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#DrawFor: the new charity helping artists and key workers

Spun out of the coronavirus pandemic, DrawFor is a new non-profit organisation that’s giving back to NHS key workers through artist donations, and anyone can get involved.

Do you fancy yourself as a bit of an up-and-coming artist? Have some work you’d like to share on social media? Would you also like to help the NHS in the process?

If you’ve answered yes to all my tedious questions, then DrawFor might be worth checking out. This new movement, born from an idea between recently furloughed employees from various businesses, showcases artwork from a range of voluntary submissions and produces limited prints to raise cash for charity. To get involved, all you need to do is enter your own, original artwork, and DrawFor will take care of the rest.

It’s a great way to raise your profile and grab a few more eyeballs, as well as help out those who are in need of a financial boost during a particularly stressful time for doctors and nurses. So far, DrawFor has accepted submissions from London-based graphic designer Catarina Bianchini and Stockholm based illustrator Alva Sko, among many others.


Are there any requirements before submission?

Each piece has to fit on an A3 print, so you probably don’t want to submit a doodle from the corner of your old notepad. Bigger pieces are preferred here and you’ll want to keep sizing in mind before you enter any work.

All you’ll need to do is submit two versions of your piece, one as a PDF with a 3mm bleed, and a simple JPEG that can be uploaded to Instagram, Facebook, and all other social media sites. DrawFor asks that you share their initiative on your own profile too which makes sense, given that these type of movements are all about getting the word out. The more people know, the more money can go to good causes.

Other than that, it’s free reign to do however you please. There’s no set theme or style guide, so go nuts. Whatever you can think of can fly, as long as it can fit on an A3 print. To give you a little idea of the process behind some of the submissions, here’s a quick time lapse of the early stages of Alice Mollon’s piece, which you can check out here.


What if I’m not an artist?

DrawFor isn’t just for those who have a knack for illustration. A huge part of the campaign is about the buyer. After all, nobody gets any cash if there’s none to dish out!

Each piece that’s picked is given a limited production run of 100 A3 sized copies, all on 100% recycled materials, and is priced at £20. Some of your money will be spent to cover production costs, but the rest goes entirely to ‘NHS Charities Together’. You’ll end up with a nice conversational piece to show friends (whenever they’re legally allowed to visit your house again) and the NHS will have a little extra to keep afloat. Not too shabby.

Right now, DrawFor are running a campaign titled #DrawForNHS, which is focusing solely on key workers tackling the coronavirus emergency in the UK. Check out the official gallery for submissions so far here – they’re genuinely impressive and would fit snugly on any self-respecting art fanatic’s wall. I might even pick up a couple myself.

You can also follow DrawFor on social media to keep up with any new selections. It’s all about keeping things fresh in the art world and different entries are showcased every week, so if you don’t see something you love just yet you probably won’t have to wait too long until something ideal comes along.


Where could DrawFor go in the future?

The campaign first began as a direct response to NHS needs during the pandemic, but new fundraisers to help other charities have been launched since. #DrawForEquality was recently created to generate funds for Stand Up To Racism UK, while #DrawForYoungLives focuses on mental health charities for young people.

DrawFor is a win-win, and it’s wonderful to hear of a positive movement coming from the wreckage this pandemic is having on every corner of our day-to-day lives. Before long we could see DrawFor becoming the go to for charitable art, but it all has to start somewhere.

So, get drawing or get buying – it all makes a difference!

 

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