CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS
OPEN IMPACT LAB IMPACT EXCHANGE IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
RESEARCH
Creative Enterprise in Adversity
LAUNCH MAY 2016 | VARIOUS LOCATIONS | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
In many parts of the world people are faced with situations of social and economic crisis. This project focuses on exploring how creativity arises and unfolds in adverse contexts such as crisis. There is a particular emphasis on gaining further insight into the ways that community-led, small scale enterprises creatively use limited resources available to overcome their limitations and thrive. This research is important because it demonstrates ways that crisis can be creatively overcome in impactful ways despite limitations. The project will support the Impact Collective’s strategic goal to engage in critical creative thinking and practice by challenging perceptions of creativity in workspaces. The project provides opportunities for students to collaborate on research activities.
Photo credit: Alia Weston
Creative Sustainability Event
JANUARY 2016 | TORONTO | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The event will consist of an innovative exhibition and symposium, which will promote awareness of creative, community-led sustainability initiatives. There is a particular emphasis on understanding the impact of initiatives that incorporate creative elements and which contribute to environmental and social sustainability by reducing waste and pollution. The event is the culminating event of the Sprout Guerilla research project in collaboration with Sprout Guerilla and SSHRC.
Photo credit: Sprout Guerrilla
Making Business and Emancipation
LAUNCH JANUARY 2016 | TORONTO | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The research highlights the emancipatory impact of creative practice and business development. It incorporates art, design and craft-based making groups and business skills development, and explores the impact that these new forms of knowing have on the agency, self-confidence and problem-solving abilities of diverse women.
Photo credit: Alia Weston
Youth Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Communities
LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2015 | TORONTO, HARARE | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The project is focused on gaining a critical understanding of the ways in which social communities of practice and social movements can be developed and sustained in high and low income communities. It will inform the cultivation of communities of creative practice in line with the RECODE initiative in Canada, and support the development of new models for engaging in social innovation in low resource communities. The project is a collaboration across all thematic areas of the Impact Collective group, and will provide opportunities for students to contribute to research outcomes.
Photo credit: Alia Weston
CURRICULAR SUPPORT
Design Abroad India – Social innovation projects
MAY 2016 | INDIA | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The Design Abroad India course offers students a unique opportunity to work within a local community in an international setting to engage in developing solutions that can have a meaningful impact. In 2016 students will again travel to India to engage in participatory design projects with communities, to develop socially impactful design solutions.
Photo credit: Sarah Tranum, Design Abroad India
Material Art & Design – Student Run Pop-Up Shops
MARCH 2016 | TORONTO | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The Material Art and Design Professional Practice course creates enables students to develop their business and design skills and apply these to practical activities. Students gain skills essential to their future work practice by hosting pop-up shops across Toronto.
Photo credit: Sarah Tranum
Entrepreneurship – Student Run Social Enterprises
NOVEMBER 16 – 22, 2015 | TORONTO | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
Students in the Entrepreneurship course will again host a series of socially engaged activities around Toronto. Last year’s activities included art exhibitions, workshops and pop-up shops. In 2015 the activities will coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week, which celebrates entrepreneurial and innovative ideas coming to life. Come and join us!
Photo credit: Alia Weston
Design Abroad India – Student Project Exhibition
NOVEMBER 2015 | OCAD U | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The exhibition celebrates the achievements of the Design Abroad India course. It highlights successes and opportunities of the program, and will showcases the outcomes. Equally, the exhibition raises awareness of the contribution that design practice makes towards creating impactful change.
Photo credit: Sarah Tranum, Design Abroad India
Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Minor
LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2015 | OCAD U | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
The Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Minor is a distinctive, interdisciplinary, course of study for those seeking to develop business expertise that are applicable to the creative industries. Unlike a traditional business program or series of courses, this Minor gives art and design students the opportunity to grasp the broader context of economics, management and social trends changing the global economic landscape, and to apply these perspectives to their creative practice. This new curricular offering has been developed in collaboration with the IERH.
Photo credit: Alia Weston