Design Week In SF
I was proud to hear recently that San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom, had signed a proclamation naming June 19-25 as Design Week in the City. It's the first-of-a-kind type of statement from the Mayor's office to take a moment and honor the value and importance of design. This is important not only to San Francisco, but to every city and town, all around the world.
The Mayor's Proclamation reads as follows:
Whereas, design has proven an effective means for businesses and organizations to affect positive change, and
Whereas, design in and of itself represents a cultural force, and
Whereas San Francisco is home to the greatest number of designers per capita in the United States, and
Whereas the city of San Francisco, California recognizes the power of design to shape our economy and culture
Now, Therefore be it resolved that San Francisco, California proudly proclaims June 19–25, 2006, as "design makes a difference" week in San Francisco.
It looks pretty good, eh? I know that the San Francisco chapter of the AIGA is going to use this designation as a starting point for future Design Weeks and build events and PR around them. It would be good to have a "design makes a difference" week in all regions of the country.
Education and understanding of the nature and value of design is an ongoing, fluid endeavor. The public, in many ways, doesn't realize the importance and impact that good design has on them and their communities. I am very pleased about this acknowledgment from a Mayor who is known to take risks and think outside of the status quo. We need more folks like him on our side. If you're reading this and would like to get similar recognition and proclamations from your government officials, contact them and bring them into the world of design. They only will know and appreciate what we can bring to them. It's up to us, as design professionals, to raise the bar and uphold our place of value in the big picture of things. We need to toot our own horns a little more.
That's a great idea. We spend our professional lives helping clients get recognition but when it comes to tooting our own horns, well, it just doesn't get done. As a result, designers get much less recognition and respect compared to other professionals.