Welcome to Future & Focus, the biggest NZ Sign & Print Expo yet!
An absolute truckload of work has gone into planning and delivering this event, and I’m incredibly proud of what the NZSDA team, board, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, volunteers, and supporters have pulled together.
Ahead of Sign & Print Expo 2026 on 17 June, Design Assembly sat down with Nick Kapica to chat about wayfinding, typography, public spaces, and the subtle design decisions that help people feel confident, comfortable, and connected to the places around them.
Awards judging has officially wrapped up for 2026, and boy did you lot make it hard for the judges this year! With almost 300 entries, all at an incredibly high standard, the judges spent over 30 hours each poring over every detail before making their decisions. Feedback from the judges was…
Many businesses rely on contractors to help manage workloads, bring in specialist skills, and provide flexibility during busy periods. But a major legal change introduced in February 2026 means business owners should now take a closer look at those contractor relationships.
The NZ Sign & Print Expo is coming to Auckland Showgrounds on 17-19 June 2026, bringing together New Zealand’s largest gathering of print, signage and visual communication professionals. For designers, it offers a unique opportunity to see how creative ideas perform in the real world.
Reflecting on the rising use of AI – for me, I keep coming back to this: AI is a great place to start, but a dangerous place to finish.
It’s brilliant for exploration, amazing for admin, and useful for momentum.
But the final product – the thing that goes out into the world, with your name on it, that still needs you behind it.
I hope everybody enjoyed the Easter break and made the most of the downtime after a busy start to the year. It is hard to believe how quickly the year is already moving, and with several important dates approaching, now is a good time to stay across what is coming up.
There’s a real buzz building at the moment – and if you’ve been anywhere near the conversations lately, you’ll have felt it too.
Sign Expo is coming, and the stands are nearly sold out.
Positive Signs has become the first sign company to achieve Master Sign Maker accreditation in 2026, an achievement that owner Amanda Cookson says reflects her commitment to quality
