designmatters | Where art & design education meets social change.

Designmatters

Welcome to Designmatters at ArtCenter College of Design

Where art & design education meets social change.
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Designing Democracy: The Future of Civic Engagement, Summer 2022

In the Summer of 2022., this research-led transdisciplinary Designmatters studio challenged students to explore the past, present and future of democratic participation and civic engagement – and consider how design thinking can play an instrumental role in the election process along with building frameworks and strategies for the future.
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Designmatters Project Archive

List of all Designmatters Case Studies in Chronological order.
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Birthing Barriers: Designing for Black Birth Equity

This Designmatters Studio challenged transdisciplinary students to learn about the disparity and dangers facing pregnant Black birthing people in Los Angeles County who are four times more likely than white birthing people to die of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
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Bee Lab: Designing for Wild Bee Conservation & Biodiversity

Working with biologists, scientific researchers and community advocates, student teams conducted field research, interviewed experts and conceptualized conservation outreach efforts that would benefit bees and help humans better understand these insects as important ecological links.
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Detectable Preventable: Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screenings Within the Filipino-American Community

In partnership with Cedars-Sinai Research Center for Health Equity (CRCHE), this Designmatters and Graphic Design studio challenged ArtCenter students to create a comprehensive multi-modal campaign targeted to the local Filipino-American community to encourage colorectal cancer screenings and bring awareness of the the increasing rate of cancer diagnoses within the population.
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VAX for All: Design to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy and Achieve Equity

This Designmatters Transdiciplinary Studio, in the Summer of 2021, challenged ArtCenter students to design interventions and customizable solutions that would ensure all Angelenos have access to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines.
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Mind Matters: Empowering Young People with Skills to Support Their Mental Wellbeing

In the Spring of 2021, Designmatters partnered with The Dibble Institute, a nonprofit publisher specializing in materials that helps young people build strong and healthy emotional connections.
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Service for Community Change: Recruiting Mental Health Professionals of Color

In the Spring of 2021, Transdisciplinary ArtCenter students were challenged to co-create with Knowledge Partner Homeboy Industries to develop comprehensive, effective and low-cost campaign strategies that will lead to better recruitment outcomes for a more diverse pool of mental health professionals who can serve the Homeboy community as volunteers.
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Symbiosis in Nature and Community

In partnership with the J. Craig Venter Institute, this Designmatters studio challenged ArtCenter students to explore, conceptualize and translate scientific research on symbiosis into compelling visuals that communicate scientific discoveries to a broad range of audiences. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. IOS 1926972.
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The Designmatters Minor in Social Innovation

The Designmatters Minor in social innovation is a course of study for ArtCenter undergraduate students who want to master a toolkit of design skills and strategies to navigate the complex dynamics of working with communities and designing for social change.
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Fellowship Program

The Designmatters Fellowship Program embeds top ArtCenter students in host organizations for one full 14-week academic term to work on high-level projects and explore the mission, model and meaning of the host organization’s work.
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Introduction

The Designmatters educational platform at ArtCenter College of Design joins collaboration with experimentation, experience with reflection, problem-solving with problem-discovery, and purpose with action.

Our Mission

Through research, advocacy and action, Designmatters engages, empowers and leads an ongoing exploration of art and design as a positive force in society.

Recent News

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Wildfire Prevention and Preparation Campaign

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Birthing Barriers: Designing for Black Birth Equity

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"The chance to work with real people with real needs is an invaluable learning experience for students."
Simon Johnston, Graphic Design, Faculty

Designmatters Guest Faculty – Dr. Carlene Olivia Fider

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Designing Democracy: The Future of Civic Engagement, Summer 2022

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FY21 Designmatters Goals

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"These projects help every design student see what is on the other side, and opens the door to making the impossible a possibility of hope."
Armie Pasa and Gabriel La 'O, Product Design, Students

ArtCenter Faculty Members Receive $200,000 Grant to Improve Online Archive Access for Those With Disabilities

Pasadena Now / January 2021

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Bee Lab: Designing for Wild Bee Conservation & Biodiversity

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Detectable Preventable: Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screenings Within the Filipino-American Community

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DESIGNMATTERS MINOR IN SOCIAL INNOVATION

A transcripted course of study for ArtCenter undergraduate students in social innovation

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FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

ArtCenter students are embedded in host organizations for one full 14-week academic term to work on high-level projects.

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Designmatters Faculty

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The Designmatters Residency

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"It’s not about me saying, 'Here’s what to do.' It’s about all of us deciding, 'What can we do together?'."
Guillaume Wolf, Graphic Design, Faculty

Networks & Partnerships

Current partnerships

AED

American Cancer Society

American Red Cross

ANSPE

Aquarium of the Pacific

Art Division

Arthritis Foundation

Ashoka

Autodesk Foundation

Barbie

Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

Bloomberg

Braille Institute

California Common Cause

Cedar-Sinai Center for Health Equity Research

Center Theatre Group

Childrens Hospital LA

City of Long Beach

City of Los Angeles

City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks

City of Pasadena

City of Santa Monica Office of Civic Wellbeing

Coaniquem

Compartamos Con Colombia

Covenant House

Dalberg

Discovery Science Cube Los Angeles

Doctors Withouth Borders

East West Bank

EMDRIA

FEMA

Flintridge Center

Food Forward

Garmin International

GE Healthcare

Girl Effect

Goodwill

Homeboy

Homeboy Electronics Recycling

Housing Works

HUB Bogota

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Instituto de Diseño (ISDi)

International Medical Corp

International Organization for Migration

International Rescue Comm

Kidspace Children's Museum

Kyoto Seika University

LA County Dept. mental health

LAUSD

Legacy LA

Long Beach Police Department

Mary Pickford Foundation

Mattel

Mayo

Mayor’s Fund Los Angeles

MSU Usability/Accessibility Research and Consulting

NAKFI

Nathan Cummings

NEA

Nature Convervancy

Nike Foundation

NOAA

North East Trees

OAS

Outward Bound Adventures

Packard Foundation

PAHO

Participant

Pasadena Public Library

Path

Planned Parenthood

Princeton

Project Concern Int

Proximity

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center

Ronald McDonald House

Rubbermaid

Sappi: Ideas that Matter

SCEC

Sentient Research

Silicon Valley Community Foundation

State of California Seismic Safety

Surdna

SHE

Socialab

Society of American Archivists Accessibility and Disability Section

US dept of Interior

TAMA Art University

TECHO

UCLA Business of Science Center

UNESCO

UNFPA

UNDP

UNICEF

UNICEF US Fund

UNIFEM

United We Stay

UNOPS

USC Annenberg

USC Norris

USGS

VANS

VentureWell

WHO

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

World Bank

Women Deliver

YMCA

J. Craig Venter Institute

J. Craig Venter Institute_2

designmatters networks

AIGA

Cumulus Association

Design Ignites Change

Designers Accord

Desis Network

IDSA