As one of the most notable decades in American history, the 1960s changed the trajectory of all areas of life we experience today. Culture By Design dives into some of the most prominent events and people of the decade, showing that even the most countercultural movements were designed with intention to become what they were. In focusing on Civil Rights, Counterculture, and Pop Culture, The Art Institute of Chicago has partnered with the Chicago History Museum to present art and design’s presence in our daily experience. By viewing how culture has been shaped in the past, we can consider how we, too, can utilize design and be change makers in our society.

By exploring major events of the 1960s, this three day event will act as a precursor to the semester-long exhibit held in the Modern Wing of the Institute. The conference will host three keynote speakers—experts in the fields of social justice, education, and design. Additionally, each day features a workshop or community-building experience, as well as panels to continue the conversations of designing cultural change today. 

Culture By Design is aimed towards local college students in the Chicago area, as well as other students who attend universities that are a part of the University Partner Program with the Institute. Whether they may have an interest in art, history, or social change, attendees of this conference and exhibit will be asked this question: who will design cultural change today? Through learning from design experts and experiencing 1960s designs firsthand, they will be led to this answer: it starts with you.

This project was made for educational purposes.

View the full conference publication here.