The difference design makes

Difference in Design

Fourth-year University of Western Sydney design students will travel to Melbourne's AgIdeas International Design Week to unveil a student exhibition exploring the impact ethical design can make.

The exhibition, titled The Difference Design Makes , is a collaboration between final year students from the UWS Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) degree and the Australian Academy of Design.

Lecturer Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek says the students were asked to express how they wanted to make a difference professionally, and if it was possible to satisfy both the clients' and their own creative expectations and personal ethics.

"Their brief for this exhibition was to represent an informed opinion of where they want to stand within the graphic design industry, both professionally and personally," says Mrs Edwards-Vandenhoek.

"So in a way this exhibition showcases the students' individual creative responses as they burrow their way out of their degrees and head out into the professional world of design."

The 23 final year students submitting works to the exhibition have been drawn from Australian Graphic Design Association award winning UWS Rabbit Hole teaching studio.

"This project will also provide students with the opportunity to attend the AGIDEAS International Design Conference where students will engage with the international design community at large and be exposed to a range of viewpoints on visual communication that will further inform their own practice and enable them to carve out the creative career that they seek," says Mrs Edwards-Vandenhoek.

UWS student Hayley Woods' submission, Change of Heart, has already drawn attention after being chosen as the People's Choice winner at the recent Tractor/Semi-Permanent Creative Conference student design competition.

Change of Heart

Ms Woods, who hopes to work as an illustrator for children's books, says she's thrilled her work has been recognised at such a prestigious event.

"Semi-Permanent is a very well known and respected design conference, and to receive the People's Choice award is a great boost heading into the agIdeas International Design Week," says Ms Woods.

The agIdeas International Design Week is one of the largest and most prestigious design festivals in the world. Established in 1991 by Ken Cato and developed and presented by the Design Foundation, agIdeas offers an extraordinary program of events promoting the value of design driven innovation.

Ends

18 May 2012 

Contact: Mark Smith, Media Officer