CfP *Understanding Design Impact: Theory and Practice*
2025 International Scientific Conference of the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga on 29-30 May.
Call for Abstracts
Deadline for abstract submission: 6 April 2025
How to assess the value and impact of design is a long-debated question, which has been further complicated by the expanding scope of design practice. While value and impact of design have initially been examined in terms of business success, today the interventional role of design in responding to environmental, societal, and political challenges has been widely acknowledged. The existing tools, however, fall short in fully grasping and accounting for design’s contribution to quality of life within such an increasing complexity.
*Understanding Design Impact* is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture to bring a fresh and inspiring perspective on the question of how to make the impact of design visible and intelligible. We invite papers that discuss new methods and approaches that would enhance our understanding of the impact of design on well-being, health, education, social inclusion, environment, climate and innovation. We welcome a wide range of practice- and theory-based contributions from various fields of design, which might be interested in exploring:
• Qualitative and quantitative ways of impact assessment in design
• Tools, techniques and methods of assessment
• Challenges and opportunities for measuring design impact
• Key actors and institutions of design impact assessment
• Design impact in education
Following the conference, an internationally reviewed collection of
conference papers will be published.
*Submission of abstracts*
To submit your proposal, send an abstract that does not exceed 400 words (excluding references) with a short bio (max. 200 words) to [email protected] before the 30th March 2025.
For questions about submissions, send emails to [email protected]. Updates on the track and programme will be published on the Institute’s website: lmda.lma.lv
*Conference details*
Dates: May 29–30, 2025
Location: Art Academy of Latvia, Kalpaka Boulevard 13, Riga, Latvia
There is no conference registration fee.
Information on the 2025 International Scientific Conference of the Art Academy of Latvia here.
https://lmda.lma.lv/en/
*The special track is organised within the framework of the project
Cultural and Creative Ecosystem of Latvia as a Resource of Resilience and Sustainability / CERS (No. VPP-MM-LKRVA-2023/1-0001), funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia in the framework of the State Research Programme Latvian Culture – a Resource for National Development (2023–2026). The State Research Programme is administered by the Latvian Council of Science.
