UPCOMING PROJECTS
Collaboration with McGill’s GROOC: Social learning for Social Impact
SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 | TORONTO | OPEN IMPACT LAB
Ocad U will serve as the Toronto “hub” as it joins McGill University in launching a massive open online course (MOOC) for groups, a “GROOC”. The new course, "Social Learning for Social Impact," launches September 16, 2015 and "aims to inspire social change through global collaboration of like-minded people working to create positive, sustainable impact. Open Impact Lab will serve as physical hub for this GROOC, serving OCAD U students and members of the community joining this course and wishing to meet in person.
President’s Speaker Series: ARTIVISM
MARCH 2016 | TORONTO | OPEN IMPACT LAB
Inspired by the work of Art-ivist Mel Chin students will create an exhibit coinciding with the artist’s visit to Toronto for a keynote at the Auditorium. Building on our “art for Social Change” minor and inspired by the work of Mr. Chin, the goal of this event is to raise awareness of the role artists can play in changing the world, it will connect students directly with a well-known international artist, and will aim at creating tighter bonds within our internal student groups activating social innovation from different backgrounds (art, design,curatorial, graduates)
FYI: For Your Inspiration
LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2015 | TORONTO | OPEN IMPACTT LAB
FYI: For Your Inspiration, is a series of talks, gatherings and activities which propagate awareness of social innovation. The objective is to direct attention to ideas through a creative lens and challenge our perceptions of the meaning of social change.
Photo Credit: Asma Khanani Caporaletti. Graduate show exhibit
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 credits: Alia Weston
Creative Enterprise in Adversity
LAUNCH MAY 2015 | VARIOUS LOCATIONS | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
In many parts of the world people are faced by 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.
It 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 credits: Alia Weston
Ideas Taking Flight
LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2015 | TORONTO | OPEN IMPACT LAB
Once new thinking has been sparked, the Open Impact Lab channels the creative energy of individuals and builds capacity for meaningful change to take place through collaboration. The Hub nurtures student-led initiatives for examples student impact clubs, skills development workshops, and opportunities to collaborate and solve social challenges.
Photo Credit: Neandro Corradi. Rushmita Alam, student project
Making Business and Emancipation
LAUNCH JANUARY 2015 | 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. The project is a collaboration with The Public Design Studio and provides opportunities for student research.
Photo credits: 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 It Bloom
LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2015 | TORONTO | OPEN IMPACT LAB
The Open Impact Lab is working to ensure sustainability of social innovation initiatives at OCADU. The goal is to create and drive momentum for change through an on-going process informed by creative practice.
Photo credit: Reduce.Reuse.Recycle student business project
Minor in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation
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.
Image credits: Stitch Kit Student Business Project
Entrepreneurship – Student Run Social Enterprises
NOVEMBER 2014 | TORONTO | IMPACT ECONOMY RESEARCH HUB
Students in the Entrepreneurship course developed a range of social enterprises and hosted activities at various locations around Toronto. Businesses activities included art exhibitions, workshops and product design which aimed to create social impact by addressing challenges in the local community. The Entrepreneurship course enables student to gain first-hand experience of running a starting and running business.
Image credit: Reduce.Reuse.Recycle Student Business Project
Design Abroad India – Social innovation projects
May 2015 | Goa | 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. Students integrate what they have learned through participatory design process to develop design solutions that are innovative, appropriate, and implementable. The 2015 cohort of the Design Abroad India course worked on projects related to the CleanCube Project which aims to address affordable access to clean water and provide economic empowerment for women.
Photo credits: Sarah Tranum, Design Abroad India
Design Abroad India – Student Project Exhibition
November 2015 | OCADU | 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 credits: Sarah Tranum, Design Abroad India
MAAD Professional Practice – 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