DUBAI: The second UAE Designer Exhibition is a “very great opportunity for the designers to get introduced into the market,” says the man behind the event, Lebanese multi-disciplinary artist Ghassan Salameh. The creative director of this year’s Dubai Design Week, as well as the brains behind “Abwab” and the “2040: d3 Architecture Exhibition,” Salameh carefully selected the 27 participating designers from a pool of 70 applicants. Graphic designer Yara Habib, designer Leen Kahaleh and architect Mohamed Rowaizak are among the local talent presenting their works, which are for sale and range from furniture and jewelry to lighting accessories. “One of the only ways designers can market their work is by being in trade fairs and design weeks, so giving them this platform is also giving them a chance to interact with business professionals and people who are interested in investing in their work and buying their work,” Salameh said. As design weeks are typically focused on established designers, Salameh said that he wanted to give an opportunity to up-and-coming creatives who can’t necessarily afford to rent a space or invest in being part of a design week. “All the designers have to do is develop the products and bring them, while we produce the exhibition for them and give them a spot to be exhibited. “It’s about offering an equal opportunity for everyone to display their work,” he said. The platform also allows designers to enhance their projects while strengthening their audience base and professional network. “It’s really the first time their work is being assessed, so it’s kind of a chance for the designers to test whatever they’ve been working on for a while and see if it’s market-ready,” explains the curator. The UAE Designer Exhibition is underway at the Dubai Design District on Nov. 9-13.