World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024 (WDC 2024) and San Diego have announced plans to launch the WDC 2024 Community-Driven Design Grants Program.
The program will support local organizations and businesses in offering community-driven design activities to engage diverse groups across the city, while aligning with the objectives and outcomes of WDC 2024.
The grant guidelines will be available on Dec. 15 and posted online. A calendar listing free workshops and webinars to aid potential applicants also will be offered by WDC organizers.
The deadline for submitting application materials online is 5 p.m. Jan. 15, 2024.
“We are excited to partner with the city of San Diego as we prepare to launch this grants program to support arts, culture and design in our community,” said Carlos de la Mora, CEO of WDC 2024. “It is a tremendous opportunity to drive enduring regional transformation and bring about a more collaborative future via human-centered design.”
Eligible activities may include programs, projects, events, festivals and more. The factors to be considered:
- Applying design, art and culture to re-imagine our region
- EcoDesign for green and blue habitats
- Design for equity, social justice, health and well being
- Design for effective infrastructure and placemaking
- Design in science and technology
- Design for education and youth
- Design to solve homelessness
- Re-Imagining the border
Each recipient will carry out an activity aimed at achieving either a short-term collective impact or a long-term change in the system, using a humanity-centered design approach. The funded activities must engage those from both sides of the San Diego-Tijuana binational region and be specific to the local context.
“While we will enjoy WDC anchor events throughout the year, this grant program is designed to empower San Diegans across the city to participate in our year of design at the neighborhood level,” said Jonathon Glus, executive director of the city’s arts and culture programs.
Grant activities will occur in various San Diego locations between March 15 and Nov. 30, 2024. Funding will be provided by the city of San Diego.
WDC is designated biennially and is a year-long initiative aimed at showcasing cities that effectively utilize design to improve the quality of life for their residents