William Drenttel

Katrina: Designer News & Resources Notice I

This post begins an archive of news and resources to help designers devastated by Hurricane Katrina from the New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf States area. As more news or resources become available, I will update this post. Please use comments section to add more information. Our readers should remember that Design Observer has 100,000 site visits a week: let's use our online community to help at least a few people, and to share information with others who can help.

RELOCATION HELP/WORK

Designer at Winterhouse Studio - Northwest Connecticut
Winterhouse principals Jessica Helfand and William Drenttel will sponsor one young designer from the devastated New Orleans/Gulf of Mexico region. We can offer work for 3-6 months, plus help in relocating to New York or Boston, or staying in our area longer-term. We will help with airfare and resettling costs — anything needed. Winterhouse is located in the Berkshire Mountains in Northwest Connecticut. More information about the studio at Winterhouse. Email elizabeth [at] winterhouse.com, or call collect 860.824.5040.

Relocate A Design Studio to the Berkshires
In the New England tri-state area (Western Massachusetts, Northwest Connecticut and New York State east of the Hudson, south of Albany), there is a real need for additional design talent. This area encompasses towns from Williamstown to Great Barrington, Massachusetts; Hudson to Millerton, New York; Salisbury to Cornwall, Connecticut. It's a wonderful area to live in, rich in culture and natural beauty. Winterhouse would like to sponsor a design firm from the devastated New Orleans/Gulf of Mexico region, and believe we can help provide community support, initial clients, start-up funds, housing, etc. Email elizabeth [at] winterhouse.com, or call collect 860.824.5040.

NETWORKS TO HELP/DONATIONS

American Institute of Graphic Arts
The AIGA, with 45 chapters and 150 student groups, is the largest graphic design organization in the country. AIGA has a New Orleans chapter for the city and surrounding areas with over 200 members. AIGA is networking offers of help / requests for help through its website. Whether a member of AIGA or not, this is an important place to post requests for help.

Displaced Designer: Helping Designers Affected by Hurricane Katrina Get Back on Their Feet.
A resource from The Chopping Block for those in the creative industry recently displaced by the ongoing situation in New Orleans and the surrounding region. Quickly growing resource of help needed / help wanted.

American Institute of Architects
With over 74,000 members, the AIA represents the professional interests of America's architects. With a well-established network of chapters in all major southern cities, AIA has local coordinators organizing help, support and information sharing.

Arts Unite for Hurricane Relief
Swine Palace, the professional theatre company affiliated with the Louisiana State University Department of Theatre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is blogging news about arts organizations that provide support. It also lists offers for artist housing.

Aquent
Aquent is making a donation of $10,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, and will be matching every contribution they gather for Second Harvest, dollar for dollar. Visit their web site to learn how to participate.

Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Baton Rouge Area Foundation is a nonprofit organization that forms partnerships with philanthropists, nonprofit organizations and other community leaders. Community Foundations are part of a national network: they are typically well-run with low overheads, deep connections in the community, and broad experience helping libraries, dealing with poverty and preserving natural resources. Local community foundations are a good way to reach local groups through an already-existing network.

Craft Emergency Relief Fund
Focused on craft artists, CERF was started in 1985 and has helped more than 400 professional craft artists with over $650,000 in financial assistance. CERF bulletin boards are full of offers of help and information. Very grass-roots.

Crafters United: Creative Forces for Hurricane Katrina Relief
Craft Revolution, an online magazine that promotes the work of independent designers, artists, and crafters has teamed up with craftster.org and etsy.com to set up a fundraiser to support the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They've set up a shop at etsy.com, and they're looking for donations from the indie design/craft world:100% of the proceeds from the sales are going to the Red Cross. (Link courtesy of Design Sponge.)

NEWS AND COMMENTARY

"University of Louisiana at Lafayette Reacts to Katrina"
News article about architecture and design students from Tulane, Loyola and the University of New Orleans being moved to University of Louisiana at Lafayette: it's expected that 60-70% will migrate to Lafayette permanently. Short-term design projects will focus on disaster relief needs.

"Surviving The Flood: A Review of the Rotterdam Architecture Biennale"
Originally posted on August 5th, Core77 still has a feature on their homepage — a review of a show titled "Surviving the Flood." It seems out of place today.

"Buiding A Wireless Network"
Community Wireless Networking experts from throughout the United States are heading to the New Orleans/LA region to help rebuild their telecommunications infrastructure. Donations accepted to help defray expenses.

"The Impact of Hurricane Katrina"
The best info-graphic on the impact of Hurricane Katrina is definitely at The New York Times website. The photo and video section offer striking visual coverage of this catastrophe.

"24 Hours of Hell"
An amazing info-graphic from the Sun Herald newspaper in south Mississippi.

"Disaster (and Intelligent Info-design) Strikes Yet Again"
One+one=thr33 on the design of info-graphics for this disaster.

"The City That Will Be"
A history of re-building cities: New Orleans will come back but what will it be?

"A Strong, Soulful, Wicked, Frail City"
For a city of only half a million people, New Orleans looms large in the cultural imagination of the world. What will we keep and what will we destroy in re-building her?

"A Sad Day, Too, for Architecture"
Former president of Oberlin College and of the Aspen Institute, and the founding director of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, S. Frederick Starr becomes a The New York Times correspondent to reflect on architectural loses in New Orleans. (One should note that he is a professional clarinetist and saxophonist with the New Orleans-based Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble.)

Newsmap
Follow the declining coverage of Hurrican Katrina at Newsmap.

OTHER

Speak Up
Speak Up has made a donation to the AIGA relief fund, and is encouraging its readers to join in the AIGA effort.

The Hurricane Poster Project
Moxie Sozo, a nationally known design firm in Boulder, Colorado is teaming up with other designers and design firms around the country to create "The Hurricane Poster Project." All proceeds will go directly to the American Red Cross with a goal of $1 million. URL to follow.

25 Above Water Project
Organized by Sam Vazquez, twenty-five graphic artists to make limited edition posters: project goal is $250,000. URL to follow, with online exhibition to open October 5.