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A quote from Danish designer P.Mollerup’s study “Design for Latvia” regarding the situation in Latvia’s design life:
“Latvia needs an organization to implement national design policy. This organization must learn from abroad. It must package information effectively and it must disseminate information. The Design Information Centre must fulfil three tasks: gathering information, organizing activities, and informing target groups.” The Design Information Centre (DIC) was established in 2004. Its goal is to support and organize activities of Latvian design life. DIC operates as an active centre of design information circulation providing informative support to professionals, young students and design-oriented public, as well as develops and coordinates cyclical thematic target programmes. DIC’s objectives:
1. Enhance development of the design sector by gathering and assessing information available in Latvia and worldwide.
2. Support integration of Latvian design into the international circulation; promote possibilities of inter-regional exchange of experience.
3. Enhance development of a national design policy.
4. Facilitate cooperation between design vocational and higher educational institutions and entrepreneurs.
5. Educate the public and enhance its understanding about design. DIC’s operation develops in the following directions: Information
1. Development of an interactive data base about design projects in Latvia and abroad, about designers, design education, cooperation opportunities between designers and entrepreneurs, about contests organized in Latvia and abroad.
2. Creation of a design library containing topical catalogues, books and periodicals on design, architecture and art.
3. Internet news page. Development of an information circulation system, aggregation and dissemination of news. Education
1. Involvement of Latvian design educational institutions as equal, competitive partners in the education system of the Baltic region and EU.
2. Organization of conferences, seminars and creative workshops for professionals and students, as well as improvement of pedagogues’ professional skills. Promotion
1. Festival Design.Future and Design Days contain an aggregate of events for the public at large – different exhibitions, seminars, meetings with designers and manufacturers.
2. Riga International Young Designers’ Biennial – a meeting of young designers in Latvia – is a significant event in cultural life of Northern Europe (the Baltic region, EU).
3. Cooperation with Latvian and world design institutions – the Latvian Designers’ Union, BEDA, DFA, IDA, Icograda, Icsid, IFI, as well as educational institutions, centres, manufacturers, creative laboratories, etc.
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