| What are
the benefits of becoming
a Student member?
In addition to working for the professional advantage
of RGD Ontario members and forming corporate alliances
and partnerships, RGD Ontario provides a range of benefits
to members related to ADVOCACY,
PROGRAMS, COMMUNICATIONS
and DISCOUNTS. Contact RGD
Ontario or visit the members
only section for discount codes and full details.
Advocacy
Lobbying of Government – PST
The Association is currently lobbying the provincial
government for clarity on PST for graphic design services.
For info, go to www.rgdontario.com/news/advocacy.php.
Lobbying of Buyers of Design Services
– Spec work
The Association discourages clients from selecting designers
through spec work, free work as a pitch for new business.
We encourage designers to contact us when clients ask
them to engage in spec work or to send
a copy of our standard letter
on the detriments of spec work.
Graphic Design as a Strategic Business
Tool
RGD Ontario promotes the value of graphic design as
a strategic business tool, in part through our annual
juried
exhibit of members’ work, Design
at Work, which has
received press coverage in Marketing, the
London Free
Press and the Sudbury Star.
Programs
Professional Development Events
RGD Ontario organizes bi-monthly one-day themed professional
development events with speakers from Canada and the
US. Generally events take place in Toronto (JAN, JUN
and SEPT) Ottawa (APR and NOV) and London (FEB).
Virtual Professional Development
RGD Ontario provides virtual professional development
for designers across Ontario through phone seminars
with designers presenting work across North America
and
on-line courses on issues such as copyright, marketing
and typography. For more, go to www.rgdontario.com/news/events.php.
DesignThinkers – Annual conference
DesignThinkers
is a two-day design conference that takes place in Toronto
in October. It brings together experts to speak on design-related
topics with presentations on innovative new ideas, industry
concerns and rationales on the value of design to business.
DesignThinkers 2007 will take place Oct 17 to 19, with
studio tours on Oct 19.
Studio Tours
RGD Ontario organizes tours of creative studios in Toronto
and Ottawa. Events have included visits to Blast
Radius, Cundari,
Hambly
+ Woolley, Interbrand,
Pylon,
Reactor
and TAXI
in Toronto and Gordon
Group and Storm
in Ottawa.
Portfolio Reviews
RGD Ontario organizes portfolio review events in Toronto
(FEB), Barrie (MAR), Sudbury (APR) and Ottawa (MAY).
Participants have the opportunity to meet one on one
with R.G.D. reviewers to get feedback on their work.
Communications
E-Flash – E-mail Newsletter
In addition to regular mailings, RGD Ontario distributes
updates to members via a bi-weekly e-mail newsletter.
It includes information events, recent job postings
from the
members only section of the web site and announcements.
RGD Review – PDF Newsletter
RGD Ontario produces a monthly pdf
newsletter. It includes creative profiles, case
studies, book reviews, articles and a calendar.
Web site
RGD Ontario's web site includes a private area for members-only.
This members only section features postings of career
and project opportunities and streaming video excerpts
of past Association events. Other features of the site
include listings of all our members with links to company
web sites and a “Creative Profiles” section
for R.G.D. and Provisional RGD members.
List Serve for Members
A List Serve is a quick and effective way to exchange
information between individuals with a common interest.
Every e-mail sent to the list address is broadcast to
everyone who is subscribed to the list. The RGD Ontario
List Serve is available to members only but it is unmoderated
to encourage participation and open discussion.
National Survey of Graphic Design
Salaries
RGD Ontario partners with Aquent,
our Career Development Partner, to complete a biannual
survey of salaries and billing practices in the Canadian
graphic design industry. To download a pdf of the results
of the 2006 survey, go to www.rgdontario.com/pdf/06_survey.pdf.
The 2007 survey results will be available in the October
2007.
The Business of Graphic Design:
A Professional’s Handbook
In 2004, RGD Ontario published the second edition of
its comprehensive guide to opening and maintaining a
graphic design business in Ontario. It includes chapters
on intellectual property, working with clients, marketing
design services and hiring and retaining creative talent.
Student members may purchase a copy for $30. For more,
go to www.rgdontario.com/pubs/handbook.php.
Discounts
Contact RGD Ontario or visit the members only section
for discount codes and full details.
Marketing Magazine – Subscription
discount
Marketing
is a weekly publication that covers the marketing and
advertising industry in Canada. Members receive a year
subscription (41 issues) for $59.63 + $4.17 GST = $63.80.
Swipebooks – Product discount
Members receive a 10% discount off regularly-priced
books at Swipebooks
on Advertising & Design located at 477 Richmond
St. W. in Toronto. Swipe has a wide selection of books
on graphic design and ships across Canada.
Japanese Paper
Place – Paper discount
Members receive a 10% discount on sheets of paper (any
size) at the Japanese
Paper Place. Located at 887 Queen St. W. in Toronto,
the Japanese Paper Place has one of the largest selections
of fine Japanese papers, particularly handmade, available
anywhere in one location in Canada.
HOW Magazine – Subscription
discount
HOW
offers members a discounted subscription rate of US$27.96
+ US$15 for postage. From the latest in business technology
to ideas on how to refresh and rethink your creativity,
HOW covers the issues that affect design professionals.
Print Magazine – Subscription
discount
Print
offers a discounted subscription rate of US$28.50 +
US$15.00 for postage. Print is a general-interest magazine
for design professionals covering a broad spectrum of
topics to demonstrate the significance of design in
the world at large.
Conferences - Registration Discounts
Members receive discounted rates to attend design and
business conferences throughout North America. In 2005,
members received discounts to attend conferences organized
by the Rotman School of Management, the Design Management
Institute, HOW, ATYPI and FlashinTO.
Hotels - Room Discounts
Members receive discounted rates at our preferred hotels
in Toronto and Ottawa: the Pantages
Hotel in Toronto and the Arc
Hotel in Ottawa.
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