This reminds me of those people who seek out photographers to shoot their wedding or whatever and then say "we can't pay you anything but you can use our free shoot to build your portfolio/we'll tell all our friends how great you are!"

Art is not free. Props are not payment.

I really enjoy apartment therapy, and it sounds like you launched this in a really casual (read: maybe not thought-through) way, so I don't think you're trying to do anything wrong here. But that said, I'd really encourage you to take a look at the AIGA's position on spec work, including competitions, here: http://www.aiga.org/position-spec-work/ and reconsider asking for work for free.

@erinwdesign I agree... well said & great link

I agree. In the design profession, our work is already undervalued. On a popular design blog like this (one of my favorites!), to show that design and designers deserve compensation for the work that they provide is a powerful message. Please reconsider.

ditto

I agree with the comments about not working for free. However, this could be a fun project for a design student or someone who likes to design as a hobby. It doesn't have to be someone giving their professional work for free. Everyone is quick to throw in their opinion for "good questions" on how to decorate, paint, DIY etc for free but do we ever consider that we could be taking work away form professional interior decorators? If you are a professional graphic designer that wouldn't do this because it's working for free then this post wasn't for you. That's all. Be nice to Maxwell. He's trying to make it work. :)

Thanks Hidden.treasure!

Folks, I hear you and I have to say you bring up a good issue, but one that I hope we can get around happily. While we can't pay for spec work, we can pay for any design we choose (not an issue), and this is NOT like photographing someone's wedding! Or it needn't be. Creativity is a must, but the job is not big, a lot of time is not necessary and the pay off very reasonable for the right person.

So, take a look at the changes I made above about paying your fair price for the winning design and asking anyone who is uncomfortable to PLEASE not feel compelled in any way to do this. I am particularly open to amateurs or whoever would like to try their hand - just as I have done for the past few years. I am by NO means a good graphic designer, but I liked what I came up with.

Best, M

Hidden.treasure: No one was not nice to Maxwell, not even remotely rude. Constructive criticism is a perfectly acceptable form of communication (and usually free!).

As a design professional, I would like to echo the other comments and strongly DISCOURAGE people from participating in this.

And why , exactly, would a *design professional* be hanging out here, if it's found offensive?

I am a profession designer and I have learned a lot from Apartment Therapy so I have no problem with submitting a draft! Any other situation theres no way I'd participate in something like this! Good luck to everyone!

would you ask a dozen chefs to fix you dinner (or even dessert) then only pay for the one you found the most appetizing?

how about having people submit portfolios of past work (URLs) and then select the person best suited for the job and pay them accordingly?

... or -- per your editors -- would you ask a dozen folks to submit a post (for your for-profit site) and only pay for the one you liked the best?

another way to approach it, maxwell, would be to do the work yourself and solicit feedback via the site and make changes accordingly. this would be par for the course for the design discourse already happening here on AT and not infringe upon professional ethics.

you people are taking things way too seriously, have a little fun. I don't understand why professional graphic designers would be offended by this contest, I'm a fashion designer, does that mean I should be offended by those contest joann's hold for teenagers making their prom dresses? no, this is obviously targeted towards amateurs, grow up people.

Maxwell said:

"- This is particularly geared to amateurs!"

AMATEURS.

NOT Pros.

discerning, you make a great point. I'll head elsewhere, so that the people asking for freebies won't profit from my pageviews anymore.

Why would an amateur designer want a link to their page? Sounds like they might be a professional if they have a website/ portfolio site.

it takes far longer to try & rework a bad design than come up with something completely new.
a few minutes???
really?

if it takes a few minutes, then that's what will reflect.

Agreed. Pros---it's very simple to NOT participate. Students? Hobbyists? Armchair designers? Throw in! Professionals, consider taking your complaints to an institutional outlet like Talenthouse.

I was going to post the same link, thanks.

Do you ever read the branding blog Under Consideration? If you want to see some passionate comments about design contests, find anything on that site that came from a contest. It gets pretty heated!

oh wow.
who know this would create such tension. if you don't like it, don't enter. it's as simple as that. you don't have to be a design pro to have a blog/website. this is a great opportunity for someone who loves designing, but hasn't reached their goal as a designer yet. that said, best of luck everyone!

Meant to add.... it is a little uncomfortable for an amateur to ask for whatever they think a good price for their work is. How do we know what to charge? Could you suggest a $ amount instead?

A fun contest! Also the rewarded design will be paid for "We'll pay for the winning design and link to the creator on every post in credit for the image, which should be a very nice shout out."

I say this in all sincerity, for anyone considering submitting a design... the exposure you will get from being published on this site..will pay you back tenfold. I've been a part of the team for two years and the exposure is incredible. xxoo

Hahaha! Love all the posts! I love apartment therapy because I am spending the "final third" (hopefully!) of my life in a rented studio. I am trying to make the best of it, and look to AT for inspiration, but it gets hard when so many of the ideas and tours are from home OWNERS, not RENTERS, who have more discretion over what they can or can't do with their abodes. It's a whole lot like the discussion here between pro's and amateurs! It is, in fact, an entirely different ball game when you own vs rent, and I am hoping AT will consider giving a lot more time to effective rental strategies!

I entered; amateur status, don't expect it to get picked (but had fun with it) & so not worried about compensation.

As I can barely describe myself as even an amateur, this contest sounds fun! But getting on what others said, I haven't a clue what I would put in the "compensation" part of the entry. $5? $1000? Much like rmbnn, though, it doesn't matter to me.

Why is everyone so cranky? (1) No one is asking professional designers to give away their work for free and (2) it's not as if AT is having a contest to avoid employing a professional designer--if he weren't having the contest, Maxwell would be drawing the logo as he has done for the past four years. Although I understand how upsetting it is to be expected to give away work for free (see unpaid internships!!), this is an informal online contest to allow fans of the blog to participate in it. Let the amateurs have their day!

I am a designer and I respectfully object to this and all such contests for the same ethical and practical reasons mentioned. For those who just don't get it, I will try to clarify why running a contest is considered an inappropriate way to obtain creative output.

First and foremost, it's unfair to the creators, whether they be pro or amateur, because the intent is to obtain the value of focusing many creative minds on your project while paying only a token fee. The fact that the value received lies in the ability to reject virtually all of the creative energy expended on your behalf, while paying nothing for it, marginalizes the value of artists and creativity. The fact that a distinction is drawn between amateurs and professionals, or that submission is voluntary, does not change the principle: it is a scheme to obtain value without compensation. Everyone wants to feel like they are good and ethical, but it often requires additional effort and insight to view ethical issues from multiple perspectives when one has a vested interest in seeing it from only one.

Secondly, and tangental to the previous point, there is a bidding process going on: people are being asked to state the fee they would like to receive should their entry be chosen. Amateurs in particular will have no idea of the concept of usage, or how to valuate a submission. This positions the end user to take advantage of their naivete' and perhaps obtain very high value for a very small fee, consideration notwithstanding that even fair value for one solution is but a token for the value actually received.

This is sort of like buying a five dollar lotto ticket with the understanding that if you win you'll get your five dollars back.

are you trolling? because if you're not you're just pure ridiculous, object to contests? really? you think art would be what it is today if they didn't hold public competitions in during the renaissance? especially in florence it was a way for artists to have a reason to reinvent and learn how to improve their craft.

I have read all of the comments and I really appreciate the conversation on the creative industry.

What I found disturbing is that contestants have to name their price BEFORE they get picked. Why is this disturbing? Because contestants who want to increase their likelihood of being chosen will make their price lower than what they think they really deserve. AT will get creative work that is underpriced. AT should change it to a set reward. The "name your price" thing is sketchy.

I agree with the person that mentioned the unpaid internship analogy. I'm tired of employers taking advantage of the inexperienced. We cannot enable the abuse by signing up for it. A lot of inexperienced people take unpaid internships with hopes of getting hired (the reward/being chosen).

In response to salparadise: First of all, I appreciate your input as a designer. As a budding interior designer, it is very tempting to accept unpaid work to increase my employability. Would you disagree with the notion that creative contests are a good way for amateurs to be recognized?

In response to iporter: There is a difference between design and art. Design is problem-specific. If a logo design is not chosen, it cannot be simply reused. Are there any other "The Homies 2013" looking for a logo redesign? A piece of artwork, if not bought by one client, can be bought by another. Also, a past practice should not necessarily be replicated in the present.

When a service is given away, it potentially can diminish the value of the profession from which it comes.

@lamiodesign

If you're entering previously completed client work then it's similar to the distinction made between a fine art painting vs. custom design. If the contest or publication is a prestigious one, and you win or are accepted for publication, then it can be valuable. However if it's an obscure contest and/or being conducted for the purpose of acquiring rights to a body of free work to fill pages in a for-profit publication then it's probably of little or no value. There will often be entry fees as well. You have to access the potential value to you in light of fees and true reason the contest is being held. My advice would be to only participate in contests sponsored by prestigious national trade publications and organizations.

Regarding working for free, the same guideline applies. If it's a prestigious project and everything about the engagement is purely on a professional level, it might be beneficial to you. However, when prospective clients tell you that the have no budget for this project and if you'll just do this one for free they'll consider you for future paid projects, don't believe them. When they have a real budget they will be looking to hire an established professional. The problem is that unlike tangible products, creative output is based on perception and even when a reference exists it is often seen as completely negotiable. If the artist is insecure due to not having a lot of experience the tendency is to use that to acquire your talent far below the reference or market value for similar work. Creative professionals spend the early part of their careers trying to build the perceived value of their work and talent. The way you do that is by being professional and charging like a professional. If you work for free or a greatly reduced fee, then that is the perceived value of your work in that client's mind and it will be virtually impossible to change it regardless of increasing the quality and professionalism or your business. People will only respect those who respect themselves, and that is especially true in the creative professions. Always be willing to walk away from a bad deal. That's the only way you will ever gain respect and command appropriate compensation in your profession.