Announcing Project M at Winterhouse

We are pleased to announce that Project M at Winterhouse will take place August 15-30, 2009. Twelve select individuals will get to participate in a unique collaborative enterprise to create a single design project of lasting value in a rural community. This project is sponsored by William Drenttel and Jessica Helfand of Winterhouse, with the active participation of John Bielenberg, the founder of Project M. Design Observer will provide an interesting array of visiting critics (including Michael Bierut, Allan Chochinov, Julie Lasky, Alice Twemlow, Lorraine Wild, and more) and will publish the project. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation will provide input and serve as an advisor. Application deadline is June 15 with notification of selected participants by June 30.

Alissa Walker twittered this as a “design slumber party.” Fun aside, hopefully the outcome will not only be a remarkable experience for participants, but will result in a meaningful example of design for social change. In addition to newly-minted grads, we’re hoping a number of leading companies and studios will see this as a chance to support their best and brightest, allowing a couple of weeks for a paid social change experience. And while such projects typically attract only young people, we are open to people with meaningful life experience.