DESIGN firms that threw their doors open for a day as part of Liverpool Design Festival say the event was such a success that they will hold regular open days of their own.

Ten city creative agencies held open days last Friday, as part of “Open Studios”, to promote their work and to help graduates find out more about careers in design. Each studio attracted dozens of visitors.

Now USP Creative, in Old Hall Street, has pledged to make the open days a regular event. And Open Studios organiser Design Initiative says it expects other studios will follow USP’s lead.

Gary Wheat, from USP, said: “We found the open day to be of real value.

“In some corners, the perception is Liverpool can lack creativity. However, the people we met, both students and potential new clients, were evidence that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“The day also made us realise we have a real responsibility to the up-and-coming talent to help them get a foot on the ladder. We were inundated with enquiries and unfortunately couldn’t help everyone we would have liked to.

“So, with this in mind, we will be launching a series of client and student workshop open days on a quarterly basis. In short, it was a great success for USP, and we hope that those who attended enjoyed it as much as we did.”

The other agencies that took part in Open Studios were Black & Ginger, Bolland & Lowe, Error Creative Studio, Mercy, Nonconform, PH Creative, Smiling Wolf, Splinter Design and Uniform.

Martin Chapman Fromm, of Error Creative Studio, said: “It was heartening to see so many interested folk visit the studios in Liverpool.

“As a creative and business owner, you often forget how much of what you do is a mystery to those who are starting out, so it was lovely to answer a lot of questions about how we work and survive.”