Attention all Creatives!

Read on to see how you can change the world, simply by doing what you do best…

“To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts - such is the duty of the artist” ~ Robert Schumann

If you have an artistic talent, be it untapped or extraordinaire, you will no doubt want to share that talent with the world. Similarly, if you are looking to change the world but you aren’t sure how to do it, you will be in search of a cause.

So, may we suggest combining these two life passions for great effect?

Using your creative gifts to help others will not only give you an opportunity to enjoy what you love doing most, but it will also benefit others in a unique way.

Yes, charities and humanitarian organisations help through financial donations, volunteer campaigns and relief aid work, and all of this is invaluable. But there are other creative, out of the box ways to raise awareness and help those in need.

If you have an artistic skill or creative talent, see our suggestions below. These are just a few ideas as to how you can put those gifts to good use, in order to make a real difference.

Art and graphics

If you have some skill with drawing, either digitally or with good old-fashioned pen and paper, you will find yourself very much in demand.

In terms of using this skill for good, you could offer your services to a charity in need of promotional material and sketches, or you could design posters and mailshots of your own, to share both online and off, by way of raising awareness.

You could even draw your own cartoon strip or design your own animation and get it to go viral; a great, 21st century way to spread information and access a new, wider audience on behalf of relief agencies and charities.

Music

Do you have a band? Got a fresh new sound of your own? What about an as-yet undiscovered songwriting talent?

These are exactly the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself when you are trying to come up with ways to combine your love of music with your mission to change the world. If you can create a musical masterpiece, share it with the world and pledge the proceeds to a charitable cause.

Gather your musical mates and write an anthemic song with a strong message, and then record it and sell it for download. There will be some time sacrifice required, but when people are listening to your music, and the proceeds are rolling into your chosen charity, the hard work will be worth it.

Just imagine killing two big birds with one great stone; your music gets exposure, and you make a difference.

Photography and videography

An image can speak a thousand words, and when you are trying to spread an important message, like how and why you should help those in need, this is a big deal. So, if you have talent when it comes to images, utilise it to help spread such a message.

Volunteer to go on a campaign and take shots on the ground, to show people back home the real state of affairs in the world’s most difficult corners. Alternatively, demonstrate your cinematic talent by creating a video with the potential to go viral and engage audiences in a way that not only makes them passionate about helping others, but also encourages them to volunteer.

YouTube epics, viral Vines and promotional videos for specific campaigns are all great ways to engage a cyber-audience and raise awareness. Plus, they give you an opportunity to develop your skills and do what you love.

Whether you are the next Mozart, a soon-to-be Spielberg or a budding Botticelli, your creative talents can be put to good use for great causes. You can think as abstractly as you like; for example, if you can’t play guitar but you can cook like a Michelin Star Master, find a shelter or soup kitchen in need of an extra pair of hands.

Ultimately though, just start thinking how you and your talented friends can get together on behalf of the charity, to raise money and awareness, or to help campaigns along. Then turn those plans into action.

We look forward to hearing your ideas!