I just returned home from this year’s Design Thinkers in Toronto and had a blast seeing great design & business visionaries like Timothy Goodman, Douglas Davis, Emily Cohen, Emily Oberman, Stephen Gates, Paul Sahre & Jeff Greenspan (to name a few!)
This year the event was held at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Downtown Toronto. In case you have no idea what this event is, it has been an annual Graphic Design conference for the past 18 years. The event is run by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers. The event is basically a creative thinkfest that always leaves me so inspired.
The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is Canada’s only accredited body of graphic designers with a government-legislated title. Earning the RGD title signals quality and competence within the profession.
This past year I earned this recognition which communicates dedication and commitment to the profession. The Registered Graphic Designer (RGD) certification denotes a quality signal to buyers of graphic design services, helping clients distinguish between professional graphic designers who are trained, professional and adhere to the industry code of ethics vs. people with little or no training who offer graphic design services. The RGD vision is for a graphic design profession that is broadly valued for its contribution to life, commerce and society. 
This year the events theme was ‘Perspectives‘. As quoted on page 2 of the handbook,
“Some perspectives inspire us. Others challenge us. Yours defines who you are and what you make. Altering your perspective can add dimension to your work and depth to your craft. It can help you see the world from a different point of view. The freedom is yours to make the shift.“
The past two days has left me so inspired, excited about the shift in the design business and (thanks to terrible traffic and a 2 hour commute which should have only taken 1 hour), relieved to back in Dufferin County with a new perspective and insight to inspire new work! This is my second year attending this amazing event, so excited to see what next year brings!
