Founded | 1914 |
---|---|
Type | Professional Association |
Location |
|
Locations |
|
Area served | United States |
Members | Over 18,000 [1] |
Official languages | English |
Key people | Ashleigh Axios, Board President [3] Bennie F. Johnson, Executive Director [4] |
Employees | 18 [4] |
Website | aiga |
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a professional organization for design. Its members practice all forms of communication design, including graphic design, typography, interaction design, user experience, branding and identity. The organization's aim is to be the standard bearer for professional ethics and practices for the design profession. There are currently over 25,000 members and 72 chapters, and more than 200 student groups around the United States. [5] In 2005, AIGA changed its name to “AIGA, the professional association for design,” dropping the "American Institute of Graphic Arts" to welcome all design disciplines. AIGA aims to further design disciplines as professions, as well as cultural assets. As a whole, AIGA offers opportunities in exchange for creative new ideas, scholarly research, critical analysis, and education advancement.
In 1911, Frederic Goudy, Alfred Stieglitz, and W. A. Dwiggins came together to discuss the creation of an organization that was committed to individuals passionate about communication design. [6] In 1913, president of the National Arts Club, John G. Agar, announced the formation of The American Institute of Graphic Arts during the eighth annual exhibition of “The Books of the Year.” The National Arts Club was instrumental in the formation of AIGA in that they helped to form the committee to plan to organize the organization. [7] The committee formed included Charles DeKay and William B. Howland and officially formed the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1914. [8] Howland, publisher and editor of The Outlook, was elected president. [9] The goal of the group was to promote excellence in the graphic design profession through its network of local chapters throughout the country. [10]
In 1920, AIGA began awarding medals to "individuals who have set standards of excellence over a lifetime of work or have made individual contributions to innovation within the practice of design." Winners have been recognized for design, teaching, writing or leadership of the profession and may honor individuals posthumously. [11]
In 1982, the New York Chapter was formed and the organization began creating local chapters to decentralize leadership. [6]
Represented by Washington, D.C., arts advocate and attorney, James Lorin Silverberg, Esq., the Washington, D.C., Chapter of AIGA, was organized as the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Incorporated, Washington, D.C., on September 6, 1984. [12]
The AIGA, in collaboration with the US Department of Transportation, produced 50 standard symbols to be used on signs "in airports and other transportation hubs and at large international events". The first 34 symbols were published in 1974, receiving a Presidential Design Award. The remaining 16 designs were added in 1979. [13]
In 2012, AIGA replaced all its competitions with a single competition called "Cased" [14] (formerly called "Justified" [15] ). The stated aim of the competition is to demonstrate "the collective success and impact of the design profession by celebrating the best in contemporary design through case studies". [14]
Between 1941 and 2011, AIGA sponsored a juried contest for the 50 best designed books published in the previous year, entitled "50 Books/50 Covers". Jurors included booksellers, book publishers, and designers such as George Salter. [16]
On February 17, 2012, AIGA announced that it would cease organizing the contest and that future contests would be organized by Design Observer. [17] This move has been criticized. [18]
The 365 was an annual design competition for all graphic design other than book design. [18] The last original "365" competition was organized in 2011, [19] after which it was replaced by the "Cased" competition. Starting in 2022, AIGA reintroduced 365: AIGA Year in Design [20]
AIGA organized two conferences, the AIGA Design Conference and GAIN: AIGA Design and Business Conference. Both conferences were held biennially and the two were held in alternating years. The first AIGA Design Conference took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985. [21] Beginning in 2016, the AIGA Design Conference will be held annually with the 2016 conference held in Las Vegas. [22] Since 2016, conferences have been hosted by Roman Mars. [23] [3]
As of 2022, the national board consists of [24]
Between 2005 and 2009, AIGA was briefly a member of Icograda (now called Ico-D). In 2010, it withdrew from the international organization, citing financial reasons. [25]
AIGA opened up membership beyond local chapters in 2014, benefiting creative professionals living and working outside of the US.[ citation needed ]
In 1947 AIGA started publishing the AIGA Journal of Graphic Design (ISSN 0736-5322), [26] which in 2000 was renamed Trace: AIGA Journal of Design (ISSN 1471-3497). [27] The journal ceased publication in 2003. [28]
Between 2000 and 2003, AIGA published Loop: AIGA Journal of Interaction Design Education, an “interactive, web-based” research journal on interaction and visual interface design co-sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Design Studies. [29]
Between 2004 and 2011, AIGA published Voice: AIGA Journal of Design, “an online publication for the discussion of design matters” listing Steven Heller as its editor. [30] [31] Although the journal was stated in “What AIGA is doing and why” [32] and had been cited in scholarly research, [33] [34] after AIGA revamped its website in May 2011, [35] it was subsumed under AIGA’s main site and ceased to exist as a distinct entity.
As part of its strategy to “publish critical thinking about design and designing”, AIGA also “copublishes selected works by thought leaders in design” [36] under the imprint of “AIGA Design Press”. [32] Published titles include
AIGA has also published the periodically updated AIGA professional practices in graphic design [38] including a translation to simplified Chinese. [39]
In 2014, AIGA's editorial director Perrin Drumm [40] created Eye on Design [41] as the preeminent source for new and emerging graphic designers. Founded first as an online blog, Eye on Design grew into a multimedia platform that included a tri-annual print magazine, conference, event series, weekly newsletter, and social media activations in addition to leading regular designer rights advocacy initiatives around equity and inclusion. Through its majority online reporting, Eye on Design is dedicated to "covering the world's most exciting designers—and the issues they care about. [42] "
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of design and of the fine arts. Its practice involves creativity, innovation and lateral thinking using manual or digital tools, where it is usual to use text and graphics to communicate visually.
A graphic designer is a professional who practices the discipline of graphic design, either within companies or organizations or independently. They are professionals in design and visual communication, with their primary focus on transforming linguistic messages into graphic manifestations, whether tangible or intangible. They are responsible for planning, designing, projecting, and conveying messages or ideas through visual communication. Graphic design is one of the most in-demand professions with significant job opportunities, as it allows leveraging technological advancements and working online from anywhere in the world.
Stefan G. Bucher is an American writer, graphic designer and illustrator. He works through his design studio, 344 Design.
April Greiman is an American designer widely recognized as one of the first designers to embrace computer technology as a design tool. Greiman is also credited, along with early collaborator Jayme Odgers, with helping to import the European New Wave design style to the US during the late 70s and early 80s." According to design historian Steven Heller, “April Greiman was a bridge between the modern and postmodern, the analog and the digital.” “She is a pivotal proponent of the ‘new typography’ and new wave that defined late twentieth-century graphic design.” Her art combines her Swiss design training with West Coast postmodernism.
Social design is the application of design methodologies in order to tackle complex human issues, placing the social issues as the priority. Historically social design has been mindful of the designer's role and responsibility in society, and of the use of design processes to bring about social change. Social design as a discipline has been practiced primarily in two different models, as either the application of the human-centered design methodology in the social sector or governmental sector, or sometimes is synonymously practiced by designers who venture into social entrepreneurship.
Michael Bierut is a graphic designer, design critic and educator, who has been a partner at design firm Pentagram since 1990. He designed the logo for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.
The International Council of Design is an international organisation representing the professions of design. The Council was founded in London in 1963 and celebrated its 50th anniversary on 27 April 2013. It is a non-profit, non-partisan, "member-based network of independent organisations and stakeholders working within the multidisciplinary scope of design."
Lorraine Wild is a Canadian-born American graphic designer, writer, art historian, and teacher. She is an AIGA Medalist and principal of Green Dragon Office, a design firm that focuses on collaborative work with artists, architects, curators, editors and publishers. Wild is based in Los Angeles, California.
The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD or simply RGD; formerly ARGD/ON is a non-profit, self-regulatoryprofessional design association with over 3,000 members. It serves graphic design professionals, managers, educators and students. Created in 1996 by an Act of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the Association is Canada's only accredited body of graphic designers with a legislated title and the second such accredited body of graphic designers in the world. RGD certifies graphic designers and promotes knowledge sharing, continuous learning, research, advocacy and mentorship.
Debbie Millman is an American writer, educator, artist, curator, and designer who is best known as the host of the podcast Design Matters. She has authored six books and is the President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and chair, one of only five women to hold the position over 100 years. She co-founded the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City with Steven Heller. She was previously the editorial and creative director of Print magazine. Her illustrations have appeared in many major publications, including New York Magazine, Design Observer, and Fast Company and her artwork has been included in many museums and institutes including the Design Museum of Chicago and the Boston Biennale.
Robert L. Peters was a Canadian graphic designer and educator.
Michael Patrick Cronan was an American graphic designer, brand strategist, adjunct professor, and fine art painter. He was one of the founders of the San Francisco Bay Area postmodern movement in graphic design, that later became known as the "Pacific Wave".
Katherine McCoy is an American graphic designer and educator, best known for her work as the co-chair of the graduate Design program for Cranbrook Academy of Art.
CVEDesign, formally Calori & Vanden-Eynden is a New York City-based firm specializing in environmental graphic design (EGD): signage, wayfinding, placemaking, and user navigation systems within the built environment.
Cavan Huang is a creative director, designer, and design educator. He attended McGill University in Montreal where received his BA in history and urban planning. Huang then studied at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received his MFA in graphic design in 2005. He creates digital ideas, products and experiences that make meaningful impact for brands and organizations. Much of his inspiration comes from the details of cities, lights, traffic, sounds, and people. Huangs work can be found in Contemporary Graphic Design, The New York Times, Ad Age, a PBS documentary, the Time Warner Center, AIGA, TED, Cannes Lions, the Webby Awards, and the White House.
Carbone Smolan Agency is an independent branding agency founded in 1976 in New York City.
Ann Willoughby is an American graphic designer and founder of Willoughby Design Group based in Kansas City, Missouri.
Caroline Warner Hightower is an American arts executive, consultant, and former executive director of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).
Anne Quito is a design reporter and architecture critic based in New York City. A former reporter at Quartz, she is also the founding director of Design Lab, the in-house design team for Family Health International (FHI). In 2017, Quito won the inaugural Steven Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary from the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). In 2018, a story she co-authored received a silver medal in the Malofiej Infographic Awards.
Noreen Morioka is an American graphic designer and co-founder of AdamsMorioka. She is recognized for her distinct California-influenced approach to visual communications. In 2014, the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) awarded the AIGA Medal to Morioka and her business partner Sean Adams for their contributions to graphic design. At present, she is Chief Creative Officer at The New Computer Corporation and frequently serves as competition juror and lecturer.
Name changed to Trace: AIGA Journal of Design after v.18 no.2 (2000)
Subtitled: AIGA Journal of Design. Publication ceased as of April 2003..
Consulting Editor Steven Heller.
Editor Steven Heller.