TASMIM 213 – September Edition Report
The Story of Annaba’s Personalized Wall Calendars
On Monday, September 28, 2026, ORKIDS Incubator hosted the September edition of TASMIM 213 at the Annaba Innovation Center, bringing together participants to explore a distinctive chapter in the city’s graphic design and advertising history: personalized wall calendars.
The session offered an opportunity to revisit the golden years of this advertising medium, particularly among the participants who had contributed to the special exhibition accompanying the event. Drawing on their professional experiences, attendees shared memories of their most remarkable creations and discussed the intense artistic competition among local design and advertising agencies to attract clients and produce increasingly distinctive designs.
From Advertising Tool to Decorative Art
During the session, the host presented a video tracing the evolution of wall calendars and their role in the visual and commercial landscape.
The discussion explored how these calendars gradually evolved from practical tools for checking dates and promoting businesses into artistic and decorative objects, valued for their visual appeal, creative details, and content.
While quantity and widespread distribution once played a major role in their success, the contemporary approach increasingly emphasizes quality, originality, and the artistic value of each design.
Participants also reflected on the changing place of printed advertising in a digital world and the factors that have contributed to the decline of personalized wall calendars as a widely used promotional medium.
A Special Exhibition at the Annaba Innovation Center
The session concluded with a visit to the exhibition installed in the lobby of the Annaba Innovation Center, opposite the entrance to the ORKIDS Incubator.
The exhibition featured a collection of distinctive wall-calendar designs, including examples dating back to the 1990s and the early 2000s. These works offered visitors a glimpse into the creativity, visual styles, and printing practices that characterized different periods of Annaba’s advertising history.
The collection brought together contributions from four communication and advertising agencies in Annaba that remain active today, highlighting their role in shaping the city’s visual identity and preserving a valuable part of its creative heritage.
Preserving Design Heritage Through TASMIM 213
Through this edition, TASMIM 213 provided a space for professionals and design enthusiasts to exchange experiences, revisit past creative practices, and reflect on how traditional advertising formats can inspire contemporary design.
By connecting professional memories with a public exhibition, the event highlighted the importance of preserving local design heritage while encouraging new generations to explore the relationship between creativity, communication, and visual culture.