South West Desgin Forum has joined the Design Alliance. Over 20 design organisations and regional networks are now partners in the Alliance, committing to collaborate and promote the Good Design Practice campaign.

David Worthington has taken over from Jonathan Sands as the new chair of the UK Design Alliance, promising a renewed drive to encourage the design sector organisations to pull together and achieve a stronger, well supported, well-trained industry. Julian Grice, CEO of The Team joins David as Vice Chair.

There will be a step change in the Alliance’s Good Design Practice campaign with a much increased number of Alliance partners working to help educators and designers elevate the value of design and become even more skilled in their professional practices.

“The Alliance is travelling in the same direction, but we’ve shifted up a gear,” said David Worthington. “Now more than ever, the UK design and design education industry needs the Good Design Practice campaign. We need to elevate the value of design in schools, we need to create stronger, mutually beneficial and formal relationships with universities and, above all, we need to ensure that our world-class design industry goes from strength to strength. The Alliance partners are here to drive that campaign.”

Click here to read the Design Alliance Manifesto

As part of today’s announcement, the Alliance unveiled progress and plans that include:

• Over 20 design organisations and regional networks are now partners in the Alliance (and more are joining), committing to collaborate and promote the Good Design Practice campaign

• An annual event at the London Design Festival on Tuesday 21st September at the V&A’s Sackler Centre will be supported by regional events, organised by the Alliance partners over the coming year.

• The work of signposting information, tools, resources, events, and training opportunities for the design industry will be extended.

Facilitating the Alliance – with help from Creative &Cultural Skills – is part of the Design Council’s increased support for the design sector which also includes a grant that will be awarded to design organisations to help promote design more effectively.

Lesley Morris, Director of the UK Design Alliance and Head of Design Skills at the Design Council said: “All the work to develop the UK Design Alliance over the last few years is now coming to fruition. There are more design organisations and bodies joining the network and we hope that more designers will be involved by joining these national and regional organisations. This is all about collaboration – with the industry working together to achieve results that are far greater than the sum of the parts. Sharing knowledge, developing skills and promoting the real benefits of design are the key issues that the Alliance partners are now working on – both individually and collectively.”

Several new high profile figures from the world of Design have joined the Alliance Advisory Board recently. These include Joe Ferry, Head of Design at Virgin Atlantic, Mat Hunter formerly from IDEO and now Chief Design Officer of the Design Council, and Stuart McDonald, formerly head of The Lighthouse in Scotland.

Commenting on his recent commitment, Joe Ferry said “I am delighted to be involved with the Alliance at a key moment in the evolution of the UK design industry. Being part of the drive to help us stay ahead of the game and become better connected is an exciting challenge.”

Ends

For further information, please contact:
Nigel Campbell, Head of Media Communications, Design Council 0207 420 5282 / 07825 442339 / nigel.campbell@designcouncil.org.uk

Saskia Sissons, Media Relations Manager, Design Council 0207 420 5248 / 07773 768073 / saskia.sissons@designcouncil.org.uk

Notes to editors:
The previous chairs of the Alliance are Paul Priestman (2005 – 2007) and Jonathan Sands (2007 – 2010).

The full list of Advisory Board members is:
• David Worthington, Chairman, Lloyd Northover group, Media Square, UK Design Alliance Advisory Board Chair
• Julian Grice, Managing Director, The Team, UK Design Alliance Advisory Board Vice Chair
• Ingrid Baron, London Location Lead, IDEO
• Gavin Cawood, Operations Director, Design Wales, (Wales)
• John Corcoran, Director, Wire Design
• Professor David Crow, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Acting Dean of Faculty, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Joe Ferry, Head of Design, Virgin Atlantic
• Mat Hunter, Chief Design Officer, Design Council
• Kevin Jones, Partner, The Attainment Partnership
• Catherine Large, Director, External Relations, Creative & Cultural Skills
• Stuart MacDonald, Creative Frontline, (Scotland)
• Colin McKeown, Creative Director, WhiteSpace2, (Northern Ireland)
• Lesley Morris, Head of Design Skills and Director, UK Design Alliance, Design Council
• Shan Preddy, CEO and Managing Director, Preddy & Co

• The UK Design Alliance is a group of design sector organisations, working together to help develop the professional skills the industry needs. The Alliance is running the ‘Good Design Practice’ campaign and its partners are supporting design teaching in schools, colleges and universities as well as encouraging designers to develop their professional practice. The purpose of this work is to ensure that the UK’s design industry remains competitive in the global economy and as world class in the future as it is today.

• The Design Council The Design Council places design at the heart of growth and renewal in Britain. As one of the world’s leading design institutions, we are a centre of new thinking and insight into new ways to do business. We actively show how design can help build a stronger economy and improve everyday life through practical demonstrations and by supporting private industry and the public sector. In turn we invest in the future of UK design. For over 60 years the Design Council has promoted design for the public good. We are a government agency funded by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills as well as a charity with a Royal Charter.www.designcouncil.org.uk

• Creative & Cultural Skills is the sector skills council for the creative and cultural industries. Our remit covers the areas of: advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, and performing, literary and visual arts. For more information visit www.ccskills.org.uk.Licensed by government in June 2005, Creative & Cultural Skills is one of 25 Sector Skills Councils, known collectively as the Skills for Business Network, to oversee the strategic development of the workforce in our industries and deliver realistic solutions to skills needs. Our Chairman is Tony Hall CBE and our Chief Executive is Tom Bewick. Both founded the organisation from scratch in 2004. Our remit is UK-wide. Wales is represented by Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Wales Millennium Centre. Scotland is represented by John Stalker, Chief Executive of Festival City Theatres. Northern Ireland is represented by Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of Arts Council Northern Ireland. Our priorities are outlined in our Strategic Plan 2005-2010. Please contact Creative & Cultural Skills for a copy or visit our website.