Fontstand's first type design conference
Article by Catherine Dixon
A meeting of 20 Fontstand foundries from 12 countries in Zagreb, capital city of Croatia, was the quite wonderful answer to the question of how best to find out what Fontstand’s partners and collaborators are really thinking about current industry challenges.
This more human-centred approach to business communication in turn prompted the further question of whether everyone would actually be able to come. Yet acceptance of the invitation to meet together for a weekend was so overwhelmingly positive it soon became incumbent upon the organizers to try to share the benefits of this gathering of visiting designers with the local design community.
And so grew the idea for the very first Fontstand conference. A packed and fast-moving day of 13 talks given by type designers and typographers from around the world, and followed by a panel discussion featuring Croatian design, was warmly received by more than 100 attendees from as far afield as Japan and the United States. The themes explored were substantive and included the design of custom typefaces to enhance complex typographic layout; innovations in variable fonts for editorial design; contemporary challenges to conservatism in the design of complex scripts such as Hangul and Arabic; and the possibilities for maintaining both quality and quirky invention in the stylistic minefield of corporate font design. Yet, if the content was serious, the mood was light. Newcomers to the world of fonts were drawn in as old friends made new friends, and all in conference surroundings more open and joyful than most.
The public-facing Saturday conference was then followed by a more relaxed and private Sunday for Fontstand foundry partners to talk through plans for the future, and simply enjoy each other’s company. And as if there hadn’t already been good times enough, a coach trip to the family vineyard of type designer Nikola Djurek brought with it sparkling sunshine, fine wine and the most generous of experiences one could hope to be a part of.
As a professional network event this was like no other. It foregrounded real exchange and celebrated friendship, and those of us present will remember it fondly for many years to come.