50 Creative Projects in 50 Days: How Minted Is Challenging and Rewarding Its Artists and Designers

In a campaign that's as much art project as advertisement, boutique New York City agency Van's General Store (VGS) is collaborating with client Minted—the online marketplace that connects artists with consumers—on a campaign that will feature 50 creative projects produced on 50 consecutive days by 50 independent artists and creatives. The campaign, called the Minted 50, is currently on Day 9. It launched last week with its first project—an exquisite corpse, which is a form of art where collaborators add to a project one after the other, evolving it as it progresses. To kick off the exquisite corpse, VGS's co-founder, the actor Liev Schreiber, created the first layers of a painting with Minted founder and CEO Mariam Naficy. That artwork will now travel around the country, where other artists will add to it. Artists from the Minted community, and some from VGS's own network, are the ones who've been tasked with completing the fun challenges. Day 1 [kickout id="1"] Here are some of the other Minted 50 projects that have been done in the first nine days: Day 2 [kickout id="2"] Day 3 [kickout id="3"] Day 4 [kickout id="4"] Day 5 [kickout id="5"] Day 6 [kickout id="6"] Day 7 [kickout id="7"] Day 8 [kickout id="8"] Day 9 [kickout id="9"] Scott Carlson, the other co-founder of VGS, told Adweek the idea for the project was really about showing off what Minted does, and also challenging and encouraging its community of artists to explore the playful spirit of creativity. Other collaborators in the project include Andy Spade and Kate Spade. Carlson said: "We thought, 'Let's throw a bunch of little design challenges. Let's have some of the people in the Minted community do some. Let's do some ourselves. Let's just have a little bit of fun with everyday design.' " He added: "Minted is such an amazing brand. And being their partner in this allows us to explore our creativity. ... It wasn't a question of 'Let's do some advertising.' It was 'Let's behave like them.' " See also: VGS's Scott Carlson Picks His 3 Favorite Ads "We have found over the past nine years that anyone, anywhere can emerge as a powerful designer who creates a new perspective," said Minted's Naficy. "Moreover, when put into the right setting, artists will collaborate—and collaboration surpasses the power of the individual." At the end of the 50 days, on May 6, all of the projects will be collected and shown at VGS's Yellow Chair Gallery, a gallery space at the front of the agency's Lower East Side offices. The pieces will all be available for purchase via a silent auction, with all proceeds benefiting RxArt, a nonprofit whose mission is to help children heal through the power of visual art. "RxArt is delighted to be the charitable recipient of the Minted 50, working with Minted, Van's General Store and longtime RxArt friend Andy Spade to promote an inspiring community of artists and designers," said Diane Brown, founder and president of RxArt. "The exposure and support received through the Minted 50 will help advance our arts education initiative in RxArt project hospital sites, where we work with artists to bring creative arts activities to patients that will help them develop new skills, modes of expression and confidence." Keep an eye on the project page and follow along for the next 50 days. Or even join in—each project has downloadable materials that allow you to replicate the challenge on your own.

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50 Creative Projects in 50 Days: How Minted Is Challenging and Rewarding Its Artists and Designers

Inside the campaign by Van's General Store

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd