ENDED: DIVERSIFYING DESIGN FELLOWSHIP
More diversity for the design scene! Together with kültüř gemma! and the 1m2 Collective, the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK is offering a fellowship to work on increased visibility and appreciation for migrant positions in design.
Six-month fellowship: 1,300 euros per month
Deadline: 15.5.2022
Six-month fellowship in the context of Austria's largest design festival – made possible by kültüř gemma! and in cooperation with 1m2 Collective.
Duration: June to November 2022
Monthly scholarship: € 1,300
Aim: Research and networking; presentation of developed content
You want to turn obstacles into opportunities and develop ideas for a more diverse design landscape? Apply now!
- your motivation
- your ideas for the Fellowship
- your previous experience
(no more than 4000 characters in total)
Until 15.5.2022 to fellowship@kueltuergemma.at
Questions about the call for applications can be sent to office@viennadesignweek.at
The design of products, physical as well as digital spaces, and services is a determining factor in all areas of private and public life as well as for our coexistence with the rest of the planet. Design decisions are constantly being made everywhere, and they have a strong impact on us both now and in the long term. At the same time, many people have no insight into the inner workings of the design industry and are unaware of its far-reaching possibilities. Where design is misunderstood as merely superficial, potentials that could create participation, openness and new functionalities remain untapped.
The tools of design can only unfold their positive power if the design discourse is accessible, understandable and diverse. Currently, marginalised groups are underrepresented in the whole process. Both as designers and as clients, it is not only they benefitting from more diversity: The design scene as a whole can better meet its demands if it becomes more diverse. With the support of kültüř gemma! VIENNA DESIGN WEEK wants to create increased visibility and appreciation for underrepresented, migrant and BIPoC positions in product, industrial and graphic design as well as related fields such as architecture, which have not been sufficiently promoted and perceived so far.
How diverse is the Austrian design scene? Are its networks accessible? How easy is it to get attention for one's work? What challenges do you have to overcome if you want to participate in events like VIENNA DESIGN WEEK? And what can the scene do to open up to more people?
We are looking for someone with a passion for hands-on research, an open-minded approach to work, and a talent for listening. It helps if you can easily navigate new environments and topics, and are willing to dive deep into the design scene to find out what it takes to make it an open space for all. No previous experience is necessary – the Fellowship is an excellent opportunity for newcomers.
In line with the intention of kültüř gemma!, the call for applications is aimed at people who define themselves as migrant or PoC. We encourage all ages, all genders or non-gender conforming people of all skill levels and with different forms of knowledge and expertise, including those with non-academic backgrounds, to apply.
The call is open to a wide variety of ideas that address this concern. For example, methods from research, curation, outreach, networking, documentation, research, exhibition, or ideally a mix of several approaches, can be used.
A presentation of results in the programme of VIENNA DESIGN WEEK is explicitly desired and will be supported organisationally by the festival team and the mentors of the 1m2 Collective as much as possible. The festival programme offers space for different formats in which the results of the fellowship can be shown: exhibition, tour, talk, workshop or other interactive event, publication, ...
Beyond showcasing individual positions and opening up opportunities for marginalised designers, the aim of the project is for the Fellowship to contribute to making the network and programme of the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK more diverse in the long term. We look forward to working together to create a design landscape in which more people can actively engage and effectively participate in addressing their needs.
