Association kicks off West Michigan Design Week

Association kicks off West Michigan Design Week

West Michigan Design Week is produced by the local AIGA chapter. Photo via fb.com

A week-long event showcasing design in the business world is coming to West Michigan.

The American Institute of Graphic Arts, or AIGA, West Michigan will host West Michigan Design Week today through March 24.

The series of workshops, educational events, studio tours and guest speakers will begin with an opening reception at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts, or UICA, in downtown Grand Rapids, at 2 Fulton St. W, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

The reception will feature “Look Behind Design,” an exhibit that highlights how ideas and concepts transformed into the final designs behind a diverse group of Michigan-based companies.

Featured speakers for West Michigan Design Week are Jen Scully, senior director of strategy and operation for Target’s in-house creative agency, and Stefan Sagmeister, a two-time Grammy winner who has designed for clients such as the Rolling Stones, HBO and the Guggenheim Museum.

Scully will host an event titled “How to Fluff Auras and Lead a Creative Team,” where she will explain how to identify structures and responsibilities, while overcoming rigidity in the design process. The event will be held on March 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Goei Center in Grand Rapids, at 818 Butterworth St. SW.

Sagmeister will host “Why Beauty Matters” on March 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Steelcase Town Hall in Grand Rapids, at 901 44th St. SE. He will talk about the importance of beauty in design and how it has been neglected throughout most of the last century and into the 21st century.

Registration is required for each event during the week, and admission fees only apply for certain events. Discounts are available for students and AIGA members.

Registration details and the week’s full schedule are available online.