Common Ground is a one-day symposium for anyone shaping how design gets learned, practiced, and passed on. Whether you teach a class, lead a studio, mentor a junior designer, or are a student figuring out what kind of designer you want to become, you're helping build the culture of our field, and this is a day to think together about what that culture could become. Making design more just is one thing; keeping it that way is another. Through keynotes, panels, exhibitions, a typography workshop and open conversation, we'll explore how inclusive, liberatory practices can take root and last in classrooms, studios, and institutions, even amid burnout, backlash, and shrinking resources.

The day opens with keynotes by Ramon Tejada and Amy Papaelias. Panelists include Cheryl D. Miller, Nida Abdullah, nicole killian, Luciana McClure, KC Councilor, Chris Sancomb, and Alex Heard. We'll close with a social gathering to keep the conversation going. Join us on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the University of Connecticut's Department of Art + Art History, presented in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University and AIGA Connecticut.

University of Connecticut
Studio Theatre
802 Bolton Road, Storrs, CT

University of Connecticut
Art + Art History
830 Bolton Road, Storrs, CT