Target Corp. Gives the University of Minnesota $1 Million for Outreach Programs in Design

Contact: Martha Douglas, (612) 626-9712, mdouglas@umn.edu
Susan Ahn, University News Service, (612) 624-8038
Krista Bergert, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, (612) 624-7808

The University of Minnesota has received a $1 million gift from Target Corp. to fund two outreach programs of the Design Institute, which was established in 1998 to broaden public understanding of the role of design in everyday life.

The Target Corp. gift will enable the Design Institute to host a K-12 design camp, and launch the first Twin Cities Design Celebration. Both initiatives aim to build on the strengths of Minnesota's art and design communities and traditions.

Plans for the design celebration include: showcasing up-and-coming design talent from around the world, commissioned works from Design Institute Fellows, an international conference, and open-studio tours of design practices in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

The Design Institute was established in 1998 by President Mark Yudof as one of five new strategic academic initiatives and receives recurring funds from the legislature that represent one of the most substantial public commitments to design at any U.S. university. In addition to promoting the importance of design, the Design Institute aims to establish the university as a world leader in interdisciplinary design education, scholarship and contributions to society.

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