Handing over program proposal PONT

July 10, 2023 was the day! The program proposal to increase the impact of the design approach on social tasks was handed over to State Secretary Gunay Uslu. The program bridges the gap between designers and public organizations, and is based on a learning and reflective studio model.

This program proposal was itself developed through a design approach. Over six hundred professionals from both the design and public sectors were involved in this process. Through dialogue sessions, interviews, surveys and analyses, it became clear that the program:

• should focus on the further professionalization and emancipation of the creative sector
• should provide more space for the design approach in the public domain

The analysis and proposal for the program, PONT, Public Design Practice can be found on the website.

Supporting research
The program proposal is based in part on three studies: a study of the definition of the design approach by Thomas van Arkel and Nynke Tromp, a study of other Dutch programs to stimulate the design sector by Jörgen Karskens and Martijn de Waal, and a study of support for design abroad by Anja Köppchen and Wina Smeenk. The results of these studies have been translated into three interesting longreads that can be found on the website.

Save the date: Launch on October 23.
We would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to the launch of the program on October 23 during Dutch Design Week by State Secretary Gunay Uslu. Further information about this day will follow, but please put it in your agenda.