See Change 2011

The University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the College of Design are partnering with AIGA, the professional association for design, to host the second annual See Change: The Power of Visual Communication conference on Thursday, May 19, and Friday, May 20, 2011 on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.

MN SPJ is a SPONSOR ORGANIZATION:  Members are eligible for $99 registration.

The See Change format will include a Thursday opening reception and a full day of presentations on Friday featuring both national and local luminaries, who will share current insights on innovative projects, working philosophies, and survival techniques in this fast-paced business and creative climate.

Innovative independent book publisher Charles Melcher of Melcher Media will be the keynote speaker.  The confirmed speaker roster includes motion graphics designer Karin Fong from Imaginary Forces; photographer Doug Menuez; newly appointed New York Times.com digital design director Ian Adelman; typography and identity design guru Margo Chase of Chase Design Group; local photographer Paul Nelson; and graphic designers Jeff Johnson of Spunk Design Machine and Jon Forss of Non-Format.

The conference is intended for curious creatives to refresh their talents with innovative ideas and imagery. This exchange is important as visualists struggle to reinvent themselves for the next best thing. New technology and media outlets continually create new challenges and opportunities that affect how we work and see. The See Change conference is one way to bring visual people together to navigate the ever-morphing communication landscape. The See Change conference is a visual scrapbook enabling concepts beyond our skill sets to cross-pollinate.

The inspiration for this program comes from R. Smith and Pat Schuneman. Smitty was a faculty member at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication from 1960 – 1977 and was instrumental in the creation of the School’s accredited sequence in Photographic Communication (B.A. and M.A. programs). Smitty and his wife Pat have given the University of Minnesota a gift to help sponsor a version of this type of event designed for the 21st century.  The intention is to develop a program that will be held annually under the auspices of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication with co-sponsorship from the University of Minnesota College of Design, and appropriate partners from the visual communication community.

The cost of the program is $99 for members of partner organizations, $149 for non-members, and $25 for students. The registration deadline is May 17. To learn more about the conference and register visit www.seechangeconference.org.

MN SPJ is a SPONSOR ORGANIZATION:  Members are eligible for $99 registration.

For more information or if you have questions about See Change contact: Nora Paul, Director of the Minnesota Journalism Center, npaul@umn.edu, 612-624-8593