As the Russian invasion creates ongoing and devastating crisis in Ukraine, many find themselves in states of uncertainty and terror. As UK and EU based creatives, here are some ways we can help.
Donate
Here are some organisations you can donate money to.
- People in Need is providing humanitarian aid to over 200,000 people on the ground. For those most in need, they provide food packages, emergency shelter, safe access to drinking water, hygiene items, and coal for heating. Donate here.
- The Ukrainian Red Cross does loads of humanitarian work, from aiding refugees to training doctors. Donate here.
- The International Medical Corps is on the front lines and prepared to help citizens with emergency health care services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. The agency is also keeping the pandemic top of mind throughout the crisis by prioritising COVID-19 awareness and prevention services, to help keep displaced citizens safe from the pandemic. Donate here.
Sell your art and donate the funds
If you’re able to make profit from your art, whether that’s via Instagram clothing sales or NFTs, it’s worth donating at least a percentage of that money to supporting the crisis.
Post on social media – spread awareness and add links
Staying informed is important and if you have the platform to help other people stay informed that can reach even more people. From BBC links to tweet threads from AOC, spread the word by resharing valid information.
#ukraine
Attend a peaceful protest
Brighton, United Kingdom
Brighton Palace Pier
March 3rd at 5pm
A peaceful march involving lighting candles in a beautiful show of unity and respect to the victims of Russians aggression and to the people fighting back.
Liverpool UK, England
l8 7QE
March 4th at 10am
Keep updated with any London protests happening on Facebook, Google, and standwithukraine.live website.
Sign a petition
Support for migrants of colour
Migrants of colour are being asked to wait far longer than white Ukranians to get through the border.
Grace Kass, a 24 year old makeup artist from Democratic Republic of Congo, has lived in Ukraine since she was a student. Kass reported to TIME magazine that when she reached Lviv in Ukraine’s west near Poland, joining the heaving crowds desperately trying to board trains for safety, she encountered hostility from the Ukrainian military, who were dividing people into two groups: those who were white, and those who were not.
In terms of how you can help, there are a couple of GoFundMe pages looking to financially support migrants of colour in fleeing Ukraine and getting the help they need:
Help Afro-Caribbean students leaving Ukraine
Support vulnerable Black people in Ukraine
If you have the power to employ people, reach out to Ukrainian workers
Some UK businesses have offered support, like chef Damian Wawrzyniak, who wrote on Twitter that he would pay for work visas and flights of two Ukrainian chefs looking for work in Britain.
If you run an agency, take a leaf out of D&AD’s book
Design agency D&AD is donating money to Ukraine via two mediums. Firstly, all the money the agency receives from Russian entries into D&AD Awards 2022 will be paid as a donation to the Art Directors Club of Ukraine for them to implement as they feel will be best utilised locally. The agency is still accepting entries from the Russian creative community, provided they meet the eligibility criteria as stated in their Terms and Conditions, the entries received to date and future entries submitted by the final deadline will be accepted and judged with the rigour and integrity D&AD Awards are known for.
Secondly, all money received by Ukrainian companies for entries into D&AD Awards 2022 will be refunded back to the entrants. Those entries received to date will remain in D&AD Awards 2022 free of charge.
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We love you Ukraine!
