D esign and music, as anyone with even a passing interest in either knows, are inextricably linked. It’s fair to say that an appreciation of one undoubtedly enhances the experience of the other; and that’s why for so many years great bands have emerged from art schools (David Bowie, Roxy Music, Blur to name just a few); and why some of the most renowned graphic designers of the past few decades cut their teeth designing for bands—Peter Saville, Jonathan Barnbrook, and Malcolm Garrett, for instance.
It’s not just that graphic designers love music, and that most people in bands dig visual culture. In numerous studies, music has been shown to pave the way for creativity; who doesn’t work better when listening to (the right) music? This ongoing, rather special romance between the works of design and music is behind AIGA’s new Design + Music focus (announced at the 2016 AIGA Design Conference), which will examine the role of design in shaping the future of the music industry. AIGA’s executive director Julie Anixter says the program will “spotlight how art and design enrich our connection to music and create more value,” and “strengthen the connection between music and design.”
The dedicated website will be completed in the next three months, according to Lawrence Azerrad, founder and creative director of LADDesign, who is heavily involved in leading the AIGA Design + Music program. The site will act as a place where designers, musicians, and the creative community can put propose their ideas on how design can help people engage with music on a deeper level, and will work alongside live workshops across the U.S. over the next year or so. “We want to bring the AIGA community in to open source these ideas and provide a breeding ground to develop the next form of cultural engagement that will blow people’s minds,” says Azerrad.