small talks and publications
imperfect index: vol.01 & vol.02
Available at Sold Out Publishing.
imperfect index is a reference document, a non-linear, imperfect guide to a more expansive understanding of graphic design.
Taking a look back at graphic design’s discriminatory past and directly at its discriminatory present, the publication contains a collection of voices, ideas and projects, that look forward to more diverse and inclusive futures. Featuring Nina Paim (Futuress and Bikini Books), Kaleena Sales (Extra Bold and Centered) and Alison Place (Feminist Designer), and more.
Vol 01. (published in 2024) contributors:
Alexandria Canchola, Alison Place (foreword), Amandine Forest-Aguié, Arjun Harrison-Mann, Beatrice Sangster, Bikini Books (Nina Paim), The Black Experience in Design (Kelly Walters), Centered (Kaleena Sales), Curious Story Lab Podcast (Michele Y. Washington, featuring Es-pranza Humphrey), Dellana Arievta, Dimitri Reist, Dohee Kwak, Dysfluent Magazine (Conor Foran), Elaine Lopez, Hello Departures (Dina Benbrahim), Joshua Dutweiler, Kaiya Waerea, Kinda Savarino, Lara Dautun, Lihao Zhu, Lynne Elvins, Mister Samo, Poppy Thaxter, Radical Characters (Mary Y. Yang), Stephan Rosger, They/Them Studio (Zed Gregory, Tony Stiles.
Vol 02. (published in 2025) contributors:
Anoushka Khandwala (foreword), Beini Chen, Ben Cain, Kingston School of Art (Cathy Gale, Max Ryan, MA Graphic Design), Cecilia Righini, Chutney Magazine (Osman Bari), Denise Santos, Eilish Briscoe, Foundland Collective (Lauren Alexander, Ghalia Elsrakbi) Jane Lee, Jodi Hunt, Kaiya Waerea, Mareena DeGuzman Khawar, Moth Studio (Nicola Salkeld, Ashley Rudolph), Y Papur (Ol Gabe), Paul Soulellis, The People’s Graphic Design Archive (Brockett Horne, Briar Levit, Morgan Searcy), Rose Nordin, Safa Zanad, Siting Yao, Feed (Vicky Carr and Elaine Speight, Zac Procter, Zarna Hart.
Edited by Abbie Vickress and Laura Parke
Open call for Vol 03. deadline 15 February 2026.
imperfect index 2025
Watch the recording here.Speakers:
Marwan Kaabour
Takweer Archive
The Queer Arab Glossary
Pali Palavathanan
Templo Studio
Ruth Beale, Amy Fenek,
Alternative School of Economics
Amaya Segura
Creative Director and Graphic Designer
imperfect index 2024
Watch the recording here.Speakers:
Ol Gabe
Y Papur Wales
Jodi Hunt
Bristol-based freelancer
Paul Soulellis
Queer.Archive.Work
Kaiya Waerea
Sticky Fingers Publishing
imperfect index 2023
Watch the recording here.Speakers:
Zed Gregory
They Them Studio
Arjun Harrison-Mann
Studio Hyte
Nina Paim
Futuress.org
Bikini Books
Kaleena Sales
Extra Bold
Centered
Kelly Walters
The Black Experience in Graphic Design
Black, Brown + Latinx Design Educators
Featured:
imperfect index on Errata uma revisão feminista à história do design gráfico português / a feminist amendment to graphic design history
It’s Nice That “Pushing for plurality imperfect index is deconstructing the outdated graphic design canon. Using talks and disorderly design to challenge the Eurocentric ideals that have defined the discipline, the publishing project opens up an unlimited number of pathways to change.”
imperfect index Vol.02
a small talks and publication series on the discriminatory past and present of graphic design, looking forward to diverse and inclusive futures.
co-founded by Abbie Vickress and Laura Parke.
Photography by Ruby Turner
Open Call: vol.03
imperfect index is a publication exploring what a diverse and inclusive approach to the discipline of graphic design can look like. We would like to hear from people who wish to contribute to this conversation with examples of projects and practices in graphic design. The index is a resource that will contain these intersectional ideas, that can be cross-referenced and provide multiple points for sharing and circulation.
Themes could include; ableism, age, body size, care, citizenship, class, disability, education, faith, feminism, gender identity, housing, language, LGBTQIA2S+, mental health, neurodiversity, queerness, race, social justice, wealth, etc...
Work selected will be featured alongside articles by Amaya Segura, Alternative School of Ecnomics (Ruth Beale and Amy Fenek), Pali Palavathanan (Templo) and Marwan Kaabour (Takweer Archive and The Queer Arab Glossary)
What to submit -> You can submit past (within the last 3 years) or current work that is centred around this topic; essays, images, QR codes linking to film, podcasts, archives, exhibitions, collections, poetry, etc. The work must be ready for publishing at submission. If you have any questions/ queries please get in touch.
Who can submit -> Anyone. We particularly encourage submissions from groups that are underrepresented in the graphic design discipline.
How to submit -> Send a packaged file via WeTransfer to hello@imperfectindex.com with work formatted as follows:
• Text: word document (.doc / .docx)
• Images: jpeg / 300dpi / cmyk
• Links to audio / video / social media / website
When to submit -> By 15 February 2026
If accepted -> An audit of submissions will be conducted to ensure we are including a diverse range of submissions. Successful submissions will receive a copy of the publication and be contacted in 2026 with a request to complete a publishers permissions form.
Downloadable PDF of this information available here.