Bienenstock Furniture Library Fundraises for Next Future Designers Summit Event

The  Bienenstock Furniture Library kicks off a new fundraising campaign to support student scholarships and event programming for its second annual Bienenstock Future Designers Summit by soliciting industry sponsorships and donations now through March, in preparation for the fall event.

Set for September 21-23, the next Future Designers Summit will provide a curated, three-day experience, including keynote presentations by industry professionals, educational breakout sessions, and facility tours. Up to 40 students from U.S. colleges and universities will participate, representing a variety of academic disciplines, including interior design, furniture design, industrial design, textile design, interior architecture, and fashion merchandising. 

This year’s keynote speakers include Caroline Hipple, President, Norwalk Furniture; Patti Carpenter, Principal, carpenter + company and Trendscope; and Jane Dagmi, Editor in Chief, Designers Today.

For a second year, The Broyhill Family Foundation is sponsoring a $5,000 scholarship to be awarded September 23, during the event’s closing session at the Universal Furniture Showroom in High Point.

Last year’s success provided impetus for planning the 2022 event, according to the summit organizers and student attendees.

“The most impactful moments came from forming connections with other industry members,” says Ethan Barbour, a Savannah College of Art and Design student who attended the inaugural event last fall. “In school, it is so rare that students can connect with professionals outside of an academic setting. Those conversations have stuck with me and have been the main thing I share with friends and classmates at SCAD.”

Outside of the scholarship funding, event sponsors and industry contributors will help to offset the costs of travel, accommodations and meals for each student attendee, as well as to cover expenses for program development and marketing.

To learn more, and to make online payments for company sponsorships or individual donations using the library’s PayPal account, visit the Future Designers Summit page located on the Bienenstock Furniture Library website. 

Contributors for the 2022 Bienenstock Future Designers Summit to date include The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Foundation, International Market Centers (IMC), High Point Market Authority, Universal Furniture, Savour Partnership, Otto & Moore, Inc, Davis Furniture, Crypton LLC, 220 Elm, Catherine and Richard Frinier, Century Furniture/Rock House Farm Family of Brands, Gwen Emery, and Nancy Fire Designs.

About the Bienenstock Furniture Library: The Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library is a worldwide center for research, design, and collaboration.  It holds the world’s largest collection of rare and significant books on the history and design of furniture, with more than 5,000 volumes.

The Library is located in High Point, NC and is open to members of the home furnishings industry, students and the general public. The Library was founded in 1970 with an endowment from Furniture World Magazine and the Bienenstock family. It is supported by a board of directors from nearly every facet of the home furnishings industry. It is devoted to the advancement of knowledge about design, furniture, interiors, architecture, textiles, finishes, and constructions.

The Library’s rare book collection contains volumes published since 1543. A special climate-controlled room houses these rare volumes. It is a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone interested in home furnishings and interior design.  

The Library’s facilities include the Vuncannon Seminar Room, the high-tech Hadley Court Center for Design Collaboration and the Pat Plaxico Sculpture Gardens.  These areas are available for seminars, classes, events, meetings, design collaborations, networking and design retreats for a small honorarium.

For more information visit www.furniturelibrary.com or contact Karla Webb, Library Director at [email protected] or 336-883-4011.