Ideas Beyond Formats is a paid publishing program and initiative geared towards supporting and amplifying the voice of BIPOC+ identifying artists age 21+. Through the program, we will aid in developing, publishing, and promoting a significant work by the artist (to be defined by the artist). The program includes a $2,000 honorarium and a $2,000 production budget (plus any additional funding we gather for the cycle), both to be managed by the artist. We plan on supporting one artist per year, pending financing flow through from our studio. Find out more on the Ideas Beyond Formats page. Latest update 01/01/24

Latest update 01/01/24

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Acknowledgement

All clients are asked to share their stance on social justice issues, specifically diversity, inclusion and disability activism, to make sure we are in alignment with their belief before taking on the project. We also ask what efforts they are currently making to address these issues, and how will they measure a visible and felt change in their policies within the next year. With the recent regressive efforts to strip DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives and language from public-funded institutions such as universities, procuring such acknowledgments has become impossible in states such as Florida and Iowa. In situations such as these, we've continued to support our views, and the colleagues and the students within these institutions by participating in exhibitions and lectures on a case by case basis, where we feel our values are honored by the efforts of individuals we engage with.

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For commissions

For commissions (from companies or individuals), we set aside 10% of our payment for our Ideas Beyond Formats initiative.

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For institutional engagement​

For institutional engagements such as lectures or visiting artists programs, we seek to insure that institutional lineups are inclusive of BIPOC+ and LGTBQIA+ identifying practitioners.

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Input Constructive criticism is valued and always welcome. Thank you for caring.

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Disclaimer

We will be adapting and tweaking as things unfold and as things need to be amended.

Latest update 01/12/24

T>E>A>M: To Enable All Movement was an initiative developed to foster BIPOC+ voices in creative work for institutions such as museums, foundations, etc. The initiative was launched in June of 2020. We’ve stopped implementing it end of 2024. Projects that we made together: Music Lives Here, Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change, and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40, Chicago Avant Garde: Five Women Ahead of Their Time ​

Why, we stopped:

Overall, we found that the framework had capacity to cause further racial trauma. But that was no the only reason for closing this initiative. Various levels of fluency to do this work were missing when intersecting in large group dynamics. The admin work was more than double than expected, which was not sustainable and created additional pressure. All that said, we are proud of the projects and exchanges we fostered together. We went into this initiative knowing it was experimental, and will continue to find new ways to foster equity and diversity with our work.

The Initiative Framework

How it Works

When commissioned by an institution for service-based design work, we ask for that the "ground crew", the overall team (Design + Client), consists of BIPOC+ members. If the overall team (Design + Client) does not already include BIPOC+ identifying individuals, we augment the design team to include an artists/designers of color as equal collaborators (no hidden credits), and split the payment equally per person. In addition, the projects are ran in full transparency for all parties involved. To honor the client's support of this initiative, we take on the administrative work to help facilitate this collaboration. We are currently engaging in this initiative for projects over $20,000.

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Why $20,000

The added administrative work needed to facilitate this collaboration is time-consuming. Reserving this initiative to institutional commissions over $20,000 allows us to sustain our operations at a sustainable level.

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Why it Works

As long-time practitioners in the field, we recognize that the design industry, the design sector, and design itself can be a direct pipeline to a society that furthers suffering. By making room for diverse voices in our field, we are bound to discover new vernaculars to represent a fuller future.