The SBTD Directors are delighted to announce a new National Exhibition Project (NEP) entitled design | stage to be held in Coventry in early Spring 2027 with Dana Pinto as our new Curator. We have secured our venue for the next SBTD national exhibition, design | stage, showcasing the membership’s professional work from 2023–2027. SBTD has previously held physical exhibitions in Sheffield, Manchester, Cardiff, and Nottingham, and we are now delighted to share that we will be heading to Coventry in the Midlands in early Spring 2027. design | stage will take place in Coventry University’s new space on the top floor of the City Centre Cultural Gateway building (CCCG). This vibrant cultural hub is developing a strong creative and cultural infrastructure that will help reshape the city centre’s identity. The building is currently undergoing renovation, due to be completed by January 2027, with other tenants, including the Arts Council and the British Council, moving onto the third and fourth floors in summer 2026, followed by the Coventry Transport Museum on the first floor and a street food market on the ground floor. There is space to show a great range of work, including installations, performances, large costumes, puppets and artefacts as well as design process in all its forms. So please start thinking how you would like visitors to encounter your ideas, processes, collaborations and commitment to working sustainably and ethically. There will be a full colour print catalogue to accompany the exhibition, a range of events and schools programme and we are in discussions as to how work can be shown in follow-on galleries around the UK. The SBTD is also co-ordinating the UK participation in PQ2027, which will be announced separately.

 

Introducing design | stage Curator - Dana Pinto

 

Born in Greenwich to immigrant working-class parents whose dreams of studying Architecture and Fashion Design remained unfulfilled, I grew up in a household shaped by spatial design and fashion. This environment nurtured my own passion for spatial design. I went on to study Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art and later completed an MA in Scenography at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. I have designed sets and costumes for film, theatre, musicals, dance, and opera, and I have lectured in Scenic Construction and Painting at Lewisham College, eventually leading courses and curriculum teams at Bromley College of Further and Higher Education. As a Qualification Writer, I have authored nationally delivered Production Arts courses and founded both the School of Scenography (2018) and Design + Tech Innovations Ltd. I also served as the UK Managing Editor for The Scenographer (2020 to 2024). In addition, I have been a Governor at a large London school, leading on Writing and SEN, and spent fourteen years on the Board of the charity Second Wave Performing Arts. As Vice Chair/Treasurer, I helped drive initiatives that address misogyny, abuse, stop and search, and extremism through creative arts programmes. Now on the Committee of The Society of British Theatre Designers, I contribute to mentoring, representation, and collaborative projects, sharing my experience in design, education, and leadership to support the next generation of Designers. I am excited to curate SBTD’s design | stage because it allows us to celebrate and showcase the creativity, skill, and innovation of UK Theatre Designers. The exhibition aligns with my work supporting Designers and provides a platform to highlight diverse voices, explore the medley of design and storytelling, and inspire the next generation of Designers.

 

 

We are building our next SBTD National Exhibition (2023–2027), a landmark project that honours five decades of theatre design excellence. This is your opportunity to contribute to a lasting legacy and showcase the creativity of SBTD members across the UK and beyond.  In being part of design | stage, we honour the past, strengthen the present, and lay the foundations for the next fifty years of creativity in theatre design. Inside design | stage A vibrant exhibition of realised design work by over 150 SBTD Designers, featuring Set models • Costumes • Puppets • Props • Set Pieces • Sketches • Storyboards Media Installations • Interactive Experiences • Immersive Experiences Filmed interviews with exhibiting Designers Spaces for Education, Workshop and Panel Talks Retail and retrospective sections celebrating 50 years of SBTD Planned Exhibition Dates:  January – February 2027 Location:  City Centre Cultural Gateway, Coventry Step Into The Spotlight We are forming teams to help shape and deliver this national celebration Organisation & Funding Media & Digital Content Editorial & Publications Education & Workshops Sustainability Construction Technical (Lighting, Sound & Interactive Design) All contributors will be credited in the exhibition catalogue and media materials. The Stage is Yours Be part of an exciting moment in SBTD history. Collaborate. Create. Celebrate. Shaping our Creative Future Together Please email Dana Pinto at exhibitions@sbtd.org.uk to let us know how you wish to participate in design | stage