Who will design cultural change today?

Culture By Design is a 3-day conference and exhibit held at the Art Institute of Chicago. Focusing on the movements and makers of the 1960s, this publication acts as a historical manuscript and gallery guide, posing the question, “Who will design cultural change today?”

View the full publication here.

Brand Identity
Research
Print Design
Merchandise

Collaborators:
Elise Frauenholtz, Sydney Krauth

As one of the most notable decades in American history, the 1960s changed the trajectory of all areas of life we experience today. In focusing on Civil Rights, Counterculture, and Pop Culture, The Art Institute of Chicago has partnered with the Chicago History Museum to present art and design’s presence in our daily experience. By viewing how culture has been shaped in the past, we can consider how we, too, can utilize design and be change makers in our society. The Institute needed a branded experience that felt unconventional, yet grounded, rooted in history, yet modern. A brand that shows even the most countercultural movements were designed with intention to become what they were: Culture By Design.

Problem

By exploring major events of the 1960s, this three day conference will act as a precursor to the semester-long exhibit held in the modern wing of the Institute. To supplement the experience, conference attendees receive a booklet detailing keynote speakers, workshops, and brief histories on some of the most influential works featured in the exhibit. Additionally, branded merchandise is available in the Institute’s gift shop for purchase.

Solution

Culture By Design is aimed towards local college students that are a part of the University Partner Program with the Institute. Whether they may have an interest in art, history, or social change, attendees of this conference and exhibit will be asked this question, “Who will design cultural change today?” Through learning from design experts and experiencing 1960s designs firsthand, they will be led to this answer: it starts with you.