Designer Profile
Press + Awards + Memberships

Founded by designer Karen Kopacz in 2000, Design for the Arts provides design, strategy and consultation for artists, writers and creative businesses of all types.

About the Designer
Karen is director and founder of the monthly-published, online arts & literature magazine Mental Contagion, launched in 2000. She was a panel member of Fostering New Culture on the Internet in SXSW's 2005 Interactive Festival, and is the founder and curator of Reconnect, a "Mobile Art Gallery" series that takes place at various locations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to help build connections between local artists, business owners and the community.

Karen's Web design has been featured in the design anthology Portfolios Online. She has been on the board for the Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization, is a former art director of First Avenue’s in-house magazine, has been a columnist and photographer for PitchforkMedia.com and has collaborated with artists, musicians, photographers, copywriters and editors for more years than she cares to admit.

In the Media
2007: Interview aired on KFAI's Art Matters; a podcast cn be heard at MNartists.org

Awards
2006: National Philanthropy Award | Annual report design
2005: American Design Awards | Web site design
2004: Design Firms Award | Web site design

Memberships
Walker Art Center
MIMA | Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association
AIGA | American Institute of Graphic Artists

Contact Karen for more info about Design for the Arts, the Mobile Art Gallery or Mental Contagion.