Creativity doesn't happen in a vacuum—it thrives on human connection.
More than a college, KCAD strives to be a conduit through which individuals, organizations,
and communities can collaborate across the barriers that divide us and leverage the
transformative power of creativity to not just envision a better future, but make
it a reality.
Read on to learn more about some of the ways we're engaging with our surrounding community
of West Michigan and beyond, and contact us if you have an idea of your own you'd like to discuss.
The Spark: A Creative Retail Space
The Spark extends the creative community of KCAD into the wider community of West
Michigan. Our collaborative and publicly-accessible retail space invites visitors
to shop KCAD merchandise and handmade goods from a diversity of local artists and
makers while providing events and opportunities that inspire creative connection and
nurture professional growth.
Whether you're an artist, designer, or maker looking to sell your goods in our large,
naturally-lit, and highly visible storefront (on the corner of Division and Fountain),
or just a lover of all things creative looking for unique handmade gifts, come check
out The Spark today!
Visit The Spark
Wege Prize International Student Design Competition
Organized by KCAD with support from The Wege Foundation, Wege Prize is an annual competition
that ignites game-changing solutions for the future by inspiring college/university
students around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural
boundaries to accelerate the transition to a sustainable circular economy.
Competitors apply as transdisciplinary teams of five, representing different academic
disciplines, institutions, and degree levels. Teams contend for $65,000 (USD) in total cash prizes, all while learning—and helping to show the world—what the future of problem solving
looks like.
More about Wege Prize
Wege Prize High School Collaborative Studio
Building on the successful framework of Wege Prize, the Wege Prize High School Collaborative
Studio is a free two-week program that gives West Michigan high school students the
chance to collaboratively learn design thinking and creative problem solving strategies
and employ them to envision solutions to real-world challenges faced by people in
their own communities.
MORE INFO / HOW TO APPLY
