TORONTO—Whether or not design can make the world a better place is a debate for the ages (or at least for the pubs), but there’s no doubt that good design can strengthen the message of any organization, including those focused on activism.
 

Una Lee and Sheila Sampath are activist design agency, The Public

Last fall, former high school mates Una Lee and Sheila Sampath co-founded The Public, a Toronto-based design studio to “help groups working toward social change communicate more strongly with their communities.”

Both partners are graduates of the graphic design program at George Brown College and have roots in various activist communities. Lee, who was previously a designer at Pylon in Toronto, has organized anti-poverty campaigns and women’s groups, while Sampath has a background in grassroots anti-oppression activism and serves as art director for Shameless, a feminist magazine for teenage girls.

Their intended market is obviously small, Lee admits. “It’s true that our clients don’t always have a lot resources.” The studio is taking on some pro-bono projects and also offers workshops “that help to equip organizations with creative skills so they can try to initiate their own communications,” Lee says. “In the activist world, sharing skills and knowledge is very important.”

Lee mentions a handful of studios and agencies in Toronto with progressive leanings, including Union and Manifest Communications, but adds that they “all have their own niches,” such as corporate responsibility, charities and unions. The Public’s point of differentiation, Lee says, is its strong focus on activism. “We want to re-infuse energy into these movements where some of their communications have become a little stale.”

The studio recently redesigned Sex Etc., a progressive sex education magazine for American teens and is currently working on promotional materials for the Women’s Worlds 2011 international forum and the CUPE Ontario convention. Contact: www.thepublicstudio.ca