designmatters

Welcome to Designmatters at ArtCenter College of Design
Where art & design education meets social change.
More About Us
Leap Dialogues: Educator's Guide
The Educator’s Guide contains 12 select dialogues, each accompanied by a set of open-ended questions to provoke critical reading and to jumpstart classroom discussion.
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Designmatters Project Archive
List of all Designmatters Case Studies in Chronological order.
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Fresh Eyes Cuba: A Deep Immersion and Cultural Exchange in Havana
ArtCenter students are challenged to re-discover how we think, how we design and how we see the world with fresh eyes through a deep immersion and cultural exchange in Havana, Cuba.
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Aquarium of the Pacific: Ocean Impact Studio
In partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, the Ocean Impact Studio challenged Illustration students from ArtCenter College of Design to tell visually engaging stories about the benefits of marine aquaculture as “Seafood for the Future.”
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Study Away: Kyoto CULTURE // CRAFT
Students traveled to Kyoto for nearly two weeks to develop a unique perspective about the social, ecological and cultural significance of traditional making and crafting.
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COANIQUEM: The Healing Tree
A comprehensive system of environmental graphics, a storybook and a ‘passport’ that transforms the campus of COANIQUEM, a nonprofit treatment center for pediatric burn survivors, into a magical land where patients and their families go on a healing journey.
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Aquarium of the Pacific: Resilient Cities
In partnership with the Environmental Design Department and the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA, and with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Resilient Coastal Cities Studio challenged ArtCenter students to conceptualize, design and create an exciting, engaging exhibit that would effectively communicate a call to action for the residents of Long Beach and other coastal cities for resiliency in the face of climate change.
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The Designmatters Minor in Social Innovation
Launching in Summer 2017, 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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Communicating the Wellbeing of a City with Santa Monica
Communicating the Wellbeing of a City with Santa Monica challenged ArtCenter students to work alongside Santa Monica civic leaders and other community stakeholders to translate the City of Santa Monica’s pioneering Wellbeing Index into innovative transmedia design campaigns.
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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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Engage + Envision + Empower: Creating a Safe Sex Culture in the City of Long Beach
ArtCenter students were challenged to develop a comprehensive transmedia awareness campaign about safe sex practices for the City of Long Beach which has seen a dramatic increase in the rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during the past two years.
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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.

"As designers we need to remain accountable, with measureable outcomes and ways of making small moves to create big impacts."
Stephanie Dhillon, Environmental Design, Student

Recent News

LEAP Dialogues: The Educator’s Guide

LAUSD “Where’s Daryl?” Educational Program

An outcome of the 2011 Uncool Initiative.

"As designers we need to remain accountable, with measureable outcomes and ways of making small moves to create big impacts."
Stephanie Dhillon, Environmental Design, Student

Aquarium of the Pacific: Interactive Selfie Stations

The Fresh Eyes Cuba Book

SAFE NIÑOS: DESIGN CHARITY RETAIL

"All of a sudden, I wasn’t a student working in a classroom in Pasadena, but a person with responsibility and potential to change the world."
Jonathan Goldman Advertising, Student