How It Works

Just as public access television puts the means of communication in the hands of communities, CUP’s Public Access Design program puts the power of design in the hands of community organizers and advocates.

Public Access Design projects are visual tools that go directly to communities whose access to information, or lack thereof, can have major consequences for their health, livelihood, and well-being. These tools help ordinary residents of the city better understand and participate in democratic processes, creating real social change.

Process

Phase 1: Call for designers
Each year, artists and designers working in print 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 three months, a new jury reviews applications and selects one or two project proposals to be part of the program.

Phase 3: Assemble the project team
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.