Untapped Creative Talent in Washington DC
Washington, DC isn’t known for its large and talented design community – but there is a strong force here and I think it has gone rather unnoticed. The DC metro area is comprised of some of the largest brands in the country and there is amazing talent behind each of them. I often hear how hard it is to hire in this area – I’ve always said if you are having trouble hiring, it is probably because people don’t want to work there. It’s not that there isn’t talent in the DC area; it is simply that there are just too many opportunities with too many great companies.
I recently attended the DC Art Directors meeting the other night and was just reminded of how much strong talent there is in my own backyard. As many of you know I am a very active member of the local DC Refresh; another amazing place that highlights the true talent that is working the nation’s capital. I don’t think it is any surprise the Jason Garber has been so successful with Refresh DC – we (the community) just needed someone to realize there was a strong community and put together a venue for us to come together; thanks Jason!
It just seems as though everyone in this industry is working in these small pockets around the world such as London, New York, LA, Boston and Chicago – you almost feel left-out. Sometimes it can feel as though that your geographic location can almost hold you back from aspiring to another level. I mean it just wouldn’t be cost effective to try and have a beer with Jeremy Keith after work.
I will wrap this up as this post is just a late-night rant with some self-promotion from the place I call home, Washington, DC. Don’t under estimate the designers and developers of DC – I am sure you’ve heard of a few of them. Shaun Inman (Mint & sIFR), Thomas Vanderwal (Boxes and Arrows), Kevin Smith (CSS Filters), Alex Giron (CSS Beauty), Kevin Lawver (CSS Working Group), Brandon Hall (Waxpraxis) and Cindy Li (overall industry influencer) to name a few — Oh yeah, Zeldman started in DC as well! It is almost ridiculous to name any names – this post is really about the names you don’t know; the names behind the creativity of some of the worlds largest brands.
If you are having trouble finding talent in DC, you just aren’t being competitive enough. I’ve said it before, you can easily find a job in the area within a few days, everyone is hiring while not everyone is looking – supply and demand is in the talent’s favor. It is a great time to be working in this industry and Washington, D.C. is a great place to be apart of it all. From AOL to the White House everyone is pushing the limits of innovation and creativity.
- January 30th, 2007
- 6comments
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yay you mentioned Kevin :D
I’ve never heard of refreshdc…will check it out :)
Hey, Add to the list as you see fit (don’t mean to exclude anyone or even proclaim this as a “list”).
Definitely check-out Refresh DC, especially if you are in the area — it won’t disappoint!!
i like this article. i’m nearby, but so far away. it’s not uncommon for the psyches of creative people to insist their brains believe that they are outcasts to begin with, lost souls without a home. but geographical disconnection from what is mainstreamly considered to be part of the mainstream of the industry (or any industry) is the kind of real disconnection that cant be solved via therapy or self-medication, which do tend to help overcome the brain problem.
but you’ve connected some dots. no effort in this regard is ever wasted. thank you.
firsty –> you are always commenting and you are so close — come to a Refresh DC meeting; next one is coming up real soon!
but i’m not a media designer per se. i manage some media designers, and i’m not sure how much i’d contribute or gain without the impossible buy-in from my international employer. i’m going to check out the site and see if i have anything to offer. i always love hitting the road for DC. i have friends nearby in VA and my recent trips have been for readings.
Martin you’ve inspired me to think of pushing the creative envelope politically. Since I have no skills of my own to offer, I concocted a half baked challenge which is subject to refining by true creatives who think a Green Screen Challenge may be fun.