Chicago Artist Collaboration: Hustle Chicago x Lettering Works
We are excited to introduce our second Chicago collaboration, our first with a local fundraising effort. Hustle Chicago participant Connie Bickford, approached us with an interest in creating a unique sticker to aid in her fundraising efforts for the Respiratory Health Association. Connie is a supporter of the arts in Chicago and has been a long-time customer of Lettering Works stickers, which made partnering an easy decision.
Hustle Chicago is an annual fundraiser in downtown Chicago at the (previously named) Handcock building. Participants climb the 1,632 steps of the 94 floors to raise awareness for lung health. This will be Connie’s 11th year of participation and she is climbing in honor of her mother, Jama Bickford, who passed away in September due to complications of pulmonary fibrosis.
A Look at the Design:
4 Key Elements to Building a Successful Artist Collaboration
Trust + Creative Freedom. The artist should be able to execute the collaborative piece in the way they feel most comfortable and have fun doing it. Their style coming through is a key element to the collaboration’s success.
Mutual Interest. The artist and collaborator should both be really excited about the project and working together. If it is one-sided in interest, than the project should be classified as a more traditional client project and charged as such.
Mutual Benefit. If the work ultimately just helps the cause and not the artist, why should they work on it? Benefits for artists can go beyond monetary compensation, but strictly offering exposure is not typically enough to incentive an artist. Get creative with ways to support each other and ensure unique benefits come out of the collaboration.
Positive Working Relationship. It is essential for a collaboration to be a positive experience for both parties, especially if the monetary compensation doesn’t align with normal expectations. Respect, open communication, and appreciation should be prioritized and exemplified in the relationship.
PRO TIP:
Sometimes approaches for collaboration come across as a desire to get free work rather than an opportunity to both develop a successful and mutually beneficial partnership.
A possible solution is starting the conversation earlier to outline how working together could benefit both parties and ensure input is valued and incorporated from both parties.
Connie Bickford with Hustle Chicago sticker
Donate $5 or more to Connie’s Hustle Chicago Fundraiser to receive one of our collaborative stickers. You can donate with confidence, knowing that our costs were covered and we are happy to support the cause. Additionally, all proceeds beyond production costs are going directly to the fundraiser to help support the Respiratory Health Association’s vision for healthy lungs and clean air for all.
If you are interested in custom art products for a cause you are supporting or your own business, send us a message via our contact form. We are always looking for new creative collaborations.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Chelsie Tamms is an award-winning lettering artist and designer based out of Chicago. She is the owner of Lettering Works, a branding studio that connects businesses to their audience through creativity and strategy. With over 10 years of practice of lettering and design, Chelsie is passionate about craft and intention. When she’s not designing, she can be found eating ice cream, traveling internationally, or starting a new passion project.
