Design Education Talks
After the very first Design Education Forum by the New Art School in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast was created as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris E. Heretakis MA RCA. His rich background in art, design and education, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse.
At its core, Design Education Talks podcast functions as an open forum, fostering discussions that delve into the intricate facets of art and design education, unravelling the layers of creativity, and exploring the depths of design thinking in education.
This podcast stands as a testament to our commitment to addressing the pressing challenges facing contemporary art and design education. Each episode becomes a nexus of exploration, where innovative solutions are sought and shared. The collaborative nature of these discussions reflects a commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice, academia and industry, and tradition and innovation.
One of the podcast's distinctive features is its role as a valuable resource for skill-building among the new generation of aspiring designers. The episodes serve as an intellectual toolbox, offering practical insights, strategies, and real-world experiences that contribute to the holistic development of creative professionals. Moreover, the podcast serves as a compass, providing clear directions for those interested in reshaping the models for teaching and learning in the dynamic field of design.
As we continue our journey through the Design Education Talks podcast, our aim remains resolute: to inspire, inform, and ignite a transformative dialogue that propels the evolution of art and design education. By fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation, we aspire to contribute to the positive growth and adaptation of educational practices, ensuring that they align seamlessly with the needs and aspirations of the ever-changing creative landscape.
Episodes
115 episodes
Dan Vlahos - Dynamic Media, Critical Thinking, and Design Pedagogy
Dan Vlahos is a Boston-based design leader, educator, and researcher. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at Bentley University and is serving on the AIGA Boston Board. Vlahos is also a member of the Boston Society of Printers, the Design Managem...
Jan Kubasiewicz on Teaching Design as a System of Meaning
Our guest today is Jan Kubasiewicz, Professor of Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and one of the most influential figures in the development of dynamic media and motion design education. Born and educated in Poland, Jan ...
Nikolaus Hafermaas - Berlin Unplugged: Design, Education, and the Courage to Disrupt
Nikolaus Hafermaas is a designer, educator, artist, and lifelong experimenter whose career moves fluidly between practice and pedagogy, Europe and the United States, the analogue and the digital. A self-described classic car romantic and spirit...
The Future of Learning with Christian Dominique: AI, Neuroscience and the Art of Wellness in Education
Christian Dominique, co-founder of Digital Wellness and trained neuroscientist from McGill University, is on a mission to redesign education systems that have forgotten how to cultivate joy. In this compelling episode of Design Education Talks,...
Design in Motion: James Grady on Creative Process and Emerging Technologies
James Grady is a designer, educator, and creative researcher who fosters interdisciplinary collaboration in design, technology, and performance. As an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Boston University, he works closely with faculty, st...
The Second Mountain: John McFaul’s Search for Purpose in Design
Today on Design Education Talks, we’re joined by John McFaul , Executive Creative Director, Brand Consultant, Educator, and one of those rare, restless creatives who has never quite fitted into the neat boxes the world tries to ...
From MIT to IDEO: Sheng-Hung Lee on the Future of Design and Education
Sheng-Hung Lee is a designer, engineer, and educator dedicated to advancing human-centered design and systemic service innovation. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on human behavior ...
Zines, Books, and Beyond: The Practice of Jac Batey
I run MA illustration and teach on BA illustration. Also supervise practice-based PhDs. Specialism is in illustration/artistbooks/zines and teaching. My own creative practice is mostly as in artists book /artzines and as an artist. I work both ...
Costume as Sculpture: The Worlds of Gwen van den Eijnde
Gwen van den Eijnde is a French–Dutch artist and costume designer based in the United States. For the past decade, he has been teaching apparel design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, where he currently serves a...
Design Education Talks: Brian Grimwood - The Illustrator Who Rewrote the Rules
As an illustration educator, few figures stand out as boldly, and as impactfully, as Brian Grimwood. His work is not merely a reflection of evolving visual trends; it is a catalyst for change that helped define what modern illustration c...
Design Education Talks Haluk Sicimoğlu: Blending Empathy with Advertising Expertise
We’re thrilled to welcome Haluk Sicimoğlu, a dynamic strategist, storyteller, and entrepreneur hailing from İzmir. As the founder of THAAT’S IT!, Haluk brings a sharp focus on innovation powered by insight, and crafts heartfelt br...
AIGA Special: Design Is a Performance... But Who’s Watching?
Lee-Sean Huang - Co-Executive Director, Learning + ProgramsGiulia Donatello - Design Competitions and Event ManagerThe 2025 AIGA Design Conference is happening in Los Angeles from October 9th to 11th, and it's not just any conferenc...
Ari Chand: The Future of Design Education: Challenges, AI, and the Role of Practice
Dr Ari Chand, Lecturer in Illustration and Animation, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia.Ari is a Designer/Illustrator and practice-based design researcher, Lecturer in Illustration and Animation at
Design Education Insights: A Conversation with Ingmar Thies
Get in touch!Born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, Sven Ingmar Thies studied graphic design at Braunschweig University of Art and completed his final thesis in Tokyo and Yokohama. Since his time at university, he has fo...
Episode 100 - Prof. Phil Cleaver
We are delighted to welcome back Phil Cleaver for this landmark 100th episode. A distinguished and multi award-winning figure in the world of graphic design, Phil has long been recognised as one of the field’s true heavyweights. A protégé of An...
Design Education Talks Ep. 97 - Liza D
Liza Deyrmenjian is the founder and Dean of The Cut Design Academy, where she shapes the next generation of crea...
Design Education Talks Ep. 98 - Mike Dempsey RDI
After a decade in publishing, Mike formed the highly successful design consultancy Carroll, Dempsey & Thirkell (CDT) in 1979, which he ran for 27 years. In 2007, he left to set up Studio Dempsey. Mike’s awards include the New York Art Direc...
Design Education Talks Ep. 95 - Kadine James
Kadine James is a successful serial entrepreneur and expert in all things web3, digital fashion, nfts/tickens and is cited as a pioneer of the Metaverse. She founded The Immersive KIND in 2016, a Web 3 commerce company, with a mission to bring ...
Design Education Talks Ep. 94 - Tom Lynham
Tom Lynham is a writer and creative director who helps organisations around the world to communicate better. He works with startups, design consultancies, galleries, museums and companies such as Lego, IKEA, Jumeirah Hotels and Thomas Heatherwi...
Design Education Talks Special: Cheryl D. Miller: Decolonising Graphic Design
Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller is the leading voice for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the graphic design industry. Holmes-Miller is an American BIPOC communications designer, writer, artist, activist, and theologian, best known as a design justi...
Design Education Talks Ep. 93 - Paul Rogers
Paul Rogers has worked as a free lance illustrator and designer since his graduation from Art Center College of Design in 1980. His clients include the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Los Angeles County MTA, National Academy of Recording Arts and Scien...
Design Education Talks Ep. 92 - Adrian Shaughnessy
Adrian Shaughnessy is a graphic designer, writer, publisher and educator. He has written, designed, edited, art directed and published numerous books on design. He has been interviewed on television and radio, and lectures extensively around th...
Ep. 91 - Bradford Hansen-Smith - Observations and reflections
We recommend that you go over to our youtube channel and watch this particular episode.This is the 4th and final episode in the series. Brad talks more in-depth about his work and how he took h...
Design Education Talks Ep. 90 - Gail Anderson
Gail Anderson is an NYC-based designer, educator, and writer. She is Chair of BFA Design and BFA Advertising at the School of Visual Arts and Creative Director at Visual Arts Press. Anderson has served as Senior Art Director at Rolling Stone ma...
Design Education Talks - Ellen Lupton on the Evolution of Design Thinking and Inclusive Education
Discover the transformative shifts in design education with Ellen Lupton, the esteemed author of "Thinking with Type." Ellen joins us to illuminate the past two decades of design thinking evolution and the profound impact of inclusivity and div...