Here at Apollo we firmly believe that creators are better together – meaning, of course, that what one creator can do alone is almost always no match for what several creative minds, using their talents, resources, and audience, can do in collaboration with each other.
Collaboration between creators also allows their work to be seen by a much broader audience, likely leading to an increase in follower count on social platforms, more recognition for their work, and even resulting in higher sales conversion.
Throughout our Creator Contests and sponsored contests (such as the sneaker design contests sponsored by Centre) we have seen how eager many creators are to collaborate with each other, learn from each other, and make each other better artists. However, the enthusiasm behind the idea of collaboration must be turned into action toward actually coming together, and working together, for the benefits of collaboration to be realized.
Jake Dugard, a digital design artist who competed, and won first place, in Contest 1 of our Season 2 Contest Series, said that creator collaboration allows each person to do what they never could achieve separately. Being a participant in the Creator Contest “pushed [him] to reach out, meet new people, and actively participate in the community”, Dugard said.
We have set up a few avenues within the Apollo community to help facilitate collaboration between creators; whether you’re a seasoned pro or just beginning to explore a new craft, these resources will help connect you with others who want to explore and improve alongside you! Check them out:
- Instagram Live Events
We host Creator “Ask Me Anything” events a few times a month on our Instagram where creators who are participating in an active contest hop on to talk about their craft, meet the other creators in their contest, and answer audience-generated questions. Watching these Live events and also commenting in the section provided can be a great way to get the ball rolling in talking about certain crafting styles and how to improve! Our ur creators also love to answer questions about their techniques and what they’re learning!
- Discord Creator Discussion Channels
Within our Apollo Discord Sever we have several avenues for creatives to utilize to interact. Join our general chat to ask the over 1,500 users anything you’d like about what projects they’re working on or to promote your own, or you can even sign up to present a certain topic during our “Lunch and Learn” times! We also have a Creator-specific channel that anyone involved in a contest can join, aimed at facilitating deeper discussion about contest happenings as well as providing a space for deeper collaboration and planning.
- Joining a Contest Yourself
The best way to increase your visibility as an artist and introduce you to a community that will help you improve and develop your craft is to apply to be a participant in one of our Creator Contests. These contests are open to creators of almost any experience level and audience size, and they provide the platform needed to reach a wider audience as well as generate conversation about collaboration and/or provide an opportunity for more diverse projects in the future. If you’re a creator who has not yet applied for a contest, what are you waiting for?
We at Apollo believe in creator collaboration because we believe that we are all better together, and that each person has something to teach as well as something to learn. As our community continues to grow and improve together, the limits of the ways that creators can benefit will only continue to reach new heights.
Will you take a chance on yourself and your creative career and commit to taking a step toward collaboration this week? We promise you’ll only become better for it.
