NEWSLETTER 58
THIS IS OUR NEWSLETTER
ON PURPOSE, IN PLACE
Since Marion Design Co’s launch in 2016, it seems a significant pivot occurs every three years that strengthens the work we do for our clients and community. This season is no different. Today, we’re writing from the KAC kitchen, which is now officially our design studio. Many of you have met with us in the Kennedy Art Center conference room, where we not only led design projects but also served as the gallery director. Our presence downtown historically launches something good, leaving something sustainable to strengthen the people we partner with. Such is the case this year. We’re honored to transition leadership of the Kennedy Art Center to a new Director (but a familiar face). While our studio remains in the building, we’ve created our own dedicated studio space in the former kitchen and dining area.
Come and visit us!
Read more for a look at what we’ve been up to, and what’s ahead.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT | 03.21.26
RUTA 6:7 DESIGN THINKING SESSION
RUTA 6:7 is a faith-based ministry with a clear and courageous calling: to walk alongside tweens and the families, mentors, and community members who are shaping their character and growth. They're doing the deeply human work of helping Hispanic families pass down values, nurture emotional health, and build legacies that last across generations. When they reached out to us after attending a design thinking workshop we led in Indianapolis, they came with curriculum, initiatives, and a passion to do even more. What they were looking for was a partner to help their work reach its full potential.
Willie and Wendy traveled to Grand Rapids on a Saturday to spend six hours with twelve RUTA 6:7 team members and their tweens in a design thinking session built around listening, learning, and uncovering what's at the core of who this organization is and who it serves. We are currently in the synthesis phase, reviewing everything that surfaced from our time together. From that foundation, we will bring RUTA 6:7 our recommendations for two streams of work: developing a brand identity that is memorable and mission aligned, and shaping their curriculum so it is as meaningful in practice as it is in vision. Design accelerates impact, but only when it begins with empathy.
help they design their curriculum so its meaningful and accomplishes everything they hope it will.
10 YEAR CELEBRATION | 05.23.26
MDC 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Eighty-eight interns, fourteen professionals, five locations, and one mission. We've always existed to empower and propel people to create sustainable solutions to meaningful problems. It only seems fitting that we celebrate the people who built Marion Design Co. from the ground up! What started in a vacant bank on the corner of 3rd and Washington is now located just a few doors down at 4th and Washington in downtown Marion! We'll reunite, share stories, and celebrate the process of building a community that's expanded across the globe. We're also excited to show off the progress that's being made in Marion as businesses, organizations, and the community work hard to bring revitalization to our rural community.
If you’ve worked with Marion Design Co. as a member of one of our cohorts, we would love to have you join us on May 23rd from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Kennedy Art Center / MDC Studio, 326 S. Washington, Marion, IN.
We'll reflect on the many stages this work has evolved through, reunite with your cohort and many others, and hear what's happening in your lives and in Marion. We'll also share stories and celebrate the process of building a community that's expanded across the globe. While you’re in Marion, you’ll want to explore the area to see the progress being made as businesses, organizations, and the community work hard to bring revitalization to Marion.
If you've been part of an MDC cohort, past or present, and haven't received an invite, we'd love to make sure you're included. Just send your current email to hello@mariondesign.co.
We can’t wait to see you! Your presence will make all the difference.
DESIGN THERAPY WEBINAR | 04.28.26
IS YOUR BRAND TELLING THE WHOLE STORY?
What's getting in the way of your brand story? If you've been in business in Grant County for any amount of time, you know the work isn't the hard part. Showing up and telling people what you do clearly in a way that actually sounds like you can get complicated.
Here's what I've noticed after 40 years in design: most of us get in the way of our own brand story. Fear of standing out in a community where everybody knows everybody. Loyalty to a version of the business that doesn't quite fit anymore. The feeling that saying who you really are sounds like bragging.
These are design problems. But they show up in every business decision you make. Sometimes we just need a little design therapy to uncover the real story. I'm hosting a free workshop for Greater Grant County Chamber members on April 28, 2026, from 9:00-10:00, specifically for business owners curious to learn our signature process and how it reveals their brand story.
It's an hour. It's free. And if you've ever stumbled through explaining what makes you different, it'll be worth your time. Register today!
MDC TEAM | 03.31.26
SHE’S IN CHARGE
Three years ago, Chris Kennedy had a vision…to make art (and artists) in Marion more visible by investing in the construction of the Kennedy Art Center. The gallery could anchor a community, open doors, and change the way people see themselves and each other through the platform of art. Marion Design Co. was honored when he invited us into that vision at the very beginning.
Since the Kennedy Art Center's inception, MDC has served as its creative and operational backbone, holding the role of Director while building the programming. Together, we've brought local artists into the light, created gallery experiences that made art feel less intimidating and more approachable, expanded the presence of creative work in our community, and demonstrated that Marion is a place where culture thrives. None of this would have been possible without the Marion Arts Commission, whose partnership has been essential in turning a dream into something the whole community can see and experience.
Misty Fox, who has carried so much of this work with care and creativity, is stepping into a new chapter. What began under the MDC umbrella is becoming something fully her own. Misty is transitioning to serve as the Kennedy Art Center's Director and Gallery Curator in her own right. She has earned every part of this title, and we could not be prouder. Misty also expresses her deepest gratitude to Matt Wilson, Director of the Marion Arts Commission, for supporting her this past year as she’s implemented gallery exhibits for our community.
GOT AN IDEA? CONNECT WITH US!
If you’ve been carrying around an idea—big or small—and you’re wondering what it might look like brought to life through design, we’d love to hear about it. We believe design is about bringing the soul of your vision to the surface and shaping it into something that moves people.
Whether you’re at the spark stage or halfway there, our process is built to listen deeply, uncover what matters most, and accelerate your idea into something tangible, meaningful, and ready to make an impact. Let’s start the conversation. Contact us at hello@mariondesign.co!
