History

In his November 2006 acceptance speech, Governor Deval Patrick declared that his new administration had a mandate to "help the creative economy flourish." DIGMA was formed in 2007 to support and promote the design industry as one of the core components of the Commonwealth's creative economy.

Founded and sponsored by Massachusetts College of Art and Design, DIGMA received early seed funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and The Boston Foundation, with additional program support from the City of Boston. A grant from the John Adams Innovation Institute of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative further enables DIGMA's program, policy, and research activities. From the beginning, DIGMA has worked closely with the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, its creative economy industry director, and the statewide Creative Economy Council to develop policies and initiatives aimed at growing the design industry.

During its first year of operation, DIGMA formed the high-level Design Advisory Committee comprising 30 leaders drawn from design companies, professional associations, educational institutions, and local and state government. We also held a series of three international design symposia that brought together Massachusetts designers, educators, and policymakers with international peers to explore contemporary design issues and models of industry support.

In 2008, a DIGMA-organized design industry roundtable for the undersecretary of business development led to the creation of a Boston Society of Architects working group that developed design guidelines and appointed designers to Governor Patrick's economic stimulus task forces. DIGMA is currently focusing on a number of promotional, policy, and business development initiatives, including the launch of the first Massachusetts Design Festival in 2010, which will make visible the talent that makes Massachusetts a leading center of design.