Pride Iconathon – Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community with The Noun Project

Where: In-Person, SF LGBT Center

When: Saturday, June 10, 2023, 10 AM-3 PM PST

Hosted By: The Noun Project

About: Noun Project is teaming up with Canva, Out & Equal, and Human Rights Campaign to host an Iconathon design workshop dedicated to creating a new set of public domain icons that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Visual language has the power shape, reinforce, and change perceptions. According to a 2022 study, less than 1% of visuals in media and advertising depict members of the LGBTQ+ community and some of the most commonly used imagery often reinforces stereotypes. This lack of representation is evident across a range of visual resources, including iconography. In this hands-on design workshop, we’ll be working together to create new icons that better represent and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

The event will kick off with presentations from industry experts including CJ Jones, Group Product Design Lead at Canva. Then, Noun Project Co-Founder Edward Boatman will give an overview of semiotics, symbolism, and best practices for icon design, and we’ll break into groups to sketch and design new icons together. Each participant group will include designers and subject matter experts, so everyone will be able to contribute. At the end of the workshop, we’ll all review and vote for the final set of icons that will be vectorized and placed into the public domain, free to everyone to use.

No design or art skills are necessary, all are welcome to participate. Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, we invite you to join us and help build a more inclusive visual language.

Space is limited, please RSVP.