'In Conversation: Danah Abdulla and Maya Mahgoub-Desai', part of the 2021 talk series.
Spotlighting artists and designers from Canada and the UK, DesignTO in partnership with University of the Arts London (UAL) and OCAD University presents an online series called ‘In Conversation’. As the title suggests, faculty, students and alumni from UAL and OCAD will be in conversation with each other and industry experts to discuss contemporary issues, research and creation in design.

The ongoing collaboration between UAL and OCAD comes out of dialogue between the two universities, working on common areas of interest such as decolonization and sustainability. Joining UAL and OCAD to present ‘In Conversation’, DesignTO is a Toronto-based non-profit arts organization that produces Canada’s leading and largest annual design festival, showcasing multidisciplinary ways of making and thinking.

Series speakers include:
  • Dr. Danah Abdulla (Programme Director, Graphic Design at Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Arts, UAL; Creative Director and Editor of Kalimat Magazine)
  • Tnachon Benjapipatkul (Designer and researcher; MA, Design Management, London College of Communication, UAL)
  • Melanie Billark (Artist; Bachelor of Fine Arts, OCAD U)
  • Olivia Brouwer (Artist)
  • Molly JF Caldwell (Artist)
  • David Chambers and Kevin Haley (Founders, Aberrant Architecture; former Tutors, Spatial Practices, Central Saint Martins, UAL)
  • Dr. Nabil El-Nayal (Founder, Nabil Nayal; Course Leader, MA Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear, London College of Fashion, UAL)
  • Dr. Nehal El-Hadi (Editor-in-Chief of Studio Magazine)
  • Bridget Harvey (Interdisciplinary maker; Acting Course Leader for MA Designer Maker, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL)
  • Anna Horvàth (Designer and architect; MA, Central Saint Martins, UAL)
  • Khalil Jamal (Designer; Instructor, Sheridan College)
  • Victoria Kamila (3-D Artist; BA Journalism, London College of Communication, UAL)
  • Ranee Lee (Designer; Associate Professor of Industrial Design, OCAD U; MA University of Toronto; Founder, DESIGNwith)
  • Michael Lee Poy (Artist-activist and architect; Assistant Professor, Faculty of Design, OCAD U)
  • Maya Mahgoub-Desai (Associate Professor and Chair, Environmental Design, OCAD U)
  • Dr. Aaron McPeake (Artist and researcher; PhD, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL)
  • Anna Schlimm (Lecturer, MA Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures, London College of Communication, UAL)
  • Will Selviz (Student, Bachelor of Design in Digital Futures, OCAD U)
  • Caryn Simonson (Programme Director for Textile Design, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL)
  • Philip Sparks (Founder, Philip Sparks; Master of Design, OCAD U; Professor, School of Fashion, Seneca College)
  • Julia Rose Sutherland (Artist; Assistant Professor, Indigenous Visual Culture, OCAD U)
  • Nikkie To (Designer; Master of Inclusive Design, OCAD U)
  • Monica Virtue (Researcher and filmmaker, Master of Design in Digital Futures, OCAD U)
  • Georgina Voss (Co-founder and lead of Supra Systems Studio; Associate Professor, Design School, London College of Communication, UAL)
  • Dr. Kenneth Wilder (Reader in Spatial Design, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL)

Talk schedule and additional speakers to be announced.