It is with a heavy heart that we announce the formal closure of the Design Gala project.

Why?

Over the years, we were able to provide fresh and new wallpapers designed by a team of over twelve skilled artists. However, when former owner Anika and I left for college in mid 2023, production dramatically slowed and we were unable to provide in the same consistency. On top of this, we hadn't mastered a way for artists to independently upload their works without conflict. This led to the website frequently going months without any new works uploaded to the website.

In mid 2024, Anika formally resigned from the project to focus on her mental health. I, as new owner, was unable to meet the strict promises Design Gala needed to thrive. With no artists interested in working on the project, myself included, it became realization that it's time to leave the project and move onto better things.

What will happen now?

Design Gala will become an archival state, where no new works will be able to be uploaded, but existing wallpapers can continue to be viewed and downloaded. The website will remain in this state until November 2025.

The website will come to a full closure in November 2025, where it will become inaccessible and its domain to be sold.

The Legacy

When we launched our artist program in August 2022, our main intention was to serve as a starting spot for new artists and advise them on their art. It's safe to say that I am extremely proud of all artists who have volunteered their work onto our website over the years. Many of them got a healthy start through this project, where many of them continue to create new art either independently or on larger-name studios.

Design Gala works have collected over 10,000 downloads in 2.5 years, with many ranked positively among its community. We also saw an interest in expansion with studio works, which sadly never came to light.

Closing Remarks

Thank you to everybody, from the team who built this website, to the viewers who used our website for great wallpapers, and to you. None of Design Gala would've been able to happen without all these things combined. I hope we can meet again.