The value of dialogue
We’ve never been more connected, yet we’ve never been more isolated.
This paradox; well covered in studies of digital behaviour has been played out dramatically during 2020; shutting down normal existence means we’ve found ourselves in a binary world of either being on or off-line. Zoom is having its day, and is will remain a staple for everyone working in the business of design promotion. Remember conference calls?
Before we could conceive what a global shutdown might be like I’d identified a sense of isolation within London’s design promotion community. Having had two years away from ‘the world’s creative capital’ I had a clear sense that people – and organisations – were not really talking to each other, exchanging ideas or even had a place for a dialogue. My freshly-reacquainted network agreed. Social distancing had struck design before the phrase had event been coined.
Feeling frustrated by having the same conversation again and again I decided to do something about with independent design PR, Martha McNaughton. We reverted to a well-established social model: inviting people to the pub. It worked. At the time (late February 2020) most discussion was on the recent decision to postpone the Salone del Mobile as Lombardy reeled from Covid-19. That evening marked the start of something that was clearly valued; an informal opportunity to catch up and discuss what was happening in design.
We didn’t have a chance to organise a second pub gathering. However, Design Dialogue had been launched. It has now evolved to an on-line meeting place. By the time August rolls-round we’ll have hosted over 30 speakers sharing thoughts and ideas on a wide range of issues related to design, and its promotion. Much of the discussion has reflected on the state of society, economy: precisely the places where design could – if valued and prioritized – have a huge impact.
The network has been building steadily; there were 35 on the first Zoom meeting – we’ve doubled that and more towards the end of the first ‘season’. What has been interesting is the type – and diversity – of people that want to be part of the network. These are all ‘design connectors’ – a description that covers organisers, advocates or agents for design; event professionals, thinkers, curators, PRs, writers, activists, commissioners and decision-makers, and of course, designers.
The connectors are all important in the design sector, and its essential that there is a dialogue between and among us. Design – and designing – exists in the points of connection; between business and creativity, society and progress and between problems and solutions. The design sector in the UK is blessed with a hugely talented and committed array of design connectors, and it is this broad group that will strengthen design’s voice, build better events and push for more robust and inclusive organisations and infrastructure for design and its promotion.
At the outset I’d resisted even a simple social media channel to communicate meet-up details. But we’re in our digital age and distinctly on-line, so Design Dialogue now has a logo, a website and those social media channels. Suddenly we’re producing rich and valuable content via Zoom recordings. We’re still refining the video production, so for now this is best consumed through audio and our SoundCloud page providing listeners a rough podcast like reflection on the state of things.
The stakes are high; as the relative decline in industry events and organisations has led to failures, such as the inability of design to ‘declare’ its commitment to tackling the climate emergency, its low level ethnic diversity, and provision of opportunity alongside fragmented approach to the public policy agenda. However, there can hardly have been a better time for progress and change, as seen by the positive and hopefully long-lasting response to the Black Lives Matter campaign. That change will come, if the dialogue is valued.