Design Education Talks

Lefteris Heretakis
  • 5.0 (1)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

After the very first Design Education Forum by the New Art School in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast was created as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris E. Heretakis MA RCA. His rich background in art, design and education, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. At its core,  Design Education Talks podcast functions as an open forum, fostering discussions that delve into the intricate facets of art and design education, unravelling the layers of creativity, and exploring the depths of design thinking in education.  This podcast stands as a testament to our commitment to addressing the pressing challenges facing contemporary art and design education. Each episode becomes a nexus of exploration, where innovative solutions are sought and shared. The collaborative nature of these discussions reflects a commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice, academia and industry, and tradition and innovation. One of the podcast's distinctive features is its role as a valuable resource for skill-building among the new generation of aspiring designers. The episodes serve as an intellectual toolbox, offering practical insights, strategies, and real-world experiences that contribute to the holistic development of creative professionals. Moreover, the podcast serves as a compass, providing clear directions for those interested in reshaping the models for teaching and learning in the dynamic field of design. As we continue our journey through the Design Education Talks podcast, our aim remains resolute: to inspire, inform, and ignite a transformative dialogue that propels the evolution of art and design education. By fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation, we aspire to contribute to the positive growth and adaptation of educational practices, ensuring that they align seamlessly with the needs and aspirations of the ever-changing creative landscape.

  1. 6D AGO

    Jan Kubasiewicz on Teaching Design as a System of Meaning

    Our guest today is Jan Kubasiewicz, Professor of Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and one of the most influential figures in the development of dynamic media and motion design education. Born and educated in Poland, Jan has spent decades working at the intersection of visual language, time, information, and systems. He is the founder and long-time coordinator of the Dynamic Media Institute at MassArt, a programme that helped define how motion, interaction, and data could be taught as core design literacies rather than technical specialisms. Alongside his academic work, Jan’s practice spans exhibition making, research, and authorship, with his work exhibited internationally across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Beyond the classroom, Jan has played a crucial role in shaping design discourse through lectures, publications, and curatorial projects at institutions including Harvard University, where he serves as an affiliate of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies and curator of the Giedrojć Gallery. His writing on motion literacy, information design, and dynamic media pedagogy has become foundational reading for design educators worldwide. In this conversation, we explore how design functions as a language over time, why research is inseparable from practice, and what it means to educate designers for complexity, responsibility, and meaning in a world increasingly defined by motion and data. Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    1h 10m

  2. FEB 24

    Nikolaus Hafermaas - Berlin Unplugged: Design, Education, and the Courage to Disrupt

    Nikolaus Hafermaas is a designer, educator, artist, and lifelong experimenter whose career moves fluidly between practice and pedagogy, Europe and the United States, the analogue and the digital. A self-described classic car romantic and spirited driver, his work is grounded in physical experience, curiosity, and resistance to comfort—values that shape both how he designs and how he teaches. Growing up in Kassel, Hafermaas encountered art early as a source of awe rather than instruction. With a father who was an early computer engineer and a mother who worked as an illustration artist, his formative years unfolded between technology and craft. Childhood beach holidays spent building improvised objects from flotsam and jetsam laid the foundations for a mindset rooted in making, hacking, and learning by doing. At eighteen, he left Kassel for Berlin to study Visual Communication at UdK, choosing breadth over specialisation at a time when design education favoured narrow paths. Alongside his studies, he became a partner at the emerging agency Triad Berlin, later working on cultural exhibitions, expo pavilions, and large-scale brand experiences for institutions and global companies. These spatial and narrative projects informed his conviction that graphic design cannot be confined to surfaces or screens. Teaching emerged organically through talks, workshops, and his involvement in Berlin’s Young Creative Industries during the city’s “poor but sexy” era. In 2002, he became a professor in Bremen, embracing an integrated design approach shaped by trial, error, and what he calls productive ignorance. This trajectory culminated at ArtCenter College of Design, where he reimagined the Graphic Design programme as Transmedia Design, an education in orchestrating graphics, motion, interaction and space into holistic experiences. Across institutions in Europe, the U.S., and Mexico, Hafermaas has championed fearlessness, collaboration, and critical engagement with technology. He challenges students to leave their comfort zones, distrust convenience, and resist tools that promise speed without depth. For him, design education is not about producing specialists for a market, but designers able to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and responsibility with courage and empathy. A mentor who insists that experimentation and play are necessities rather than luxuries, Nikolaus Hafermaas continues to push design education beyond screens, silos, and safe answers, toward learning that remains restless, human, and alive. Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    1h 4m

  3. FEB 19

    The Future of Learning with Christian Dominique: AI, Neuroscience and the Art of Wellness in Education

    Christian Dominique, co-founder of Digital Wellness and trained neuroscientist from McGill University, is on a mission to redesign education systems that have forgotten how to cultivate joy. In this compelling episode of Design Education Talks, Dominique reveals a startling statistic: adults laugh and smile more than ten times less than children, and traces this "domestication" directly to outdated educational models that prioritise compliance over creativity. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience, practical philosophy, and design thinking, he shares frameworks for building happiness at individual, relational, and communal levels, while offering a candid assessment of where educational innovation is thriving and where it's stagnating. Dominique also previews his pipeline of specialised AI wellness tools, including an education-focused platform launching in summer 2025. Whether you're an educator, designer, administrator, or simply someone who believes schools should inspire anticipation rather than dread, this wide-ranging conversation will challenge your assumptions about what's possible when we design learning environments with human flourishing at the centre. Listen now to discover why play isn't frivolous, why art and design must remain connected, and how removing systemic blockers can help students, and all of us, rediscover the inherent joy of being alive and learning. Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    47 min

  4. JAN 25

    Design in Motion: James Grady on Creative Process and Emerging Technologies

    James Grady is a designer, educator, and creative researcher who fosters interdisciplinary collaboration in design, technology, and performance. As an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Boston University, he works closely with faculty, students, and industry partners to explore how emerging tools and processes shape creative practice. His teaching emphasizes experimentation, authorship, and process-driven design, encouraging students to merge traditional and digital techniques in innovative ways. In addition to his academic work, James leads Design Axl, a design consultancy specializing in brand identity, digital experiences, and interactive storytelling. His projects span venture capital, technology, real estate, healthcare, and the arts, collaborating with clients to solve complex design challenges. His research and professional practice explore computational design, creative process, and the intersection of human and machine-generated work—an approach reflected in his latest talks and award-winning projects. www.profgrady.com www.axl.design https://vimeo.com/jamesjgrady https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjgrady/ https://www.instagram.com/design_axl/ https://www.instagram.com/prof_grady Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    25 min

  5. 12/27/2025

    The Second Mountain: John McFaul’s Search for Purpose in Design

    Today on Design Education Talks, we’re joined by John McFaul , Executive Creative Director, Brand Consultant, Educator, and one of those rare, restless creatives who has never quite fitted into the neat boxes the world tries to offer. From the Wirral to New York, from art school misfit to brand visionary, John's career is a vivid testament to curiosity, risk-taking, and cultural immersion. He began his journey believing he was a failure for choosing Art & Design over Oxford or Cambridge , until his foundation year transformed everything. Since then, John’s path has included studying at Kingston, a brief stint at Central Saint Martins, and pioneering the early fusion of illustration, digital tools and boundary-breaking design. He co-founded Black Convoy, then launched McFaulStudio, working with clients like Nike, Levi’s, New Balance, Brand Jordan, and more , often blending art, fashion, photography, and culture into truly genre-defying work. After closing McFaul-Day in 2024, having led a decade-long partnership with New Balance and other major lifestyle brands, John now finds himself at a turning point , what he calls the “Second Mountain.” Diagnosed with ADHD and fuelled by a desire to create work with more purpose and community impact, he is exploring new models of creative leadership and education. In the classroom, John is known for bringing raw honesty, boundless cultural insight, and a powerful message: that creativity is messy, emotional, and deeply human. He speaks openly about failure, process, and the dangers of marketised education, and he champions a design education rooted in risk, curiosity, and authenticity. Whether consulting global brands or inspiring the next generation, John McFaul remains a passionate advocate for creative freedom, experimentation, and meaningful cultural engagement. Welcome, John. Support the show Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    41 min

  6. 11/28/2025

    From MIT to IDEO: Sheng-Hung Lee on the Future of Design and Education

    Sheng-Hung Lee is a designer, engineer, and educator dedicated to advancing human-centered design and systemic service innovation. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on human behavior and service design. He is also a Board Director at Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). His interdisciplinary research integrates design, technology, and system engineering to develop innovative service models that enhance longevity and well-being. With dual master’s degrees in Integrated Design & Management and Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and dual undergraduate degrees in Industrial Design and Electrical Engineering from National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Lee bridges technical expertise with creative problem-solving. His professional experience includes working at IDEO and Continuum, where he contributed to high-impact projects spanning product design, service innovation, and design strategy. An active researcher at MIT AgeLab and the Ideation Lab, Lee explores topics such as smart home solutions, Design for Longevity (D4L), and inclusive design strategies. His work has been published in leading journals and conferences, and he serves as a reviewer and guest editor for international design publications. Beyond academia, Lee is engaged in global design communities, including the World Design Organization (WDO) and IDSA, advocating for design’s role in shaping the future of human experiences. For more information about Sheng-Hung Lee’s design and research work, please visit his website:  https://www.shenghunglee.com Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    19 min

  7. 10/28/2025

    Zines, Books, and Beyond: The Practice of Jac Batey

    I run MA illustration and teach on BA illustration. Also supervise practice-based PhDs. Specialism is in illustration/artistbooks/zines and teaching. My own creative practice is mostly as in artists book /artzines and as an artist. I work both digitally and also with real materials like drawing, collage and print. I think social awareness and research skills are an important part of teaching illustration. I initiated and curate the UoP Artzine collection Zineopolis, this is a research hub and a collection of over 500 artzines from lots of countries and makers. I include student zines as well. This resource is used for teaching (we have zine modules) but also to generate staff research both in conceptualising and disseminating. There’s a summary on the REF database since this was an IMAPCT case study in REF21 https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/... The main Zineopolis site is here https://zineopolis.blogspot.com/p/abo... You can see my practice here: https://jacbatey.com/ This site also links to specific sites on artists books (Damp Flat Books) https://dampflat.blogspot.com/p/ Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    21 min

  8. 09/25/2025

    Costume as Sculpture: The Worlds of Gwen van den Eijnde

    Gwen van den Eijnde is a French–Dutch artist and costume designer based in the United States. For the past decade, he has been teaching apparel design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, where he currently serves as Head of Programme. While pursuing his artistic research at the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, he began creating costumes as sculptural works. His practice explores how the act of wearing a costume can transform one’s presence in space. Through performances, installations, and photography, he has constructed visual worlds and atmospheres in which the costumes form part of a complete scenography. His performances have taken place internationally—in artist residencies, museums, schools, festivals, theatres, and workshops—often in collaboration with practitioners from a wide range of disciplines. In 2011, he led a workshop in the fashion department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, where he introduced students to his interest in Polish traditional dress. This experience marked the beginning of his teaching career. He later taught textile design at the Haute École des Arts du Rhin in Mulhouse (France) and has carried out creative research for fashion houses including Hermès and Tiffany & Co. In 2022 and again in 2024, he designed costumes for chamber operas produced by the Boston Early Music Festival: L’Idylle sur la Paix by Jean-Baptiste Lully, La Fête de Rueil by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and Don Quichotte auf der Hochzeit des Comacho by Georg Philipp Telemann. Continuing to expand his research into folk and historical dress, material culture, and embroidery techniques, van den Eijnde will take part in a major group exhibition on eighteenth-century fashion and its contemporary legacy in Paris in 2026. 👉 www.gvde.net Since its inception in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast has served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris Heretakis. His rich background, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. See all of our work on on https://linktr.ee/thenewartschool Follow us on twitter at @newartschool Read our latest articles at https://newartschool.education/ and https://heretakis.medium.com/ Equipment used to produce the podcast: Rodcaster pro II Rode NT1 5th generation Elgato Low profile Microphone Arm Monster Prolink Studio Pro microphone cable The rest of the equipment is here 👉https://kit.co/heretakis/podcasting

    31 min
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About

After the very first Design Education Forum by the New Art School in 2019, Design Education Talks podcast was created as a dynamic platform for the exchange of insights and ideas within the realm of art and design education. This initiative sprang from a culmination of nearly a decade of extensive research conducted by Lefteris E. Heretakis MA RCA. His rich background in art, design and education, intertwining academia, industry, and student engagement, laid the foundation for a podcast that goes beyond the conventional boundaries of educational discourse. At its core,  Design Education Talks podcast functions as an open forum, fostering discussions that delve into the intricate facets of art and design education, unravelling the layers of creativity, and exploring the depths of design thinking in education.  This podcast stands as a testament to our commitment to addressing the pressing challenges facing contemporary art and design education. Each episode becomes a nexus of exploration, where innovative solutions are sought and shared. The collaborative nature of these discussions reflects a commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice, academia and industry, and tradition and innovation. One of the podcast's distinctive features is its role as a valuable resource for skill-building among the new generation of aspiring designers. The episodes serve as an intellectual toolbox, offering practical insights, strategies, and real-world experiences that contribute to the holistic development of creative professionals. Moreover, the podcast serves as a compass, providing clear directions for those interested in reshaping the models for teaching and learning in the dynamic field of design. As we continue our journey through the Design Education Talks podcast, our aim remains resolute: to inspire, inform, and ignite a transformative dialogue that propels the evolution of art and design education. By fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation, we aspire to contribute to the positive growth and adaptation of educational practices, ensuring that they align seamlessly with the needs and aspirations of the ever-changing creative landscape.

Information

  • Creator
    Lefteris Heretakis
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The New Art School
  • Show Website
    Design Education Talks
  • Provider
    Lefteris Heretakis

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