In Pursuit of Social Justice
Creative Jam brought together the Department of Graphic Design at USN and SWPS University for an intense three-day design sprint. International teams of students, guided by instructors and creative professionals from both universities, tackled specific issues related to social justice. During the 72-hour challenge, the teams engaged in workshops that fast-tracked the design process — from research and problem analysis to brainstorming solutions. Their final projects were presented to their peers and exhibited at both universities.
This year's Creative Jam centered on social justice, exploring ways to develop thoughtful and socially conscious design solutions. The project teams demonstrated in various ways how social justice can be conveyed through visual language.
Prof. Mariusz Wszołek
Head of the Department of Graphic Design
Building Awareness and Inspiring Change
The primary goal of Creative Jam is to promote social justice globally by fostering understanding, bridging divides, and advocating for an inclusive future. The event seeks to raise awareness about pressing social issues and encourage participants to create meaningful change.
Creative Jam offers students an incredible opportunity to grow. Designing within such a short timeframe, especially on a topic as important as social justice, challenges participants to demonstrate creativity, empathy, communication skills, and a level of design maturity. It’s about identifying gaps in the world around us and imagining actionable solutions to address them.
Zuzanna Kownacka
co-organizer and a graphic design lab assistant.
Here’s what some participants had to say about their experience:
“This year’s Creative Jam felt very different from last year’s. Even though we had less than a week to create an entire campaign concept, I stayed calm and was able to plan my work without stressing over the time crunch. One major breakthrough for me was letting go of the mindset that our Norwegian partners were automatically better just because they were from abroad. Instead, I focused on improving my craft and refining my skills, which really helped me embrace my role as a designer,” shared Anna Tompol, a graphic design student at SWPS University.
“Creative Jam was an exciting and new experience for us, but it wasn’t without challenges. The short timeframe and the need to collaborate across distances made it tough. That said, we gained valuable insights into how international students approach the design process and had the opportunity to exchange ideas across cultures,” added Margunn Therese, a visual communication student at USN.
Teams and Participants
- Team 1: Zuzanna Kownacka, Margunn Therese Austlid, Anna Tompol, Bao Ru Kelly, Hege Furelid Eidsnes
- Team 2: Robin Noculak, Sondre Nergård, Åsmund Eikeland Hansen, Hege Furelid Eidsnes
- Team 3: Nataliia Buchko, Nicolai Bekkevold, Didrik Sæverud Semb
- Team 4: Katarzyna Sabiniarz, Gilson José D. Silva-Tanberg, Thor Inge Gabriel Ånderå, Mateo Aleksandersen
- Team 5: Paweł Gmitruk, Aima Shabbir, Hannah Priscilla Hewitt, Arijana Zdanaviciute
- Team 6: Filip Fersztorowski, Patrycja Szczygieł, Noah Bredvei Hvarnes, Marianne Fossen
See this year's projects: