AIGA WM COVID-19 Support & Resources

We are compiling a list of resources to help you stay connected and supported during this challenging time we’re facing together. We encourage everyone in our community to stay informed and take the necessary precautions to stay healthy. This list will continue to be added to as more resources become available. If you have a suggestion to add please let us know in our Slack community or email them to us here.

AIGA Community Resource Hub

AIGA is committed to advancing the future of design within our communities, among our members, in small businesses and corporations, in educational institutions, and for individuals. We are in an unprecedented time, where change takes place every minute of the day. Please use this resource hub as a guide to some of the most critical needs our community faces today, and will face in the coming weeks and months.

• Job Seeker
• Freelance Designer
• Educator
• Student or Recent Graduate
• Business Owner
• Creative Looking for Support

Unemployment/Financial Resources

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief
• Stimulus Package Answers
• Alliance of Artist Communities Emergency Relief Fund
• Freelancers Union – Freelancers Relief Fund
• Freelance Financial Planning – webinars on planning during COVID-19
• US States’ Small Business Support Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic — Small business support, broken down by state.
• Guide to discounted/free internet and computers

Student Resources

• Linkedin Learning – Develop your skills with online classes, lectures, and design tutorials (many are free).
• Type Crit Crew – The Type Crit Crew is a free resource for type design students to meet 1–1 with experienced type designers for virtual critiques.

Relevant Articles

• The Eye on Design Guide to Self-isolation for Designers and Creatives
• What Role Does Design Play in a Public Health Crisis?
• I’m A Design Student – What Happens Next?
• That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief

Virtual Events From other AIGA Chapters

Catch up on AIGA at Home Webinars you may have missed at aiga.org.

• Ongoing Series: Conversations With Quarantined Creatives 
  A series of conversations via AIGA Minnesota
• Interaction Design (IxD) 101
  Sep 30 – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT Join Ben Swink and John Blackwell from CapTech Consulting as they explore the basics of interaction design through activities (IxD), where it fits in the product lifecycle, and how you can use these skills to inform your design conversations.
• Midwest Design Week
  Sept 21-25 Midwest Design Week (MWDW) aims to celebrate the power of design and diversity with five days of inclusive and engaging virtual events.
• AIGA Unidos | Hispanic Heritage Talks 
  Sept 15-Oct 15 The schedule of events has registration links where AIGA members and non-members can sign up for free. Read the AIGA Press Release.
• AIGA Minnesota’s Design Camp conference 
  Oct 2-4 Registration is open and will close Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at 5 p.m..
• DesignOps Summit 2020 Virtual Conference Program
   Oct 21-23 We’ll explore design operations’ role in helping individual designers, design teams, and entire organizations adapt, survive, and thrive.

 Virtual Classes and Conferences

• Adobe Max – Oct 20-22 Free digital conference (Adobe account required)
• AIGA Virtual Design Conference Nov 9–14, 2020
• Experience Makers Live — On-demand access to 40+ sessions from our virtual event dedicated to helping you become a new kind of leader who creates inclusive digital experiences.
• The Eye on Design Guide to Self-isolation for Designers and Creatives — A growing and evolving resource for education, connection, money-making, and entertainment during the crisis
• Creative Mornings goes virtual
• Behance + Adobe Live – free live classes every day
• LIVE! – Talks by designers and creatives streaming on Instagram
• Girl Boss Conference – Date TBD, being offered for free and online

Learning

• SkillShare For AIGA Members – AIGA members at the Sustaining level will receive 40% off an annual premium subscription to Skillshare. New to Skillshare? AIGA members, at any level, receive a 2-month free trial. More details about the member benefit here. Sign up for Skillshare today!
  • A curated list of recommended Skillshare classes to check out:
  • Design
  • UI/UX
  • Motion Graphics
  • Illustration
  • Productivity
  • Creative & Personal Development
• Behance / Adobe Live – Access live classes every day. Classes cover graphic design, illustration, photoshop, UI/UX and more. Ask them questions in real-time, get inspired, connect with the creative community and watch the replays.
• Design Future Now Podcast – By AIGA / Lee-Sean Huang – How is design changing as a discipline and profession? How do we face these opportunities as a community? AIGA’s Lee-Sean Huang explores these questions and more with creative practitioners and leaders.
  > Season one podcast episodes here
  > Additional live recorded episodes on IGTV here
• Grand Rapids Public Library digital services – GRPL offers digital and audio books and partner access to films, language learning, skill videos, and more with a vaild GRPL or KDL card.
• Smithsonian – Eight digital education resources from the Smithsonian.
• Enrichment Activities for Children – A searchable, growing list of activities for kids.

Creativity At Home

• Viral Art Project – The Viral Art Project began as a way to bring attention to the challenges all of us are facing during the pandemic. At its heart, it is a call to action for graphic designers, artists, and other creative people to use their talents to help raise awareness. Designers are invited to submit poster art highlighting the challenges we are facing and to help promote messages about how we can get through this together.
• Adobe Coloring Book – Each week this spring, the Adobe Coloring Book will feature coloring pages created by some of their favorite artists that you can print or finish with your favorite Adobe apps.

For Fun

• Free Design Movie of the Week – Design documentaries free via website Oh You Pretty Things.
• Designers.Watch – The best documentaries for designers and artists.
• Grand Rapids Public Museum – GRPM has created a Home Museum with webcams, activities, and their virtual collection to explore.
• Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park – Daily virtual visits at 10am and 2pm on their Facebook page.
• Virtual Museum Tours – These 12 famous museums offer virtual tours you can take on your couch.
• Virtual Tours of National Parks – 30 virtual tours of national parks to help you get your fix from the safety of self-isolation.
• Georgia Aquarium Webcams – Penguins, whales, sea otters and more.
• San Diego Zoo Webcams – So many animals to gaze at.
• Hike West Michigan – Get outside with these 17 great West Michigan trails. Please hike responsibly!
• #indoorstyle – West Michigan stylist Grace Kelly is hosting daily #indoorstyle challenges on her Instagram page. Challenge themes have ranged from “blanket statement” to Tiger King to monochromatic, and have featured takeovers from WM artists Adrian Butler (AB) and Leigh Ann Cobb Photo.