Should we have an AIGA forum?

[pgsmedia]

Here's a thought:
Does anyone know the AIGA presence here. I'm sure it's a respectable one.
So, wouldn't it be neat if we had an AIGA forum to talk about its concerns (sustainability, cultural impact of design, state of the profession, ethics, and all that jazz)?
Like I said, just a thought.

[unleash]

Alright, you have to explain that AIGA thingy to me....I am not getting it. Then AIGA presence?......

[shaunes001]

I'm with you on this Unleash...what is AIGA? Whats its relevance? And how exactly does it affect none-Americans like myself?

[pgsmedia]

Their site is at Home: AIGA.
It's the American Institute for Graphic Arts, although it's an international organization (How American of them).
To sum it up, it's a little like a GA's Guild.
they deal with the ethical/societal/environmental/etc. isues surrounding GA

• promote our profession as a profession

• organize huge international seminars/shows/competitions

• organize small local seminars/shows/competitions, stimulate local design communities/networks

• all sorts of nice things like that.

If you're unfamiliar, I suggest visiting their site. They can explain it better.

[pgsmedia]

Whats its relevance? And how exactly does it affect none-Americans like myself?

Design is Design.
Aesthetic is Aesthetic.
Ethics are Ethics.

...Regardless of geography.

I used the name "AIGA forum" not as the AIGA brand name, but to represent our societal issues/impact, collectively.

eg: "How un-AIGA of her to misrepresent her capabilities."
That sentence will likely never be spoken verbatim, but it accurately illustrates my usage.

And how exactly does it affect none-Americans like myself

Here's a perfect example:
My local chapter has a lunch tomorrow, hosted by Mohawk Paper, to discuss environmentally sustainable printing methods. We have representatives attending from all the major printing companies in the American Southeast, and we plan on aggressively pushing them towards ISO/14001 compliance.

We all breathe the same air, don't we?

[pgsmedia]

I really hope someone here is concerned enough about ethics to back me up on this.

[turvas]

I don't think we should have an AIGA forum, since it would require us to go to the site on regular basis and most of us haven't even heard of the association.

[Nitewalker]

I gotta agree with Turvas. If thats what your into then go for it. I always support people standing up for their beliefs, but noone here knows anything about it or seems interested. Maybe you could PM the mods about checking it out and adding it to the links, that way if anyone is/becomes interested they can get there. Just my 2 cents.

[pgsmedia]

I used the name "AIGA forum" not as the AIGA brand name, but to represent our societal issues/impact, collectively.

If "the site" is AIGA.org, problem solved.

For simplicity's sake, let's change the name from "aiga forum" to "impact forum"(or something like that). Now it has nothing to do with the AIGA brand. There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding those 4 letters, so how about generic discussions of our societal impact?

Frankly, I'm a bit shocked at the opposition. Why are so many against discussions of ethical practices, and so few in favor?

[unleash]

I don't think the most of us are against discussions of that kind, of any kind really. But I think that the AIGA sounds a bit like choosing sides.

Then I guess the most of us aren't really interested in the AIGA/ ethical problems. Where here to make art. I'm not saying it's right to pollute the world or to let factories "spill" tons of cooling water into the rivers. I'm against that of kind of thing really, I've been protesting against that with Greenpeace(Dutch organisation that fights for the environment)

But these problems have nothing to do with ideas and making artworks. So it is better suited on a different kind of forum. This forum is about art, now about environment/ health.

just my $0.02

[pgsmedia]

Well, it's not necessarily envirinmental issues. That's just a small part of it.

What if... maybe a GA is looking to relocate, and wants the feel of a particular job market? Maybe that market has unpublished relocation incentives, like the ones I've found in Atlanta.

What if...someone in London is producing an ad for, say, Singapore? Wants a feel for the local trends.

What if...someone wants a discussion about their new WIP. Not the aesthethics of it, Not how pretty the color is. But the message it coveys. Isn't GA an art of communications, as well as aesthetic?

What if...someone isn't sure of the going rate for a particular type of project? Undercutting plays a vital role in cheapening our profession, ya know.

What if...well, I'm all out of 'what ifs', and my 'what ifs' may not be the best examples.

But that's the purpose of a community:
To find and answer those 'what ifs'.

While those very few situations I've named aren't necessarily 'arts' issues, they are so vital to the art, its culture, and its progression.

As is, there's no forum to turn to with these questions.

I've long since given up on an impact forum, but can't we at least consider a place for the underlying issues and the reasons we do what we do?

[notjustgraphics]

I think we already have that dialogue open throughout our discussion boards.

I don't see the need to dedicate a forum to it... the nature of ethics and issues should be with us at all times, in all aspects of our art, and our discourse about it.

Certainly the AIGA (which in my opinion is nothing more than an overpriced attempt to unionize Design Professionals) would be a better place for direct debate over these issues. I agree with many of the previous posts... BioRUST is about Art, and not necessarily it's Impact on the world... though i would be more than happy to participate in a General Discussion thread about such issues.

My $0.02

Mike.

[pgsmedia]

Well-said, Mike.
I'll settle for that.

Exept for...

the AIGA (which in my opinion is nothing more than an overpriced attempt to unionize Design Professionals)

It costs me something like $80, several times per year to keep my card.
In October alone, I've logged $1000+ worth of work that I can thank AIGA, exclusively, for.
Not only that, but I've traveled all over this country since joining, and I've received nothing but the most open of arms in all those places I've been.
Oh! And they paid all my expenses to move to a better job market (In the form of a 3% APR loan, despite my pitiful credit score).

Got my $80 out of them.

[mmyrnana]

I think it's a good idea to discuss impacts of designs/designing, and love that you're willing to start conversation/debates on them. We tend to talk about them here and there, although some get lost in the millions of threads that are here since Biorust's creation.

I'm not a AIGA member but I am part of the GDC (Society of Graphic Designers of Canada). It sounds like your association is pretty active, I am a little disappointed in the lack of participation within GDC, besides a monthly newsletter i'm not having much to do with it. I think it's the fact that any of the conferences or get together's are in different countries or are way overpriced. It would be nice to have a more local community contact. Oh and I have to pay way more to be a member than $80 :{ Still haven't decided if it's worth it or not

[notjustgraphics]

Originally Posted by pgsmedia

It costs me something like $80, several times per year

Originally Posted by pgsmedia

In October alone, I've logged $1000+ worth of work that I can thank AIGA, exclusively, for.

That sounds great... it's good to see you are reaping the benefits of an Association Membership.

Still, you'd be amazed what a Newspaper or well placed web add will get you for $80 several times per year.

Cheers

Mike.