GUIDES & TIPS

6 places to seek out illustrators in our changing digital space

We’re in a time of change for the visual arts. Concern over AI’s advancements, unfettered and embedded in our daily lives, confusing algorithms and a craving for human interactions,  all mean creatives are re-evaluating and pruning their digital presence. 

It’s also an exciting time, with so much individual creative talent in the industry, artists who are making work that really stands out with unique perspectives, great storytelling and an ability to make emotional connections. But you might be wondering, where do you go to find them if the usual places no longer fit the bill? 

It's a hot topic within our community of artists and clients, and something we're always keeping and eye on as things shift. So we've put together our 6 pointers for where to find artists in 2025 (so far!).

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Is Instagram on its way out?

It's the question of the moment, but the jury's still out. Artists are still using it as a way to promote their work and share behind the scenes snippets, especially video, and in 2024 it was the fastest growing social media platform according to Statista. But a series of confusing algorithm changes and Meta’s recent shifts in policy have left many feeling overlooked. Posts are not getting seen as much as they did in the past, and as a commissioner it's not as easy to stumble across new posts on the platform.  

All of these things mean there is less enthusiasm amongst artists to share regular updates. The choice between creating content the algorithm might like versus creative freedom leaves many to wonder where else they could share their work instead. 

Alternatives to the grid 

You'll have seen new platforms cropping up recently, such as Bluesky and the algorithm-free Damus and RTRO, as well a few platforms experiencing a bit of a moment amongst creative minds, including Pinterest, Bēhance and Substack. Instagram’s grid format is a hard act to follow in the visual arts, which could be contributing to the popularity of Bēhance – first and foremost a portfolio platform designed to showcase creative freelancers, and as a commisioner Bēhance's helpful filter function allows you to narrow down your search by location and type of practice.

Newsletters, and Substack

One thing we hear from artists all the time, is how hard it is to combat the urge to create artwork that gets likes on social media, rather than necessarily what they'd like to be creating. The concerns around AI's impact and Meta's policy shifts, has also given pause for thought about how much ownership we have over what we put out online and the networks we've built up on various platforms. 

The rise in the number of visual artists joining Substack, a platform that describes itself as the 'app for independant voices', could be a result of this. Creators own their own intellectual property and mailing list, and are also able to monetise their subscription offerings. Artists are finding solace in re-focussing their energies towards their own networks and communities through personal newsletters, embracing a blog-like format and longer form sharing. There are also opportunities for more meaningful connections, through a more thoughtful commenting culture and the ability to choose other people's Substacks automatically recommended to your new subscribers.

If you come across an artist you'd like to remember for the future, it's always worth subscribing to their own newsletter, or Substack, to stay on top of the latest and find new recommendations. 

Dare we say, LinkedIn?

The 3rd fastest growing social media platform in 2024, LinkedIn has been having a moment over the past couple of years. During that time we've seen some of the most challenging economic times for creative freelancers, and so many are looking for ways to stand out. With the issues around Instagram, LinkedIn is seen as a way for illustrators to showcase what they do directly to brands, agencies and organisations who use the platform professionally.

If you favour LinkedIn for your industry updates and networks, there's a wealth of visual artists hanging out on there too.  

Analog comes in waves   

Back in the hay day of printed magazines and weekend newspaper supplements, perusing the newsstands was a great way to spot up and coming illustrators. And magazines are making a comeback, amidst nostalgia and a hankering for 'real-ness', with lots of interesting independent titles commissioning illustration, including the fabulous and well established Wrap Magazine and Little White Lies, and environmental storytelling platform Imagine 5, to shout out to just a few. Mag Culture is a great store to browse if you're craving the slower experience of a beautifully designed and illustrated printed magazine.

If you enjoy connecting in person, we always recommend heading along to local exhibitions, talks and makers fairs, or national events such as the Birmingham Design Festival or Brighton Illustration Fair. Not only a great day out, but a great way to discover something unexpected.

Coming up soon is the Secret 7” project in support of War Child where you'll find 700 one-of-a-kind 7" vinyl sleeve designs created by contemporary aritsts and illustrators around the world, to be auctioned off for charity. The London exhibition is free to attend, and includes many artists from the Grand Matter roster!  

Creative media  

For inspiration curated by humans, we're lucky to have access to some great creative media in the UK and around the world. Some of the most prolific in the illustration realm, and well worth keeping an eye on, are –

Its Nice That – A plethora of visual inspiration from illustration to photography, animation, design and film, priding themselves on being a platform built by creatives, for creatives, with a positive outlook.

www.itsnicethat.com

Creative Boom – A UK-based platform founded and edited by Katy Cowen, aiming to ‘empower and uplift the creative community’ through informed editorial pieces and features.

www.creativeboom.com

Eye on Design – Published by US non-profit AIGA, Eye on Design explores and showcases design-led work, including great use of illustration.

www.eyeondesign.aiga.org

Creative Review – Began as a print magazine in the 1980s, they cover important topics within the creative industries. Most of their longer form content is behind a paywall, but their inspiration section can be a useful resource for discovering use of illustration. 

www.creativereview.co.uk

Booooooom – a membership platform for illustrators, photographers and artists. Browse their blog for illustration features. 

www.booooooom.com

Find us on Substack, Instagram & LinkedIn

Illustrations by Hollie Fuller and Lena Yokoyama. 

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