Workshop: The New Freelance Economy

I recently had the privilege of hosting a workshop on "The New Freelance Economy" at General Assembly in Seattle. It was a sell-out event, with 100+ RSVP's. The event featured a presentation, a panel which included Kaleb Willis of Kaleb Norman James Design, Danny Owens, and Ankur Kothari of Olive & Goose and audience Q&A. The workshop was geared towards technology/commerce + art. The attendees when surveyed, were an equal split between art and tech. It was great to see all of the interest and anticipation around the topic of the new freelance economy. The workshop was a clear sign of a shift which is taking place in the economy both nationally as well as locally. There is a desire for artists to learn to operate as entrepreneurs, and for technologists to learn to better market their individual brands.

For more details about the event, and a link to the presentation (which includes startup/entrepreneur and marketing/social media resources), please read below.

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Event Details

The Freelance Economy is truly booming with two-sided marketplaces providing the platform for freelancers to connect with employers from around the globe.

Join our panel as they share the ins and outs of freelancing: what it means, how to do it part or full-time, how to price yourself, how to develop your portfolio, where to look for potential projects and what it takes to become an independent contractor.

Learn how you can hone your talents, market them to potential clients and communicate your project goals clearly to channel success. The strategies discussed in this event work for programming, design, marketing, writing and many other concentrations.

The panel discussion will be followed by a drinks and networking.

Takeaways

Come away with new ideas and tools that will help you run your freelance business more efficiently and learn how you can always keep your pipeline full of great clients

• Develop a game plan to begin working in your field independently
• Better market your services to potential clients
• Navigate online and offline resources for freelancers
• Understand key pain points and for freelancers and how to deal with them such as taxes, insurance, and time management

Link To Presentation

The Uncommon Union Has Now Launched!

The Uncommon Union has launched and I am so excited to share it with you. It is something that I am especially proud of and has created a new level of excitement in me for the possibility of what the Pacific Northwest holds.

Uniting the two brands Uncommon Cartography and Union Adorn, The Uncommon Union is the synthesis of the conceptual and the visual. Through our combined skill sets we are committed to supporting and developing these uncovered tastemakers, trends and opportunities. 

Lauren Caron and I met several months ago through social media, on a platform that has connected me with many collaborators and clients, Instagram. Quickly the online introduction led to an in-person meeting over coffee at Elm Coffee Roasters (one of my many #workspaces in the city). Hailing from two spaces of the creative world, Esther, the conceptual and Lauren, the visual we quickly realized that there was potential for a unique and untapped collaboration.

The Uncommon Union is driven to uncover and make visible emerging shifts within the spectrum of whole being and lifestyle within the Pacific Northwest communities and beyond. I hope that you will join me in following and participating in this new chapter.

You can read more about the story behind The Uncommon Union here.

Photography By: Lindsey Bolling

Uncommon Cartography Influencers

Hello Influencer!

I’m Esther of Uncommon Cartography as well as recently launched The Uncommon Union. I love helping influencers and brands take their businesses to the next level??  

In 2016 I have focused on connecting with influencers and engineering collaborations between brands and influencers, coaching and mentoring individuals as well as building a rich creative community. 

Influencers I have collaborated with include @cooknamedmatt, @meganmlittle, @danny.owens, @styleandcheek and more! Some of the exciting brands I am currently running influencer outreach campaigns for are Shannon Koszyk (luxury jewelry), Tame The Beast (men’s grooming), MOO - YOUNG (premium leather), Brunswick and Hunt (restaurant) and others :)

I am now inviting influencers to sign up to receive VIP and exclusive invitations to upcoming events, product giveaways and more.  If you would be interested in receiving information about upcoming influencer campaigns, please sign up here to receive more information: http://eepurl.com/cmTlS5

Also, if you are ever in Seattle please shoot me a message I would love to connect over coffee ☕️

- Esther Maria Swaty

Photo By: Josiah Michael Photography

9e2 Seattle Exploring the Intersection of Art, Science, and Technology

As you all know I have been passionately exploring the realm of art and technology as of late. I recently applied for a grant to develop an Artist In Residence program for technology companies, and now I am excited to announce that I am collaborating with 9e2 Seattle to do a social media push for the upcoming event! If you have not heard about it, here is a little bit of information:

 9e2 is an art exhibition and performance series commemorating “9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering,” an iconic exhibition 50 years ago in New York that sparked a new era of collaboration between artists, scientists, and engineers.

The original 9 Evenings was organized in 1966 by Robert Rauschenberg and Billy Klüver, and featured artists creating performances in collaboration with engineers from Bell Labs. Fifty years later, 9e2 embraces that same spirit of experimentation and collaboration with a new series of projects. Installations, nightly performances, and other events will explore the intersection of art, science, and technology. 

"The year 1966 saw a legendary and pivotal event in the history of technology-driven art. Called “9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering,” the project brought together 10 artists and 30 scientists and engineers from Bell Telephone Laboratories.

 

Flash forward to 2016, the fiftieth anniversary of this iconic event: 9e2 teams artists with scientists and engineers, in a festival of performances, installations, exhibits, and discussions. By examining contemporary themes that are poised to change the way we experience life on this planet, 9e2 will shine a spotlight on the next 50 years.

 

9e2 draws together artists, engineers, and scientists from across the United States, as well as from Seattle’s art community, technology companies, and schools. We highlight and celebrate Seattle’s place as a center for creativity and exploration of new technologies, build connections between artists, scientists, and the community, and commemorate a half-century of the artistic traditions engendered by the original 9 Evenings. At the same time, we expect 9e2 to leave a forward-looking legacy: new work, new bonds between artists and technologists, new ways of looking at and using technology, and a new awareness of the interconnections between science, technology, and art." - About 9 Evenings and 9e2

 

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Art + Technology Synthesis: Feature Friday, Artist In Residence Program, and More!

“Finding and keeping talent is a hot topic across the Puget Sound region. More than 25,000 technology jobs in the state have remained open for at least six months.” - Puget Sound Business Journal, Feb 4, 2016

There is something unique bubbling up in Seattle at the intersection of art and technology. Employers have realized that they need to do more to attract and retain talent, as well as sustain a culture of experimentation in their companies. Innovation does not happen in a silo, the more an individual is exposed to new ideas and industries the greater the opportunity for adaptation. Artists have a unique skill set and are seeking new ways to engage in a city which has undergone a massive transformation in the last 5-10 years.

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As part of efforts to connect the local art and technology communities, I have been working on a series of events and projects. This past Friday, I collaborated with Nick Hughes of FoundersLIVE to host Feature Friday at The RUINS. The startup community converged, and it was exciting to see a new energy fill the magical venue.

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In addition to this event, I have applied for a 4Culture grant for the development of an Art & Technology Innovation Program which would equip artists with the marketing and innovation tools needed to work with tech organizations. In recent years, we have seen National Parks to Facebook, to Autodesk, and Amtrak successfully launch artist in residence programs.

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The Art & Tech Innovation Program would have a twofold purpose. First, the grant would create an Artist Innovation Marketing Tool Kit to empower artists to monetize their work and engage in today’s technology driven world. Second, this grant would fund the development of an Artist In Residence program geared towards bridging the relationship between artist and local technology companies. Who knows what synthesis could happen as these communities connect in a deeper way!

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If you are interested in participating in the Artist In Residence program or would like to learn more, please email me at esther@uncommoncartography.com

Let's do this!

Esther