AIGA Philadelphia is searching for a volunteer to perform creative services and thematic copywriting for the 2016 PDA campaign. The volunteer will collaborate closely with the 2016 PDA Committee, as well as the AIGA Philadelphia Board.

We are looking for a creative approach to the theme, look and feel, voice and design for this year’s awards. The project will include developing graphics for the campaign for use on social media, on websites, in print and in signage at related events. There is also a catalog that is produced for each competition. Coordination with AIGA Philadelphia’s print partner will be required.

About the awards

Philadelphia is brimming with remarkably talented designers and artists that would rival those in any city in the world. In an effort to showcase this local talent, and engage and strengthen our regional design community, AIGA Philadelphia invites designers to submit their work to our Philadelphia Design Awards competition, affectionately nicknamed PDA. We feature work from creative teams of all types and sizes in the tri-state area, giving designers the opportunity to present their work to a prestigious panel of internationally recognized judges, as well as have their work displayed online, in print and in an exhibition. There have been three (3) previous PDAs in 2008, 2010, and 2012. The 2016 PDA will be the fourth installment.

Benefits of your involvement

Design of all materials described in the Request for Proposals will be considered an in-kind donation to AIGA Philadelphia, a 501(c)3 organization. Advancing the field of design benefits you as well as society. AIGA Philadelphia is the perfect conduit for moving the design community forward. Plus, you make great connections that can advance your career and open your work up to a larger audience. 

How to submit

Download the Request for Proposals. In your response, please include studio information, process/approach, key personnel, experience/samples of similar work and references. Email responses of interest by 5pm on Monday, February 1, 2016.

Please contact Joshua Lessard, our Philadelphia Design Awards Chair, with questions.

Note of clarification:

To address a few concerns we have received, we would like to provide this note of clarification.

The intention of the open call for proposals is to invite volunteer participation and expression of interest, a contrast to an invitation-only competition. This RFP attempts to be as transparent and inclusive as possible when it indicates that time is considered “an in-kind donation to AIGA Philadelphia, a 501(c)3 organization”. For this reason, we are able to open submissions to both studios and individual chapter members working at larger organizations (who would otherwise be subject to moonlighting and non-compete terms), allowing us to be fully inclusive of all our members. We do not intend for the designer to do any work prior to engagement. We are asking you to submit a proposal if you have an interest in this volunteer opportunity.

We recognize that our tentative schedule is rigorous, and would like to note that it is subject to change based on designer’s recommended timeline and process.

We appreciate you taking the time to consider volunteering with us.