NEW MATTER

Applications open 4th March 2024!

We’re very excited to be on the lookout for a new set of creatives to join as part of this year’s Future Makers programme, starting in June 2024. Future Makers is Grand Matter’s yearly professional development opportunity for illustrators at the beginning of their careers, directly supporting a more diverse and inclusive illustration industry. 

Now entering its forth year, Future Makers offers up to three artists a place on the Grand Matter roster for one year along with our professional support and guidance. 

Born in response to the desperate lack of diversity in the creative industries, Future Makers is solely open to artists belonging to typically underrepresented groups, providing mentoring and portfolio development from our agents, as well as a platform to showcase their work with the potential for opportunities to work together on client projects. 

Working alongside Otherway on the Toast Brewing rebrand was an insightful and rewarding process, and really positive seeing the final product on shelf and promoted online. 
 .

– Martha Olivia, 2023 cohort 

Over the past three years we’ve welcomed 9 fantastic illustrators at the beginning of their careers to the Future Makers roster, each with their own distinctive way of working. Part mentoring, part representation, we’ve worked closely with each artist to curate and develop their portfolio providing professional support and guidance as part of the roster over the course of a year.

We've also been able to work together on some exciting assignments with clients, collaborating with brands, creative agencies and editorial publications. Last year, pattern designer and illustrator Martha Olivia had the opportunity to collaborate with creative agency Otherway, to develop a series of illustrations forming a focal part of the Toast Brewing branding (pictured above), one of a number of live projects undertaken by our Future Makers artists over the past three years with our representation. 

The year programme

Curated Portfolio – Each artist receives a curated portfolio page on the Grand Matter website, to shape an edit of work that reflects where they would like to develop, appealing to potential avenues to explore with our expertise.

Artist Development – We support each Future Maker artist with their creative development, encouraging self-initiated projects, working closely to develop a brief and guide them through the process, showcasing the end result.

Representation – The programme also provides representation for one year, with work shared alongside the Grand Matter roster of artists with the aim to work together on a project as their agent, with our support throughout.

Advice from Artists – We connect each Future Maker artist with an artist from our main roster for an informal chat to learn about each other and offer words of wisdom gleaned from their experience as a freelance illustrator.

What we're looking for

Future Makers is designed for artists at the beginning of their careers in illustration, of all styles and approaches, and we look for artists who demonstrate:

• A distinctive collection of work reflecting their style as an artist
• A creative curiosity
• A proactive mindset
• A good understanding of the work they want to create

Eligibility

Set up out of a strong desire to see a more diverse illustration industry, for this reason Future Makers is open solely to illustration-based artists belonging to underrepresented groups and communities of all ages (18+).

Artists must have an existing collection of illustration-based work and belong to one of the following groups:

• A refugee or asylum seeker
• A person of colour
• Identify as LGBTQ+
• Identify as neurodivergent
• Living with a disability
• No university education
• Parental household income less than £25k per annum
• Young parent or carer

Key Dates

Applications open: 4th March 2024
Application deadline: 31st March 2024
Selection process: 1st - 25th April 2024
Programme runs: 1st June 2024 – 31st May 2025



Find our more and apply now

grandmatter.com/futuremakers
Illustration by Rosie Barker
Animation by Plastic Horse

London

New York