The SpeakEasy Series is all about connecting local creatives to each other around their shared interests. The events will be social or discussion oriented and will be limited to small groups of participants. Each group will have a member of the AIGA KC board as its moderator. Please browse the proposed sessions below and contact the board member to participate. There are no AIGA KC registration fees—just find something that interests you, gather with a few design friends, and speak easy!

For Veteran Designers:

April Greiman Wrap-up
With Kathy Kelley

Attend the Greiman lecture at the Nelson-Atkins,  April Greiman: Think About What You Think About,  and meet in the Museum Cafe for light food and drink immediately following, to compare thoughts on the program and Greiman's work. Everyone buys their own ticket and refreshments. 

Thursday, November 5
6-7 p.m. Program with April Greiman
7-8 p.m.Discussion in the Museum Cafe
Nelson tickets, buy now, or at the door, tickets still available

Interested? Join this group.

For Veteran Designers:

Web Transitions
With Kathy Kelley

Accomplished in print design but want to stretch to web design? Compare resources, successes and frustrations with others making the transition to interactive communications.

Second Session- Tuesday, Nov. 10
8-9 am
Panera near 135th and Metcalf

Interested? Join this group.

For Veteran Designers:

Web Transitions
With Kathy Kelley

Accomplished in print design but want to stretch to web design? Compare resources, successes and frustrations with others making the transition to interactive communications.

Second Session- Tuesday, Nov. 10
8-9 am
Panera near 135th and Metcalf

Interested? Join this group.
 

For Design Appreciators:

Posters & Pilsners
With Jenny Skillman

Join fellow designers for a guided tour of “The Graphic Imperative: International Posters for Peace, Social Justice, and the Environment, 1965-2005,” at the Spencer Museum of Art at KU, followed by an informal discussion at a downtown Lawrence pub about the exhibit and our own roles in influencing social change.

Thursday, November 12, 6:00 p.m. [time to be confirmed]
Interested? Join this group.

For Print-Oriented Creatives:

Print is Not Dead
With Clifton Alexander

Discussion about the future of print design and why it will never go away. This group is for designers who have a desire to get back to their roots in print design.

Dec 1, Mildred’s Coffee house. 8-9am (6-10 people)
Interested? Join this group.

For Freelancers Interested in Collaboration:

Running with a Pack
With Ryan Jones and Sarah Beshears

Gone out on your own? Are you a freelancer or small business owner who’s feeling a loss of creative camaraderie? Collaboration is a must in today’s design world. ‘I’m a sup-a star designer’ is no longer & ‘collaboration star’ is the way to go! In this Speakeasy discussion, we’ll bring together local designers who love doing their own thing but crave the collaboration and resources that come with a team of creative professionals. Be prepared to discuss how to create a network of talent that can become one of the greatest tools at your table.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Local Design Bloggers:

KC Design Bloggers
With Erin Mills

Are you a local design-blogger? Do you get your daily design inspiration from a favorite local design blog? Come meet and greet other design-bloggers in the KC area to share stories, ideas, tips for getting (and keeping!) followers, inspiration, and to get to know (in person!) members of your fellow cyber-design community.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Interactive Focused Creatives:

Interface to Face
With Robb Smigielski

Are you a designer obsessed with the web? Think twitter is most definitely not a waste of time but is completely changing the face of communication as we know it? Great. Welcome to the first interactive focused meet-up group of AIGA KC. Let’s get together and discuss what interactive designers need from a creative organization and how AIGA KC can best make it happen.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For In-House Creatives:

Lone Wolves
With Eric Gapsh and Joe Wilper

Are you a lone wolf designer or department within a larger non-design oriented organization? Are you getting enough respect? Has a paper rep thought to visit you lately? Well then join us other “lone wolves” to share battle wounds, horror stories and ultimately tips and advice on how creatives can find success and satisfaction in the In-House department.

Date and time TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Hard Working, Stressed-Out Creatives:

Bitch ‘N’ BBQ
With Eric Looney and Franki Oviedo

There are two certainties in the life of a designer: frustration and love for BBQ. OK, maybe the latter is just specific to Kansas City-area designers, but meh, who’s keeping track?

Regardless, we all know it’s unhealthy to let things fester. So how’d you like to pow-wow with your fellow creative folk once a month and do some venting while devouring some bitchin’ BBQ? It’s the perfect opportunity to air out your issues, gain some outside perspective and become scarily intimate with Kansas City’s finest form of sustenance. (We’ll try a new BBQ joint each month until we’ve visited them all. Then we’ll do it all over again. Yeah!)

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Creatives Working with Architects:

Designer vs Architect
With Kyle Van Loo

Are you working in the world of architecture as a graphic designer? Come join in a discussion on ways to drive creativity, to challenge your abilities, and to overcome the all-knowing architect. Whether you're doing print materials, signage, environmental or all of the above, everyone is welcome.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
  

For Creatives Interested in Interactive:

Crash Course Styling with CSS
With Jacob McDaniel

A short tutorial on how to style some of the very, very simple pieces of a website from the beginning. Don’t know what CSS stands for? Need help diving in? Wanna make some sexy text or fancy links? This is tailor-made for you! Plus the resources to continue your learnings.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Students:

Process & Theory
With Ian Tirone

Every school teaches design differently. Some put more emphasis on type choice, tools, and processes, while others think theoretical concepts and moral issues concerning design are of the utmost. Both are important, and both have their place within professional practice. Students from all chapters are welcome to join the discussion about which they prefer or feel is more important when it comes to that all important job hunt.

Time and Place TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Creatives Moving Into Management:

The MGMT Support Group
With Zack Shubkagel

Are you a designer who has recently moved into a design management position? Still getting used to the flurry of new responsibilities and task juggling? Then let’s get together, share battle wounds, horror stories and ultimately tips and advice on how creatives can run an organization more effectively.

Date and time TBD.
Interested? Join this group.
 

For Creatives With a Global Outlook:

Global Localism
With Chris Chapin, Jeremy Shellhorn, Andrea Wertzberger

Discussing the connections between design schools and local & global communities. Open to educators and designers looking at opportunities to orient students in the current sociopolitical landscape, both local and global, exploring opportunities to use design to contribute to bettering the world’s future.

March 9, 6pm at JP Wine Bar
Interested? Join this group.