Monthly news and updates for AIGA members
February 2007

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Contents

News and information
  AIGA awards 2007 Medal to Fella, Lupton, Mau and Olden  
  Be a part of history. 365 AIGA Design Competition deadline: March 2
  Vote now for AIGA’s board of dirctors
  Register for “Next: AIGA Design Conference”
  Register for Harvard Business School
  Design opinion leaders reveal renewed confidence in business growth
  AIGA’s redesigned website is close to launch
  AIGA acquires artifacts from the Gilbert Lesser collection
  Denver Art Museum and AIGA seek design curator
  AIGA Atlanta program pursues diversity in the profession
  Invest in young designers: 2007 Worldstudio AIGA Scholarships
  Thanks to recent contributors to AIGA
  
Advocacy
  President’s budget for the arts
  Unlocated Copyright Owners legislation
  Copyright for designs
  AIGA and designers at the United Nations
  Oregon to hire designer for election materials
  
www.aiga.org
  Voice: AIGA Journal of Design

Opportunities for inspiration and professional development
  Schools of Thoughts III
  IIT offers discounted Design Strategy Conference rates to members
  Intent/Content
  
Resources
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News and information
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AIGA awards 2007 Medal to Fella, Lupton, Mau and Olden
Edward Fella, Ellen Lupton, Bruce Mau and George Olden have been individually awarded the AIGA Medal for 2007, the highest honor bestowed by the profession.

The four Medalists will be celebrated at the Design Legends Gala to be held September 19 in New York City. The AIGA Medal recognizes individuals for their distinguished achievements, services or other contributions to the field of graphic design and visual communication. These contributions may be made through the practice of graphic design, teaching, writing or leadership in the profession.

Edward Fella. Eschewing design orthodoxies, Fella’s eccentric letterforms and compositions came into full fruition in the 1980s and subsequently influenced the course of expressive typography in the ensuing decades. A self-described “commercial artist,” Fella began his career in Detroit’s advertising world of the 1950s and nearly thirty years later entered graduate school at Cranbrook Academy of Art. In the past twenty years he has been a faculty member at CalArts where has had a profound influence on a younger generation of designers.

Ellen Lupton. Ellen Lupton established her presence in the graphic design world in the 1980s through the trailblazing activities of her studio, Design Writing Research, co-founded with her husband and partner J. Abbott Miller. Lupton’s intellectual curiosity, influential ideas, and passion for the field has found its place through her activities as a curator of contemporary design at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York, as a writer of books on typography and design, and as director of the graduate design program at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Bruce Mau. Crossing disciplinary boundaries has become the leitmotif of Bruce Mau’s eponymous design studio based in Toronto, but whose influence in the United States and worldwide has been substantial. Mau’s noted collaborations with leading artists, scholars, architects, and business leaders have produced enormously diverse projects that range from books to exhibitions, landscapes to textiles. His recent establishment of the Institute without Boundaries—part school, part studio, part think tank—and its inaugural project Massive Change tackles nothing less than the design of our world.

Georg Olden. Georg Olden made his name in the 1940s and 1950s design of early television graphics. As an art director at CBS for 15 years, he led the network’s design of on-air promotions and news graphics, creating the CBS “eye” logo. Olden later worked at BBDO as the television group art director and was vice-president at McCann-Erickson. However, Olden’s work in communication design extended beyond the medium of television. He was the first African-American commissioned by the Unites States Postal Service to design a postage stamp and was the graphic designer to the International Secretariat at the United Nations. He also received seven Clio awards and earned an advertising prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
www.aiga.org/aigamedalists

Be a part of history. 365: AIGA Design Competition deadline: March 2
Round up your finest design—AIGA’s annual competitions close March 2.

For nearly a century, AIGA’s competitions have been among the most prestigious in the design world. The AIGA design competitions are authoritative, so if your work is selected, it becomes history. Through each annual selection, AIGA creates a definitive chronicle of outstanding design solutions, each demonstrating the process of designing, the role of the designer and the value of design.

The entire registration procedure is online, streamlining the process and saving you time and paperwork. All selected entries will be placed in the AIGA Design Archives, a growing collection of exemplary design work, and in the permanent archives of American Design History in the Denver Art Museum.

Details for "365" and "50 Books/50 Covers"—which both close March 2—can be found at competitions.aiga.org. Don’t miss your chance to show off your best work—and take your place in design history.

Vote now for AIGA’s board of directors
A member-based nominating committee has recommended a slate of nominees to serve on the national board for the term beginning July 2007 and ending June 2010. The slate is now presented to the membership for voting. Balloting will occur on the AIGA website; ballots must be cast by March 15.

The nominees are:

Sean Adams, AdamsMorioka, Los Angeles, as president;
Nikolaus Hafermaas, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, based on his interdisciplinary interests, educational responsibilities, active involvement in socially responsible projects, and international practice;
Kenna Kay, TV Land/MTV Networks, New York, based on her involvement in education projects, branding and broadcast design;
Vernon Lockhart, Osmosis, Chicago, based on his leadership of an inner city mentoring program in Chicago and collaboration with Organization of Black Designers and AIGA Chicago;
Laura Shore, Mohawk, Cohoes, NY, based on her knowledge and experience in sustainable design, strategy and links with other leaders of the business world who share the design economy.

Consistent with the bylaws, the proposed slate is submitted to the full professional membership for adoption. All professional members should vote online by March 15, 2007.

If this slate does not represent the mix of professionals you believe would best represent you, the ballot provides an opportunity to recommend candidates for next year’s nominating committee. There is also a place to offer your comments about the voting process.
www.aiga.org/annualballotintro

Register for “Next: AIGA Design Conference”
Join your fellow visionaries at “Next: AIGA Design Conference.” AIGA’s 11th biennial design conference will look toward the future—not only to see where the design profession is going, but to set the course we want it to take. As designers, visual thinkers and innovative creators, we shape the future everyday. Take part in the creative playground and unique learning environment of “Next”—to improve your practice, connect with a diverse group of design peers, expand your way of thinking and experience new directions in design. Hear from inspired voices on the evolution of designing and discover what’s on the horizon.

The meeting of minds at the AIGA Design Conference is second to none. This October 11–14 in Denver, Colorado, home of the AIGA Design Archives, 2,500 members and creative professionals will take inspiration from stimulating presentations as well as participate in focused affinity sessions with like-minded attendees, to share ideas and experiences in areas such as practice management, sustainability, social responsibility, design education and more.

Save $25 when you register online!

designconference.aiga.org

Register Harvard Business School
AIGA and Harvard Business School will offer the fifth annual “Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders,” a one-week program where experienced designers can master business challenges from the perspective of the CEO, their client.

Created exclusively to help design executives develop strategic design responses to client challenges, the program is open to only 50 candidates who will live and work in the executive housing at Harvard Business School and learn from the school’s world-renowned faculty. Complete the program with a stronger understanding of the management perspective and become a more effective partner in client communication, branding and product development strategies. This very competitive selection is based on the qualifications and experience of candidates. The program will be offered from July 29–August 3, 2007, at Harvard. www.aiga.org/business_perspectives

Design opinion leaders reveal renewed confidence in business growth
To the surprise of many economists, the U.S. economy has shown sustained growth, even in the face of burgeoning federal deficits. Consistently strong profits among major corporations have pushed the stock market to new highs. In the design economy, this renewed corporate confidence has created renewed demand. This has become evident in the rising confidence index, which has grown over the past six months, and has been corroborated by anecdotal evidence of many studios being as busy as they have been in a decade.
www.aiga.org/confidenceindex

AIGA’s redesigned website is close to launch
AIGA set out more than a year ago to redesign its website to both improve usability and to move us closer to an open source platform, to allow more of the design community to participate in future development. With the prodigious support of Happy Cog, our design partner, and Thirdwave, AIGA’s technology partner for the past six years, we are now close to launch. Expect to easily find all the information you need from AIGA online, as well as inspiration and connections.
www.aiga.org

AIGA acquires artifacts from the Gilbert Lesser collection
AIGA recently acquired artifacts from the Gilbert Lesser collection, including theatrical posters from Frankenstein, Equus and The Elephant Man; theater programs from Piaf, Poor Murderer and The American Clock; event programs and party invitations for Fortune, People and Life; and the mechanicals for the catalog he designed for his 1987 exhibition of posters at the Louvre in Paris. This valuable aquisition affords AIGA the chance to collect rare and important examples of design history for the AdamsMorioka Archives Vault at the AIGA National Design Center.

Gilbert Lesser was an acclaimed American designer and art director known for his theatrical design work and who also created for the New York nightclub, Studio 54. He was responsible for set designs and other environments not excluding those he lived in. Lesser died in 1990 at the age of 55; his work survives in the esteemed collection at MoMA and now AIGA. It is a pleasure to recognize John Toland, a personal friend of Lesser, for this generous donation.
designarchives.aiga.org

Denver Art Museum and AIGA seek design curator
The Denver Art Museum is searching for an assistant curator, who will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Museum’s graphic design collection, including the AIGA American Design Archives. The Archives will ensure that the work of our members is protected and preserved so that it will be appreciated for generations to come and will become part of the first source of research on the legacy of design in this country.

The right candidate will also supervise the cataloging of the AIGA Archive, help develop a master plan for the housing of this holding, as well as plan long-term programs for exhibitions, publications and a series of public programs. Anyone interested in the position should have at least one year of museum experience and a well-rounded knowledge of the history of modern western design. Applicants should hold a master’s degree or Ph.D., and are encouraged to send a cover letter and résumé to Denver Art Museum, Human Resources Administrator, 100 W 14th Avenue, Parkway, Denver, CO 80204. For more information about the AIGA Archives at the Denver Art Museum, visit www.aiga.org/giving_opportunities

AIGA Atlanta program pursues diversity in the profession
On January 18, AIGA Atlanta invited members and nonmembers to participate in “Color Blind,” an open dialogue event that explored the AIGA initiative to encourage membership diversity and build a more inclusive community.

The chapter organized a panel session that discussed why the graphic design community does not “look like America.” Compared with the U.S. population at large, African American, Latino and Hispanic designers are significantly under-represented. According to David Laufer, AIGA Atlanta chapter treasurer, "the ‘aha’ moment of the evening came when the panel agreed that nobody ‘gives’ a designer equality—every designer must earn it through high creative standards, preparation and by treating every project as though it were one’s first big break. Proactive diversification doesn’t mean picking a lesser talent to achieve a quota. It just means recognizing the bigger payout awaiting managers and clients smart enough to choose and develop vibrant and diverse creative teams.”

“AIGA Atlanta on Diversity: Color Blind Online” blog provides further discussion around the issues raised that evening. Visit the blog at www.aigaatlantatalks.blogspot.com. Podcasts related to the event will be available online soon at www.aiga-atl.org. Moving forward, AIGA Atlanta will continue to strengthen its diversity initiatives and welcome designers to join the community.

Contact Maria Emmighausen, maria_emmighausen@aiga.org to join the AIGA diversity task force. To share success stories and best practices, subscribe to the AIGA diversity mailing list at lists.aiga.org/mailman/listinfo/aiga-diversity.

Invest in young designers: 2007 Worldstudio AIGA Scholarships
Worldstudio Foundation and AIGA provide scholarships to minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying the design and arts disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States. The scholarships aim to increase diversity in the creative professions and to foster social and environmental responsibility in tomorrow’s artists, designers and studios. Scholarship recipients are selected not only for their ability and their need, but also for their demonstrated commitment to giving back to the larger community through their work. The application deadline is April 13, 2007. The application is available at www.aiga.org/worldstudio_scholarship.

If you or your organization would like to offer a scholarship in your name, the name of a colleague or that of a family member, visit the site to learn more about how you can nurture and inspire the next generation of design talent.

Thanks to recent contributors to AIGA
AIGA thanks the following recent contributors:

AIGA Annual Fund
$1,000 or more
Sam Shelton and Jeff Fabian

Up to $250
Ann Christianson
Beckham Dossett
Kathryn Egnaczak
Peter Lewis
Liz Rotter

American Design Archives at the Denver Art Museum
Daniel Boyarski
Dana Lylte and Kevin Wade
Beth Murphy
Santiago Piedrafita

Worldstudio Foundation
$1,000 or more
Orit Tenzer

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Advocacy
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President’s budget for the arts
President Bush’s FY 2008 budget called for little increase in support for the arts overall and a reduction in some key programs. It zeroes out the only program that supports art and design in the schools and reduces support for public broadcasting.

AIGA is a member of the Americans for the Arts advocacy coalition that encourages increasing support for art and design in the federal budget. For perspective, these sums are in the millions; the budget request is for $1.9 trillion (e.g., $100 million represents 34 ten-thousandths of one percent of the budget).

Unlocated Copyright Owners legislation
AIGA is a member of the Imagery Alliance, a coalition of photography, illustration and design organizations interested in protecting the rights of the creative community. In a late-January meeting in Washington, D.C., the alliance shared the interests of the parties and began to develop a legislative strategy. The legislation as introduced in the last Congress would allow images to be used without permission or attribution if a reasonable attempt was made to find the copyright holder before using them. The issue at stake is what a “reasonable search” entails. AIGA is advocating for a national registry that would allow designers to register their work. As new legislation is introduced in this Congress, it may be necessary to call on members to contact their representatives to help in this effort.

Copyright for designs
AIGA has opened discussions with the Copyright Office concerning changing current rules to the registration of groups of design by designers. A photographer can register several thousand images under a single application currently. AIGA will work with the Copyright Office to determine if there is a meaningful way for designers to group their work to facilitate copyright registration of large bodies of work with a single application.

AIGA and designers at the United Nations
AIGA has consultatory NGO status with the UN Economic and Social Council, a status that allows the design profession to demonstrate that its leadership role extends beyond the visual into areas of social responsibility and concern, globally. Typical of the opportunities for AIGA comment on UN agenda items were the following sessions this month: Human Rights Council, Internet Governance Forum, Commission for Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women.

When necessary and possible, AIGA will convene working groups of members to help formulate positions on some of these issues. Frequently, our position can be based on the pro-social characteristics of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Millennium Development Goals, and our long-term interest in the contribution design thinking can make in addressing social problems in innovative ways. For more information, contact Bridget Finn, bridget_finn@aiga.org.

Oregon to hire designer for election materials
AIGA, in partnership with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, is sponsoring a one-year, full-time position for a communication designer in election design. This long-term partnership will select a new candidate to be posted in the Secretary of State’s office each year. The candidate selected will influence the lives of thousands of voting citizens by improving the clarity and presentation of election materials. This Salem-based position will also assist multiple state departments in their general communication and design—taking on challenges few designers get the opportunity to solve.

A candidate who holds a master’s degree in communication design, graphic design, interaction design or related discipline is preferred. AIGA seeks a strong designer who will be judged on his or her portfolio, strategic thinking, organization, ability to meet deadlines, and commitment to serving in the public sector. For more information or to submit a cover letter and résumé, contact Kelly McLaughlin, kelly_mclaughlin@aiga.org by March 16.
Details

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www.aiga.org
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Voice: AIGA Journal of Design
If you’re not reading Voice, you’re missing out on engaging, thoughtful articles on design. Be sure to keep up with an ever-growing anthology of timely interviews, essays and articles on visual culture.

“Design Life Now: Curating the National Design Triennial”
By Ellen Lupton
How do you filter three years’ worth of design into one comprehensive exhibition? Author and curator Lupton shares some of her insider secrets.
voice.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=%5Fgetfullarticle&aid=2544239

“Bookatainment: An Interview with Jim Heimann”
By Steven Heller
Who wouldn’t like to track down rare and exotic design ephemera for a living? Heller speaks to Taschen editor Heimann about his dream job.
voice.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=%5Fgetfullarticle&aid=2535158

Please join in the discussions and submit ideas for future issues at voice.aiga.org.

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Opportunities for inspiration and professional development
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Schools of Thoughts III
What’s so graphic about graphic design? Educating in the age of ubiquitous media
March 9-11, 2007, Pasadena

Southern California is a center for communications media: television, film and music production, web production, video gaming and cultural spaces. These ubiquitous industries, faced with branding concerns and ever penetrating advertising, dramatically change the terrain that graphic designers navigate. Discreet disciplines that generate the work—in graphic design, advertising, interactive and motion design, environmental and exhibition design and copywriting—seem increasingly difficult to discern. How does education meet these challenges? How do design and other curricula teach students to sort through the tangle of options and prepare for a career—or, more likely, careers—within them?

Join other designers and explore the new media in relation to design education for the third “Schools of Thoughts Graphic Design Educators” conference at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Adobe, the Official Sponsor for Design Solutions, is the Presenting Sponsor of Schools of Thoughts III.

For more information, visit www.aiga.org/schools_of_thoughts_3.

IIT offers discounted Design Strategy Conference rates to members
The Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Institute of Design will hold its Design Strategy Conference on May 17–18 in Chicago. Now in its third year, the conference builds a strong bridge between design and business strategy. In its new strategic partnership with AIGA, IIT makes early registration discounts available to AIGA members.

The Design Strategy Conference is an international executive forum addressing how businesses can use design to explore emerging opportunities, solve complex problems and achieve lasting strategic advantage. Attendees will hear form Chris Anderson, editor of WIRED and author of The Long Tail; Josephine Green, Senior Director of Trends and Strategy for Philips Design; and Hasso Plattner, co-founder of software giant SAP. Senior executives from SK Telecom, ETS, McDonald’s and the Council on Foreign Relations will also offer insight into the strategic advantages of design for business.

The early registration deadline is February 28; discounted rates are available only to AIGA members and IIT alumni. For more information about the conference, or to register, visit www.id.iit.edu/events/strategyconference/2007.

Intent/Content
Nashville, Summer 2007

Join graphic design educators and graduate students from across the country to examine the preparation of future designers for professional practice and scholarship.

“Intent/Content” creates, fosters and promotes dialog in design practice, teaching, theory and writing. Participants will present current research and teaching methods. The conference aims to raise the level of design-driven thinking in schools in the southeast United Sates and across the country. “Intent/Content” also endeavors to establish and reaffirm standards for design education. Educators will discuss and compare curricula in core courses, design fundamentals, conceptualization, digital techniques, studio sequences, portfolio development and graduate studies. Watch for more details at www.aiga.org/intent_content.

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Resources
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Want to renew? www.aiga.org/renew

Want to know what’s going on? Check out local and national events. www.aiga.org/calendar

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