This month we are introducing a new column on our blog. Every month we’ll post brief updates to all the projects, events, and initiatives we are working on. So if you want to know what’s going on with AIGA Raleigh, this is the place to keep tabs on what we are  doing. If you have any questions or ideas to share, please let us know by sending an email to leadership@raleigh.aiga.org. If you want to volunteer to help with any of the things we are working on, please send us an email at volunteer@raleigh.aiga.org and let us know how you’d like to get involved.

Homegrown Series

• February: Amber Howard, UX. Sold out! View the slides here.
• March: Josh Gajownik (designer, designs internal spaces, too, works with Ashley Christensen’s restaurants), Client Relationships

Design For Good

• First meeting was 1/12/13 at 10am at Morning Times. At this meeting we worked on setting goals and a time frame for the project. Notes from the meeting are located here.
• We need to establish a structure for big DFG projects like the Triangle Wiki one.
• We need co-chairs or a committee to manage the projects.
• DFG is an important initiative as it generates a lot of interest and passion. We don’t want to lose the momentum of the enthusiasm of DFG. We also have done little in our goal of proving design impact and need to give it more focus.
• Laura connected with Activate Good group and they are interested in connecting with us. Activate Good has a process of qualifying groups that they think really need the work. We need to develop something similar.
• Two courses we need to follow within the DFG initiative— the Triangle Wiki project and defining the initiative.
• We need to think in terms of impact and what we can put into a case study. We are not just designing free logos, we care solving problems and creating impact
• We want to capture and share the DFG that we all do individually.
• We need to stress the impact we can create through this initiative.

Film Series

• Need to start promoting as soon as we lock down a date, have materials ready to go to print once date is confirmed
• David Burney will give a talk before the film.
• Cost of tickets will be determined on the number of seats we think we can fill. $15-$20 was discussed. Tickets include a speaker and a film, kind of a two-for-one event.
• Hayley is working on postcards to distribute around town and at studios. Jason will print and invoice Maura.
• Postcard mailing to members, ask Starr at Docusource for help in printing & mailing. They may donate the services.
• We all need to help promote via our social media channels and connections. Mike will send out an email requesting help once a date has been chosen. This event needs a lot of promotion so that we can at least break even on the cost of the event.
• Trouble nailing down a date with Rialto.
• Alternative venues? NCMA ?
• End of March as possible date.
• Need to try to line up sponsors.

Alina Wheeler Event

• April 25
• Eric flood, a senior at NCSU is designer working on graphics.
• seeking sponsors
• Postcards to mail out. Can Starr help?
• Hoping to get 125 people to attend
• Needs lots of promotion.
• Target audience is young designers to strategic brand people, marketing people, business, advertising

Events

• Laura started a 2013-14 Events Calendar page on the wiki to help with scheduling events. If you want to plan an event please check it before choosing a date, so there will be no conflicts with other events. Might also want to check out the local area events list on the website
• We’ll work on updating the event planning resources with info on places to distribute postcards and list events.

Member Spotlights

• Amy has lined up a few member spotlights for but wants to create a backlog of spotlights so that we can continue this feature. Everyone we’ve spotlighted has been very excited and honored to do it. Amy has seen them tweeting and sharing that they were spotlighted and they get tweets back with congrats. If you have a suggestion for a member to spotlight, send her an email.

Student Portfolio Review

• April 6th from 9:30 until 2 pm at Centerline
• For extra parking we can use Duncan Parnell lots

Community Board

• Matt Bryson is our new Director of Partnerships. Joe & Jason to meet with Matt to go over sponsorship info.
• We are working on finding a role for Kristin McPeak, who emailed the board about wanting to take on a role.
• Starr Judd will be working on Merry Mingle with Jason and Amber this year
• We need a Communications council to help Amy – content team (writers, curators), newsletter
• Mentor program needs a chair and a committee. Amy is able to serve as director, but needs a chair and committee to handle the whole program and planning events.

Studio Tour

• Going to try to schedule the Durham tour for June ?
• Would need to do Chapel Hill & Carborro separately to make it easier for people to visit all the studios. Could hold in Chapel Hill/Carborro the week after the Durham tour
• Raleigh in fall (or June if Durham doesn’t  work out )