For the past 3 years the GDC has worked with a different design firm to produce the Society’s annual report. SamataMason (Vancouver, BC), Suburbia (Victoria, BC) and Bradbury (Regina, SK) have all risen to the challenge and produced an award-winning publication which has garnered themselves (and the GDC) recognition in numerous design publications around the world.

Bradbury just announced that the 2007 AR has been awarded recognition by the prestigious Black Book AR100 show.

Are you up to the challenge? If so, please contact Matt Warburton at communications@gdc.net by February 6 (see requirements of the qualifications document below). The project will be awarded by February 13. There is no renumeration, just the honour and challenge of creating a face for YOUR professional association. A complete design brief will be supplied to the winning firm who will be responsible for the concept, design, art direction, production and print supervision. Printing is procured through sponsorship, as is the paper. Photography and/or illustration will need to be sourced by the design firm, but the GDC Sponsorship Committee can assist with some of North America’s major stock agencies.

Please note that this project can only be awarded to a firm employing or designer who is currently a Professional (MGDC) status member in good standing.

The Candidate
The ideal candidate to design and produce the GDC annual report:
 
•  is a current (dues paid for current year) MGDC with production staff.
 
• is living and working in Canada or whose company is  Canadian owned.
 
•  demonstrates design & typography excellence
 
• can demonstrate experience and excellence in producing annual reports, work for non-profits and/or national organizations.
 
• can work within the GDC brief and meet the necessary deadlines.
 
•  has the capability, resources and support staff to see the project through from start to finish.
 
• is willing to work on a pro bono basis.
 
Assets:
The candidate

•  brings added value to the project in terms of staff expertise, ideas, research, promotion, enthusiasm, sponsors or other.
 
• has a writer, proofreader and or photographer on staff or contacts willing to work pro bono.
 
•  has production staff who are GDC members.
 
•  has the patience to work with designers as the client.
 
•  has a good working relationship with an appropriate printer and can bring them in as a sponsor for this project.
 
Notes: 
We would like to see someone in a different chapter work on this project each year – so that it moves around the country.
 
Since this is a pro bono project, the designer will have creative license within the bounds of the brief.
 
The winning firm might consider creating a mentoring opportunity for a less experienced designer. Studios which have previously produced the report have sometimes had juniors work on the production end, under close supervision of a senior MGDC. This is fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with meeting deadlines, or compromise standards of design and typography.