The Designers Institute of New Zealand exists to serve New Zealand’s design community and represent its interests to the wider world. Formed in 1991, we grew from the merger of the New Zealand Society of Industrial Designers (formed 1960), and the New Zealand Association of Interior Designers (formed 1968). Today, we represent a much broader range of disciplines: graphic design, digital design, motion design, spatial design, industrial design (product design), design in business and design education.

Together Building The Best Design Community in the World

Kia ora. Welcome. As a designer, or a member of the design community of Aotearoa, we extend our invitation to you to join us. To engage, connect, share and compare with us. DINZ exists to be your voice; help us shape what that voice should say.

Our Vision
That professional designers are valued and rewarded for the contribution they make to the economic, cultural and social growth of New Zealand.

Our Mission
Bring the different design disciplines together under a united front
- Improve the standards of professional service.
- Increase demand for design excellence
- Increase the profile of design
- Encourage the development of professional skills within the          membership

BUILDING
We believe a strong design industry is at the heart of Aotearoa New Zealand’s economic, cultural and creative future. That is at the heart of our kaupapa. Together, we will build up our industry and our designers, at every stage of their careers.

As a DINZ member, we can help build your success by supporting the advancement of you and your practice’s professional standards.

Legal support
Streamline and protect yourself with our full suite of industry specific legal, business, insurance and contract documents. These are available to all members at no charge.

PDINZ
Fly the flag as a professional member, using the PDINZ appellation to indicate your commitment to your profession.

Student Council
Speak up as a design student by joining the Student Council, gaining access to the DINZ board and ensuring representation for your emerging peers.

Be heard
Shape our design future by serving on the DINZ board and voting at the AGM.

Mentor programme
Help guide our next generation of creative talent through the process of becoming job-ready, honing their body of work and their identity as a professional designer.

Knowledge sharing
Meet like-minded colleagues within our membership, whether you’re a studio seeking new talent or a younger member starting your life of design.

THE BEST
We champion the exceptional, pursuing and promoting excellence in design. We believe that New Zealand’s best design can be the world’s best too. That means committing to raising the bar, year after year.

We also have the best reach. DINZ is the only organisation in Aotearoa providing a voice for all designers, across all disciplines, and representing design as a profession and industry.

We represent the best interests of all New Zealand designers practicing design in:
- Graphics
- Digital
- Spatial
- Product
- Motion
- User Experience
- Design in Business
- Education

Best Awards
DINZ recognises the best of the industry each year at Australasia’s biggest and best design awards. The Best Awards is the brightest night in the design calendar, bringing together friends, colleagues and rivals in a night of celebration. This is a night to be recognised for your mahi, your graft, your vision. Members can enter their work at a reduced rate.

DESIGN COMMUNITY
We’re here to grow community and collegiality between members, because people are the heart and soul of great design work and a thriving industry.

DINZ provides member benefits, events, celebration, acknowledgments and korero that help you value yourself and each other.

D.Card
Reap the benefits of a close design community and receive discounts on your favourite materials and objects from your design friends.

D.Curated
Celebrate our community with specially curated New Zealand design objects released in limited numbers exclusively for DINZ.

Connect
DINZ is forging lasting relationships between students and industry professionals with:
- Folio Night
- Best of the Best Student Speak
- Studio Interviews
- Student Only Open Studio
- DINZ Mentoring Program
- Designers Speak® Secondary Schools

DINZ runs events open to Members and Non-Members:
- Open StudioTM
- Designers Speak®
- Designers Speak® - Across the Ditch
- Best of the Best Designers Speak®
- No Borders
- Pixel to Product
- Designing for Impact
- The Form Forum®
- The Graphic Forum
- The Product Forum

IN THE WORLD
We’re proud and passionate advocates for the industry, promoting and speaking up for the kaupapa of New Zealand design locally and globally.

Memorandums of Understanding
DINZ is a member of the WDO and ico-D.

We also have MOUs with; Good Design; Industrial Design Society of America, IDSA; Design Institute Australia, DIA; Cumulus; and the Australian Graphic Design Association, AGDA.

GALA
We helped formed the GALA Design Alliance of Guangzhou, Auckland, and Los Angeles and we run the Tripartite Internship Leadership Program for the three cities.

Acknowledgement
We acknowledge those that help push the boundaries of design, both inside and out.

  • The John Britten Black Pin is awarded each year to a designer for their leadership, vision and achievement both in New Zealand and internationally.
  • The Designers Institute Black Pin is awarded each year to a member of the Institute who has made a lasting and valuable contribution to the design profession and design culture in New Zealand.

Advocacy
Our work happens everyday via our members’ contribution to the promotion of design:
- Media commentary on topical design issues
- Representation at national and international events
- Forming relationships with corporations, government and ministerial departments that help advance our design culture.

The Board

The Designers Institute Board is made up of members from each of the industry’s design sectors. Each sector’s board representation is relative to what proportion of the total membership that sector represents. The board directs the affairs of the Designers Institute, determines policy and controls the organisation’s monies and finances.

  • Cathy Veninga FDINZ
    Cathy Veninga FDINZ
    CEO
  • James Carnie HonDINZ
    James Carnie HonDINZ
    DINZ Honorary Solicitor
  • Catriona Knapp HonDINZ
    Catriona Knapp HonDINZ
    DINZ Treasurer
  • Anzac Tasker FDINZ
    Anzac Tasker FDINZ
    Co-President
  • Mark Dalton FDINZ
    Mark Dalton FDINZ
    Co-President
  • Katene Durie-Doherty PDINZ
    Katene Durie-Doherty PDINZ
    Māori
  • Colette McCartney PDINZ
    Colette McCartney PDINZ
    Māori/Spatial
  • Valentina Machina FDINZ
    Valentina Machina FDINZ
    Spatial
  • Andy Florkowski FDINZ
    Andy Florkowski FDINZ
    Spatial
  • Sarah Melrose FDINZ
    Sarah Melrose FDINZ
    Graphics
  • Gideon Keith FDINZ
    Gideon Keith FDINZ
    Graphics
  • Caroline McCaw PDINZ
    Caroline McCaw PDINZ
    Education
  • Jesse Keith PDINZ
    Jesse Keith PDINZ
    Industrial Design
  • Terry Williams-Wilcock FDINZ
    Terry Williams-Wilcock FDINZ
    Digital
  • Luke Pittar FDINZ
    Luke Pittar FDINZ
    Design in Business