• Bilbao

Facts and Figures

 

about
Bilbao, Spain


Inhabitants

Around 347,278 inhabitants

Area

40,68 km2


Bilbao is the capital of the province of Bizkaia, part of the Basque Country.

It is located 14 km to the south of the Bay of Biscay.

Design is constantly present in our daily lives, often without us being aware of it. Good design attempts to combine functionality, comfort and visual attractiveness in many of the objects and processes which we use every day, and improves people’s lives. Bilbao sees the UNESCO City of Design as a commitment which generates synergies; an international strategic framework capable of optimising resources and boosting incentives; an umbrella under which all public and private initiatives fit together, striving for the transformation, growth and development of Bilbao and its citizens through the use of design and creativity.

The new journey that Bilbao has undertaken within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network has the firm and resolute backing of the implicated institutions, the agreement of the organisations working towards creativity and design in the region, and the enthusiasm and commitment of professionals and citizens. They bring a rich history of creativity, design and innovation, dynamic organisational structures and innovative means. The objective is to develop a future, where creativity forms an intimate part of everyone’s life.

The City has a long tradition regarding cultural life. In order to maintain a very dynamic cultural environment, significant efforts have been made in the creation of policies and support programmes, new infrastructures and contemporary events, in order to enable citizen participation and to open up this area to as many collectives as possible.

Half of the population and economic activity in the Basque Country is concentrated in the metropolitan area of Bilbao, making it one of the fastest-growing Atlantic regions in Europe as well as a national model in advanced technology.

Discover Bilbao

CALL // International Fashion Design Contest

The 9th edition of the International Fashion Design Contest organized by   BIAAF, Bilbao Art&Fashion, is open to emerging designers of any nationality between 18 and 35.…

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BILBAO BIZKAIA DESIGN WEEK’23

Are ecosystems designed and organized or do we let life unfold? How do we balance catering to what is emerging and what is planned? What…

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Call for digital art projects // Bideotikan

What is Bideotikan? In the streets of Bilbao, in its avenues, in its subway tunnels, there are more and more screens. The same happens in…

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BILBAO BIZKAIA DESIGN WEEK 2022

EC(H)O-SYSTEM/ERRESONANTZIA How do design and creativity vibrate and make us vibrate? How do they resonate in our daily lives? How can we promote the development…

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Design Research Conference 2022

We have recently lived through extraordinary times where design in many forms has been necessary to counter the enormous problems we have faced and continue…

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8th Bilbao International Art & Fashion Design Competition

Our International Fashion Design Contest is targeted at emerging designers from all over the world aged 18 to 35 and counts with the support and…

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Bilbao Bizkaia Design Week 2020 // EmpathyRE. Redesigning a changing world

Bilbao Bizkaia Design Week (BBDW) is an event organized by the Bilbao Bizkaia Design Council (BiDC), an initiative of Bilbao City Council and the Biscay…

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7th International BIAAF Contest

Outstanding creativity and passion for fashion prevail at the 7th International BIAAF Contest, betting on talent “now more than ever” The organization reinforces its commitment…

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Tracking Bilbao

Tracking Bilbao represents the different ways of expresión of the multidisciplinary world, that are very bound to the popular culture in the digital era.

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