Freelance activism and freelance creativity are two huge aspects of freelancing that the Freelance Jungle believes doesn’t get near enough airtime.
Outside of direct freelance activism for causes, we also advocate for our industry in small and large ways. We do this with our freelance creativity and our willingness to lend our creative thinking and problem solving to the wider world.
Here is a collection of those freelance activism and creativity moments in action
Freelance activism, FTW!
Freelance activism matters. So many freelancers spend their spare time giving their talents to the causes they care about. We donate time across politics, the environment, animal causes, for small business, to show gratitude, and more. We make a difference with our freelance activism in the following ways.
By Gemma Pitcher
Manyana Matters with Gemma Pitcher
I didn’t make it but I’ve been volunteering at Manyana Matters doing their Instagram and there are events aplenty to highlight the cause, such as the one on July 12th. LOOK at this amazing thing that’s happening there this weekend! South Coast NSW freelancers are welcome to come along. It’s COVID-19 safe, too.
Plastic Free July with Perri Hillier
I’m doing Plastic Free July and am working on one Swap/suggestion a day on my social media Perri Hillier Copywriter.
Cat adoption promotion art with Tracey Lloyd
I’m a supporter and regular visitor to the Cat Cuddle Cafe in Lutwyche, Brisbane. This artwork is of the wonderful Millicent who is in the cuddle room and available for adoption. They have the best coffee in Brisbane (in my opinion), great cat themed gifts and an op shop. It’s run by Pussies Galore rescue and all money goes to helping the rescue save cats.
Bean There? Podcast with Jacinta Marshall
My Podcast Producer sent me a text 6 weeks ago about a project. She wanted to do a post COVID-19 support of our local cafes, and our creative team at the Podcast Station (which I’m a part of) has created this monster. She’s taken over our focus and become an awesome little baby. Last week, we went live, and we supported/promoted over 30 businesses in our hour show.
We’ve booked the next 4 cafes that we are broadcasting live from, and we’re hoping to support as many as we can in the Sutherland Shire (over 100 cafes).
She has a brother Podcast in preproduction, so fingers crossed this is going to be epic.
This is the link: I love Sutherland Shire Podcast Station | Bean There? Podcast – Post Covid Community Initiative, let’s play it!
By Lynore Avery
Art cards for health workers by Lynore Avery
I made this postcard-sized card for a health worker. Micro Galleries is running a project where artists create a hand-made card for someone working in the health industry, as a way of saying thank you for their hard work. The cards need to be sent out on July 15, so there is still time if you want to participate.
Get your Gong on with Rebekah Lambert
The Illawarra is an area that rebuilt itself after coal and steel were no longer the mainstay. Wollongong turned to education, tourism, hospitality, and the arts. And what were the first things to be completely hammered by COVID-19? Education, tourism, hospitality, and the arts. But we’re a town of fighters. So, a plucky bunch of freelancers are banding together to help the businesses pivoting under pressure and hard hit by COVID-19. You can join in the fun of Get your Gong on here.
This project has been made possible with the generous support of Wollongong City Council under the Quick Response Grant program.
Creating to challenge ourselves
Beyond freelance activism is the desire to make things better in other ways. Our freelance creativity drives us to make, create and develop ideas that help others. From fonts to videos, Zines and books to capturing sound as design, we do it all as this group of freelance projects show.
Saylyn font with Tami Mitchell
My motive behind both fonts is to stop being afraid of imperfection and to release my work as a minimum viable product rather than agonize for hours and then not release anything at all. The first font (Saylyn) is more polished and usable, the second font I created as a way of inspiring happy moments – the idea is to type your name and enjoy the happy words that are packaged into each letter.
Feel free to download and use (commercial and private projects, you just can’t sell the fonts).
What can you do to support me? Like/appreciate my font Saylyn and share it, I think that would make me happy. If my font Happy Words makes you feel good, then it’s fulfilled its purpose.
Saylyn font, download link is on behance (caps and numbers only)
Happy Words font with Tami Mitchell
Happy Words (caps only, haven’t made a pretty picture for this one yet) click on ‘Type Tester’ and enlarge the font size at the bottom of the page, it only responds to uppercase. Download link is on the first page.
Vlog Challenge with Wollongong Photographer Sam St Jon
I’m doing a Vlog challenge for the next three weeks, trying to make short videos to get comfortable on camera. It’s really hard for me to put my face out there, but I’m trying to get used to it.
MGZ Zine with Rhiannon Hopley
Just released the latest MGZ, a Zine, created with 3 other female artists around the world (Italy, The Netherlands and USA).
This issue, Hand by Hand, showcases the work of artist around the world and what they have been creating during Covid-19, discussing the difficulty of creating and learning to adapt your practice when in lockdown and during so much uncertainty.
What have we learned from lockdown? with K.Rose Kreative
It’s been a while since I was inspired to film a video for myself. I have been practising acting on my ideas, rather than just having them come and go without action as has often happened in the past. This is the result of one such thing.
During the lockdown/social distancing I started doing yoga classes via zoom with a local yoga place (Roaming Yogis). One day Anna’s words during the Savasana at the end of the class brought inspiration, I reached out to see if she would like to collaborate. I’m SO GLAD I acted on that inspiration. If you like this and want to see more please consider liking my Facebook page and following k.rosekreative on Instagram.
The Secret Ingredient Of with Vanessa Smith
If you take either Instagram or Celebrity Chefs seriously, you’ll hate The Secret Ingredient Of. This book is what happens when you a) like to make fun of things, b) like to cook and c) cannot get your head around the concept of a celebrity chef.
Buy from your preferred online retailer. Or buy direct.
Soundscapes Studio with Warren Bernard
I decided to use Photoshop for something other than retouching and started offering customised prints of audio file soundwaves. There’s a few who do it on Etsy but they’re typically all from the UK or USA, so I decided to offer it locally. Sound confusing? You can see more here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SoundscapesStudio
Interviews we’ve done
We’re always happy to lend our interview skills and ourselves as interviewees to shine a light on freelancing, creativity and more. To tell a story is freelance activism and freelance creativity combined. Let’s take a walk through the wonderful interviews conducted by and undertaken with freelancers.
Interviews with Elissa Hill
A few months ago, I started a fun side project that I’d honestly had kicking around in my head for about a year! It’s an interview series with people who work in communications and marketing (freelance, in-house and agency). If you’re a freelance writer, editor, marketer, content creator (or anything like that!) and you’d like to be interviewed, let me know! (The interviews I’ve done so far are in the link below so you can get a sense of the style.)
Fat Girls Don’t Belong Front-Of-House with Jay Crisp Crow
I wrote a little email and spent 3 days answering replies, so turned it into a blog!
ONE FRAME with Nat Rogers
I just started a YouTube discussion series with photographers about ONE FRAME, that impacted their lives and the STORY behind it. I am really enjoying the perspectives people are sharing. The first one is with a guy who shoots in The Congo for not for profits.
Creating AdNews cover with Adrian Elton
Here’s the interview (published in the last week or two) that AdNews ran about how I created the current cover design. It was a nice opportunity to talk about my creative process.
Random shit in my house with Robin Cook
Made this broadcast last Thursday with a lovely bloke in Denmark. Barnabas made a life and death decision and has a small cake of soap from a Peruvian motel as a reminder of that time.
Dummies with Denise Sutherland
I was interviewed (way back in April!) for The Good Weekend magazine. Wiley hadn’t told me my two Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies books were best-sellers. This is how I found out.
Want to get involved with freelance activism or shine your creative skills? Join us in the Freelance Jungle for I made this Thursday, a celebration of freelancing.