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The designer today is an influential cultural agent who has the power to communicate a vision, inspire loyalty, and motivate action. At SITE, designers are an important part of our cultural production—a creative force that helps us connect audiences with the art and artists of our time.

Irene HofmannDirector and Chief Curator, SITE Santa Fe
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At the heart of what we do in public relations, branding and marketing is storytelling. Designers take what we identify as the essential story for our clients and make that into a symbol--that, to me, is one of the hardest parts of promotion. The power of storytelling is a critical success factor in our business. Without good design at the root of our efforts, we are working with one hand tied behind our back.

Jennifer Hobson-HinsleyFounder JLH Media, Former Deputy Cabinet Secretary at the New Mexico Tourism Department
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When it comes to designing for business, hiring professionals to create well thought out product has brought not only dozens of compliments about our website and materials, but drawn clients to our business like never before.

Kim Griego-KielFounder of Horizons Sustainable Financial Services
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For a new company like Verde Juice, it was important to think about the value of design early in our conception. Not only did we want to consider branding and communication, we wanted to invest in innovative thinking to inspire customer trust and appreciation for our sustainable business values.

Kelly EgolfVerde Food Company
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Good design is table stakes. Great design wins. When it comes to the role of design in business, the old days are gone. The war is over. Design won.

Alan WebberSanta Fe City Mayor
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Design is a great unifier. It is a universal language, spanning cultures, status and generations. It considers and influences human behavior arguably as much as any other factor. It is a powerful tool to be wielded with care for the betterment of environments, health, safety, and interaction with ourselves and our world at large. It can make or break a product, a brand, a space, and a business. Great design can express what words cannot.

Steffany HollingsworthHVL Interiors
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Our city has certain intangible characteristics that touch people deeply; partly the wonderful weather and cultural diversity, and much to do with our built environment. From architecture to graphics and photography, fine artists to humble craftsmen, Santa Fe draws those who are creative. I see a movement afoot where our designers are reimagining the future while reflecting upon the past, and am continually reminded of how much design matters…to everyone.

Jon DickArchaeo Architects
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This year’s Turner Prize, the most famous award in the contemporary art world, included Assemble—a design collaborative—along with three other artists. Do I hear a wall falling? And what is it they win? Design is taking over the planet.

Garth ClarkEditor-in-Chief, CFile

We stand by our principles.

Good design is good business.

The Design Corps was founded to represent and advocate design value. Design value is an integral investment in innovative thinking, positioning and communications. Design not only plays a key role in economic development, it motivates people to take progressive action in the community. The Design Corps foundation is made up of forward-thinking, conscientious, creative people for the betterment of Santa Fe.

Good design stimulates change.

Good design is an active process. It stimulates learning, experimenting, and strategic problem-solving that ignites change.

Good design motivates people.

Design for the community is integrative, proactive and engaging. It motivates people to action for social good.

Good design is an investment.

Design is an investment in innovative thinking and communication that in turn creates value for businesses and organizations. Design not only plays a key role in economic development, it drives progressive change in the community.

Good design is collaborative.

Social, systemic, or infrastructural problems of today require input and support from many sources. Designers recognize the need for supporting fair and open competition, and encourage collaboration for greater overall benefit.

Good design is participatory.

Design requires consistent and responsible communication from both designer and client. A client’s knowledge of their organization combined with a designer’s expertise are integral to the design process.

Good design does not undervalue itself.

A professional designer, recognizing the value and benefit of their services, does not undertake speculative work (“spec work” = free design work in hopes of getting payment).