How It Works

Phase 1: Call for designers
Each year, artists and designers working in print, motion graphics, animation, and interaction design are invited to apply to be Public Access Design Fellows. A jury made up of leaders in the design and advocacy communities selects a small group of Design Fellows to join the program for a one-year period.

Phase 2: Call for project proposals
Community organizers and advocates working to break down complex policy and planning issues for their constituents are invited to submit Public Access Design project proposals throughout the year. Every two months, a new jury reviews applications and selects one project proposal to be part of the program.

Phase 3: Pairing a project with a Fellow
One Design Fellow is selected by the jury to collaborate on each project, based on her or his skills. The Fellow then has the opportunity to take on (or take a pass on) the project based on his or her interest and availability.

Phase 4: Collaborate
CUP manages the collaboration and provides design and production support as needed throughout the project’s four- to five-month time frame. These short turnaround times allow Public Access Design projects to respond to organizers’ needs for communication tools on pressing issues as they arise.

Phase 5: Produce and disseminate
Each project is both an educational tool and a showcase for innovative design. CUP covers production costs, such as editing, printing, and engineering, based on a scope of work mutually agreed upon at the beginning of the project. Advocacy partners are provided with 1,000 copies of any print materials to distribute directly to their constituents. CUP also distributes and promotes all final projects on our website, at events, and through our network of supporters in the fields of art and design.

Collaborators can choose from four media formats, each designed to work with partner organizations’ needs and to be easily completed within the short project time frame. Currently, the options are:

CUP welcomes applications from community organizations and advocacy groups who have a pressing issue that is affecting their constituency and that would benefit from a visual explanation. Advocates can find out more about the program here.

CUP welcomes applications from artists and designers from a variety of disciplines who are interested in applying their skills to collaborative projects that use innovative design to contribute to social change. Designers participate in the program through CUP’s Public Access Design Fellowship. Designers can find out more about the program here.