designmatters | Where art & design education meets social change.

Designmatters

Welcome to Designmatters at ArtCenter College of Design

Where art & design education meets social change.
More About Us
Wildfire Prevention and Preparation Campaign

This Designmatters studio challenged ArtCenter students to learn about the specific dangers of wildfires in California and to create a compelling statewide multi-modal campaign that encourages residents to take direct preventable action.
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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

Wildfire Prevention and Preparation Campaign

Birthing Barriers: Designing for Black Birth Equity

“Innovation is deliberate. It’s about solving problems without creating new ones. To innovate is to enable one to share our natural empathy and be able to allow others a new means for expression. Innovation is something humans and other creatures have been doing forever, be it by instinct or experimentation. We innovate to survive and to create positive solutions to simplify and better our lives.”
Mari Nakano, Grad Media Design '09, Visual Design Lead, UNICEF Innovation Unit

Designmatters Guest Faculty – Dr. Carlene Olivia Fider

Healing Buddies: 2020 IDSA International Design Excellence Award Winner

IDSA / August 2020

FY21 Designmatters Goals

"This class taught students the importance of creating a different kind of 'right.'"
Sean Adams, Graphic Design, Faculty

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

Pasadena Now / January 2021

Bee Lab: Designing for Wild Bee Conservation & Biodiversity

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

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

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

Designmatters Faculty

The Designmatters Residency

"The students created outcomes that are innovative and exciting, and help move us closer to our ultimate goal."
John Bwarie, United States Geological Survey (USGS)