AIGA (formerly an acronym for the "American Institute of Graphic Arts"^[1]) is an American professional organization for design. Organized in 1914, AIGA currently has more than 22,000 members throughout 63 chapters nationwide. Its activities include 365: AIGA Year in Design and 50 Books/50 Covers. The organization's tagline is "the professional association for design", which is used immediately after the AIGA name in its own publications.

Contents 1 History 2 Symbol sign project 3 Name change 4 50 books of the year contest 5 AIGA Design Conference 6 2009 Conference 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

In 1914, at the National Arts Club in New York City, a group of designers, led by Charles DeKay, met to create the American Institute of Graphic Arts. William H. Howland, publisher and editor of The Outlook, was elected president.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Symbol sign project

The AIGA, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation, produced 50 standard symbols to be used on signs "in airports and other transportation hubs and at large international events". The first 34 symbols were published in 1974, receiving a Presidential Design Award. The remaining 16 designs were added in 1979.^[2]

AIGA Symbol Signs

each of these symbols also has an inverse version AIGA Symbol Signs 1 Air Transportation  Arriving Flights  Baggage Claim  Baggage Lockers  Bar  Barber Shop  Beauty Salon  Bus  Car Rental  Cashier  Coat Check  Coffee Shop  Currency Exchange  Customs  Departing Flights  Down Arrow  Drinking Fountain  Elevator  Escalator  Escalator Down  Escalator Up  Exit  Fire Extinguisher  First Aid  Foward and Left Arrow  Forward and Right Arrow  Ground Transportation  Heliport  Hotel Information  Immigration  AIGA Symbol Signs 2 Information  Left and Down Arrow  Left Arrow  Litter Disposal  Lost and Found  Mail  No Dogs  No Entry  No Parking  No Smoking  Nursery  Parking  Rail Transportation  Restaurant  Right and Down Arrow  Right Arrow  Ships  Smoking  Stairs  Stairs Down  Stairs Up  Taxi  Telephone  Ticket Purchase  Toilets  Toilets (Men)  Toilets (Women)  Up Arrow  Waiting Room  Water Transportation

[edit] Name change

In 2006, The American Institute of Graphic Arts changed its name, retaining the acronym AIGA as its name, and adopting the descriptor line "the professional association for design." The new descriptor has been criticized for potential confusion with the similarly named Association of Professional Design Firms (APDF). The name change has caused confusion within the organizations's membership and the design community. Véronique Vienne, in the March/April 2007 edition of the American design periodical Print, criticized the name change as reducing rather than extending understanding of the profession. The article quotes Marc Gobé, author of Emotional Branding, "The AIGA missed an opportunity to make a strong statement...replacing the authoritative 'American Institute' with the banal 'Professional Association.'^[3]

[edit] 50 books of the year contest

Since 1941, AIGA has sponsored a juried contest for the 50 best designed books published in the previous year, currently entitled "50 Books/50 Covers". Jurors have included booksellers, book publishers, and designers such as George Salter.^[4]

[edit] AIGA Design Conference

The first AIGA Design Conference took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985. It is hosted every two years ²in a different city, and lasts 4 days. ³.

AIGA Design Conference⁴

Year / Location

1985 / Boston
1987 / San Francisco
1989 / San Antonio
1991 / Chicago
1993 / Miami
1995 / Seattle
1997 / New Orleans
1999 / Las Vegas
2001 / Washington
2003 / Vancouver
2005 / Boston
2007 / Denver Next
2009 / Memphis

[edit] 2009 Conference

Speakers at the 2009 Conference included Stefan G. Bucher, Marissa Mayer and Stefan Sagmeister.

[edit] See also

• List of AIGA medalists

[edit] References

² Make/Think: AIGA Design Conference 2009. AIGA. Web. 1 Oct 2009.<http://designconference2009.aiga.org/content.cfm/dc_09_home>

³ Make/Think: AIGA Design Conference 2009. CMS Wire. Web. 1 Oct 2009. <http://www.cmswire.com/events/item/makethink-aiga-design-conference-2009-005522.php>

⁴ A Tradition Over Time. AIGA. Web. 1 Oct 2009. <http://designconference2009.aiga.org/timeline/>

[edit] External links

• AIGA website Official website
• AIGA Symbol Signs to download