CUP - Making Policy Public 2017
CUP - Making Policy Public 2017 now is over!
Design challenge organised by CUP, an nonprofit organisation that uses the power of design and art to increase meaningful civic engagement, seekes talented graphic designers, illustrators, and infographic designers with an interest in bringing unique visual solutions to the design challenges presented by complex policy issues.
About Competition
CUP publishes four issues each year seeking collaborators for the next four issues of Making Policy Public.
They want to create opportunities for designers to engage social issues without sacrificing experimentation, and for advocacy organizations to reach their constituencies better through design.
They are looking for skilled designers and visual artists who are interested in working in an intensely collaborative process and in creating accessible visual explanations based on complex information. CUP is committed to good design work that’s innovative. They seek designers who are excited to shape content and find creative design solutions to complex policy issues. Designers should be able to incorporate illustration, photography, information design, or other non-typographic solutions into their work. Because of the intensive nature of Making Policy Public collaborations, CUP strongly encourages designers to apply as a team. Interdisciplinary teams (designers, illustrators, photographers, etc.) are also encouraged.
How designers can apply:
1. Letter of interest (1 page maximum), addressing the following:
• What interests you about collaborating with CUP and an advocacy group?
• What special qualifications do you or your team have? If you are applying as a design team, you may use one application, but address the specific qualifications of each member of your team.
• Give examples of past work that demonstrate your qualifications for this collaboration. Projects that reflect an ability to organize complex information or explain processes are especially helpful.
2. Edited portfolio of up to 5 projects8.5" x 11" pages. (Additional pages will not be reviewed by the jury). Each page should include descriptions of the project and your role in the design.
A jury of prominent design and public policy experts selects community and advocacy organizations working on a public policy issue, problem, or system that needs a visual explanation.
The jury selects designers and advocates, creating four teams that will collaborate with CUP to produce the next issues of Making Policy Public in 2017. Each project team engages in an eight-to ten-month long collaborations with CUP staff, a designer (or design team), and a grassroots organization advocating for community change. Through an intensive collaboration, the program leads to the creation of foldout posters that use graphic design to explore and explain public policy and to create great design that has social impact. Applicants must be able to attend meetings in New York City, though you need not be based in New York City.
The jury will evaluate entries from designers based on the following criteria:
• Does the designer’s approach lend itself to the challenges of this kind of project?
• Does the designer’s work show an ability to organize complex information?
• Is the designer interested in a deeply collaborative process?
• Does the designer seem capable of producing unique, personal work that will also meet the needs of their collaborators?
• Is the designer invested enough in the process and goals to produce exceptional work, given the timetable and funding?
• Can the designer incorporate illustration, photography, information design, or other non-typographic solutions into their work?
Once project teams are selected, CUP will work with the team partners to identify the start date for the project. Typically, they divide the projects into two rounds over the course of the calendar year, based on the time-sensitivity of the issue and availability of partners. The first two projects will begin in January 2017, and launch in Fall 2017. The second two will begin in April 2017, and launch in Winter 2017.
There is no entry fee for this competition.
Eligibility
This competition is open worldwide to designers of any discipline or professional status are eligible. Both individual designers and teams of designers are encouraged to apply.
Entry fees
There is no entry fee to participate!