeds have already been sown: the promise of a borderless Web3 world; the reclaiming of time via remote work capabilities, and in its place, something new is beginning to emerge: new creative languages, new ways to communicate, to create, organise, disrupt, rebuild.”
This year’s program reflects such shifts within the broader scope of creative practice in 2023 – including filmmaking, graphic, photography, illustration, publishing and advertising alongside spatial and motion design, filmmaking, animation, Web3 and visual data. Themes delve into timely topics including futurism, feminism, First Nations culture, accessibility, sustainability and diversity.