Read Time: 13 minutes

What exactly is a museum? This is the question that the International Council of Museums (ICOM) is asking its 45,000 members. As a worldwide organization of museum professionals, ICOM plays an important role in supporting professional networks, establishing museum standards, promoting cultural heritage, and raising public awareness of museum missions.

Currently, ICOM is working to create a formal definition of “museum”—a highly controversial topic. The list of potential definitions has been narrowed to five, and a vote will determine the final definition.

The following five essays represent the opinions of SEGD members on the pros and cons of ICOM’s proposed definitions.

Read Time: 3 minutes
During the summer of 2020, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, SEGD members Aki Carpenter (Ralph Appelbaum Associates, New York) and Inessah Selditz (Ada, New York) formed BIPOC Directors Collective (BIPOC-DC), a group of directors and leaders of color to enact real change from the top down. Since then, the BIPOC-DC has hosted virtual talks and conferences to discuss issues and actions, as well as provide role models and mentorship for younger people of color who are rising-up within the creative industries.

Read Time: 4 minutes

In response to historical racial injustice and the renewed calls for change across all institutions, eight members of SEGD have formed the organization’s first-ever Racial Justice Commission. Their mission: to advance racial justice within SEGD and the field of Experiential Graphic Design by serving  as an advisory group and providing guidance to committees, chapters, and staff—all in support of more inclusivity and accountability within the organization. 

Read Time: 3 minutes
Throughout February, SEGD is focusing on the importance of experience design and experience designers to amplify, celebrate and bring Black culture and history to the forefront. To do this, we are sharing a curated weekly series of video presentations from 2020 featuring designers in our SEGD community speaking about their roles in presenting difficult historical topics while engaging audiences through specific design strategies. On February 10, SEGD shares “Designers Elevating Untold Narratives” presented by SEGD Board Member Aki Carpenter and featuring the design work of Ralph Appelbaum Associates on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as the upcoming Obama Presidential Center.