May 2019, Puebla, Mexico
In partnership with the Faculty of Architecture BUAP (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla), ATypI held the second Working Seminar of 2019. The event, ATypI’s first Working Seminar to take place in Latin American, took place on May 17 and 18. It was open to the general public, educators, professionals and students: all were welcome to join this exchange of ideas around the teaching and practice of typography in Mexico.
It was a two-day conference where 90 participants from seven different cities shared lectures and workshops covering themes like education, research, and the current state of the type industry in Mexico. It was an excellent opportunity to hear renowned experts and to meet new voices from the Mexican scene, while offering a great answer to the question of what it means to belong to an international association such as the ATypI.
This Working Seminar focused on the local scene, so all presentations and discussions were in Spanish. We hope this encourages the organization of similar events in other regions.
Themes
The main theme for the first day was Typographic Education and Research; the discussion revolved around the teaching of typography in universities and within individual courses, research opportunities, curriculum development and proposals to make collaborative efforts in education. The discussion on the second day focused on the state of the art for the type industry in Mexico: jobs, business opportunities, public policies around design, strengths and weaknesses of typographers and type designers from the national community.
Support & sponsorship
The Working Seminar was generously supported by the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, who provided spaces, equipment, and organisational support.
Update 2020
The local team was preparing a followup event in 2020 at a different location but the plan was suspended in light of the pandemic. This talk (27 minutes), presented October 31, 2020 by Jesús Barrientos at the ATypI All Over 2020 online conference, contains a blend of reports, stories, and an invitation for other country delegates and ATypI members to organize working seminars with the support of the association. There is vast knowledge behind the experience and ideas of local typographers and type designers from every country, along with the different challenges that call for discussions in their native languages. It is necessary to be aware of the local and with the Working Seminars before looking globally, and we have the chance to learn through gatherings and discussions.