Ampersand ©2019 Caitlyn Manning

Founded in 1914, the American Institute of Graphic Arts is the oldest and largest professional membership organization for design. Through its members and chapters across the country — 78 chapters as of 2019 — AIGA promotes excellence in all forms of communication design, including graphic and interactive design, typography, branding, identity, and signage.

AIGA Boston is the second oldest chapter, founded in 1984 after New York (1982).

Nancy Upper’s September 12, 2019, presentation to AIGA Boston, Power of Ampersand, detailed the ampersand’s origins, development, anatomy, meanings, and usage, focusing on the &’s significance as a design element. Upper:

• Showed how the ampersand grew from scribal shortcut to global connector.
• Explained ampersand case, gender, variants, and triple powers.
• Revealed the human needs that drive us to love ampersands.
• Highlighted ampersand uses worldwide in art, business, design, education, fashion, food & beverage, literature, music, nature, poetry, science, sports, travel, and popular culture.
• Explored why ampersand history is a reverse evolution.

Power of Ampersand gave the audience insights into how the &’s historical development affected design, and how design developments affected the &.