American Institute of Graphic Arts
Encyclopedia
AIGA is an American professional organization for design
. Organized in 1914, AIGA currently has more than 22,000 members throughout 66 chapters and more than 200 student groups nationwide. Its activities include the AIGA Medal, the AIGA Design Archives, and annual design competitions 365 and 50 Books/50 Covers. The organization's tagline
is "the professional association for design", which is used immediately after the AIGA name in its own publications.
in New York City, a group of designers, led by Charles DeKay
, met to create the American Institute of Graphic Arts. William H. Howland, publisher and editor of The Outlook, was elected president.
, 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.
, criticized the name change as reducing rather than extending understanding of the profession. The article quotes Marc Gobé, author of Emotional Branding, "The AIGA missed an opportunity to make a strong statement...replacing the authoritative 'American Institute' with the banal 'Professional Association.'
.
Speakers at the 2009 Conference included Stefan G. Bucher
, Marissa Mayer
and Stefan Sagmeister
.
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
. Organized in 1914, AIGA currently has more than 22,000 members throughout 66 chapters and more than 200 student groups nationwide. Its activities include the AIGA Medal, the AIGA Design Archives, and annual design competitions 365 and 50 Books/50 Covers. The organization's tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
is "the professional association for design", which is used immediately after the AIGA name in its own publications.
History
In 1914, at the National Arts ClubNational Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a private club in Gramercy Park, New York City, New York, USA. It was founded in 1898 to "stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts". Since 1906 the organization has occupied the Samuel J...
in New York City, a group of designers, led by Charles DeKay
Charles DeKay
Charles Augustus DeKay was a linguist, poet, critic and a fencer. He was a son of George Coleman De Kay, a naval officer. He was best known for founding the National Arts Club and the Fencers Club. He was inducted into the United States Fencing Hall of Fame in 2008...
, met to create the American Institute of Graphic Arts. William H. Howland, publisher and editor of The Outlook, was elected president.
Symbol sign project
The AIGA, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of TransportationDepartment of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
, 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.
Name change
In 2006, The American Institute of Graphic Arts changed its name, retaining the acronym AIGA as its name, and adopting the descriptor line "the professional association for design." The name change initially caused confusion within the organizations' membership and the design community. Véronique Vienne, in the March/April 2007 edition of the American design periodical PrintPrint (magazine)
The publication, Print, A Quarterly Journal of the Graphic Arts, was a limited edition quarterly periodical begun in 1940 and continued under different names up to the present day as Print, a bimonthly American magazine about visual culture and design.In its current format, Print documents and...
, criticized the name change as reducing rather than extending understanding of the profession. The article quotes Marc Gobé, author of Emotional Branding, "The AIGA missed an opportunity to make a strong statement...replacing the authoritative 'American Institute' with the banal 'Professional Association.'
50 books of the year contest
Since 1941, AIGA has sponsored a juried contest for the 50 best designed books published in the previous year, currently entitled "50 Books/50 Covers". Jurors have included booksellers, book publishers, and designers such as George SalterGeorge Salter
George Salter , born Georg Salter, was an originally German, and from 1940 onwards US-American designer and set designer. He revolutionized cover design for books. He claimed world wide fame for his design for Alfred Döblins Berlin Alexanderplatz.- Life :Georg Salter was born in Bremen, the child...
.
AIGA Design Conference
The first AIGA Design Conference took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985. It is hosted every two years in a different city, and lasts 4 days.Past AIGA Design Conferences
- Reference:
- 1985 - Boston
- 1987 - San Francisco
- 1989 - San Antonio
- 1991 - Chicago
- 1993 - Miami
- 1995 - Seattle
- 1997 - New Orleans
- 1999 - Las Vegas
- 2001 - Washington
- 2003 - Vancouver
- 2005 - Boston
- 2007 - Denver
- 2009 - Memphis
- 2011 - Phoenix
Speakers at the 2009 Conference included Stefan G. Bucher
Stefan G. Bucher
Stefan G. Bucher is a writer, graphic designer and illustrator. He is the man behind the California design studio 344 Design .He is the creator of the popular online animation series Daily Monster , For 100 days he filmed himself drawing a new monster every night, based on random ink blots....
, Marissa Mayer
Marissa Mayer
Marissa Ann Mayer is Vice President of Location and Local Services at the search engine company Google. She has become one of the public faces of Google, providing a number of press interviews and appearing at events frequently to speak on behalf of the company.-Education and career :After...
and Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister is a New York-based graphic designer and typographer. He has his own design firm—Sagmeister Inc.—in New York City. He has designed album covers for Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith and Pat Metheny.-Biography:Sagmeister studied graphic design at the...
.
National Board Members
- Julie Beeler
- Andrew Blauvelt
- Gaby Brink
- Drew Davies
- Richard Grefé (current executive director)
- Phil Hamlett
- Zia Khan (current secretary/treasurer)
- James Koval
- Deanna Kuhlmann-Leavitt
- Santiago Piedrafita
- Doug Powell (current president)
- Darralyn Rieth
- Susana Rodríguez de Tembleque
- Nathan Shedroff
- Angela Shen-Hsieh
- Robin Tooms
- Debbie MillmanDebbie MillmanDebbie Millman is President of the Design division at Sterling Brands, New York, host of the radio show "Design Matters" on DesignObserver.com, the Chair of the new Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts, a contributing Editor at Print Magazine, and a design blogger for Fast Company...
, President of the Design division at Sterling Brands, is ex officio member of the board.