License: Creative Commons BY-NC

“We’re Better Together” Stickers

Objective:

The European Citizen’s Initiative calls on the European Commission to make anti-pandemic vaccines and treatments a global public good, freely accessible to everyone. As the initiative needs 1 million signatures to be brought to the European Commission, it is important to appeal to the general public and get as many people to sign on as possible. We wanted to create a simple, but engaging sticker that would catch people’s attention in public spaces to persuade them to sign onto the petition.

The Project:

Our stickers follow the principle of Valentine’s Day cards, they show two vaccines that want to be together and provide a QR code to get them closer. The QR code redirects to the website of the Right2Cure European Citizen’s Initiative. We distributed these stickers all around European cities to get people to sign the petition.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Print it and stick it.

Make it specific to your community.

What worked?

The stickers are very cute and follow the color scheme of the Free the Vaccine campaign – that can help to get people’s attention.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Katharina Wolfenstetter

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

The idea started out when were brainstorming impossible ideas. Someone said that we should force politicians to have hearts. That evolved into sending them hearts. That then evolved into sending them some kind of Valentine’s Day card. But as we wanted to reach as many people as possible to sign onto the petition, we decided to go with stickers that follow the idea of a Valentine’s Day card, which could be distributed all around cities with the QR code of the petition on there.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

Plaster every city in Europe with our stickers and hand them out to students for free – because students always like free stickers, especially when they are cute! 🙂

About this project
Creators:
  • Katharina Wolfenstetter
  • Ludovico Caminati
  • Johanna Twittenhoff
  • Alessia Gonfroid
  • Julia Billian
  • Sophie Tragert
  • Max Wielenga
  • Elise Potthoff
  • Samira Shair
  • Maanasa Gurram

April, 2021

Image/graphic, Print

Germany, Munich

1098 × 1217 pixels

Creative Commons BY-NC

Link to Original or High-Res file

Bracelet free the vaccine / Manillas al estilo “Free the Vaccine”

Objective:

The bracelet was used as a tactic to reach our targets when we interviewed them, especially in Colombia

The Project:

The bracelet was made by using thread, bead necklace and a needle with the loom technique. It reads the “Free the vaccine” legend with its institutional colours. Many members of the team have made them to reach the targets as a tactic .

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make one!

What worked?

It was an initiative that motivated some members of our blue-feet group to acquire new skills and to implement this initiative as a creative strategy to get closer to the targets through art.

About this project
Creators:
  • Jeimmy Katherine RamĂ­rez BermĂşdez
  • Nelly Esperanza Agreda
  • Laboratorio Blue-Feet Segunda temporada Free the Vaccine

November, 2020

Fabric

Colombia, Bogota

25×3 cmx 0,5 cm

Creative Commons BY-NC

Other Notes:

Taking into account the identity created through the FTV colours and logo, we have reinforced it by creating a sense of belonging in the making of this bracelet. Moreover, this initiative can be replicated and done it by any member of this campaign. Feel free to imitate this tactic! (SPOILER ALERT: You will be training your patience, and your craftivism :P)

The design or layout of the bracelet was elaborated by Nelly Esperanza Agreda. Also, she taught the technique “beaded loom bracelet” to two blue feet members in order to start working on the bracelets needed to reach the targets.

    An original object can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Reflections from Jeimmy Katherine RamĂ­rez BermĂşdez

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

I wanted to learn how to create this type of bracelet since I was young, and the campaign gave me the opportunity to consider this idea and make it true. I think that the most beautiful part was the process of making the bracelet: getting the materials, being taught how to create it by a teammate and then, getting down to work. During the process, I felt like “a child with a new toy” in Christmas, I love doing these kinds of activities. I really felt a sense of fulfillment having learned something new that I could use in any field of my life.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

I would like to set up a workshop/ Factory to create different products made by using bead necklace that would be related to the campaign. Bracelets, pendants, earrings with the bird shape, etc.… so many people around the world could get handcrafted objects of the campaign, especially all the members of FTV from all the seasons and every target that labs would try to reach out, among others.

PAID!

A social media post to show your tax dollars have already paid to create COVID related medicines and vaccines, why pay again?

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

Print it and post it.

Build a mail campaign around it.

Objective:

To make people aware that their tax dollars were used for COVID related research. The tax day dates were used on the ‘bill’ to reflect when we have paid.

About this project
Creators:
  • Stacy Early

July, 2020

Image/graphic

United States, Memphis

Facebook Post size

Creative Commons BY-NC

Download Original/High-Resolution File: PAID.png



What worked?

I think that it’s direct in saying by paying for something with our taxes we shouldn’t have to pay an inflated price for the finished product later. And that since we all pay taxes, we all should have access to the medicines and vaccines.

Other Notes:

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Stacy Early

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

Hearing from the Free the Vaccine leadership group that our tax dollars are paying for COVID related research, then having our tax day delated due to COVID was the inspiration for this.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

It would be fun to send this to every person that paid taxes as a type of voucher for them to send to the big pharma companies to claim their ‘free’ vaccine.

A Covid-19 Vaccine Won’t Save The World.

Objective:

This images were the result of dynamic feedback from the DogOwl Lab, and combining of messages as well as the imagery of the globe, to create a new poster series for the public space.

The Project:

Various (three) panoramic, striking pictures of the globe taken from space, with the message in front in two parts:
“A COVID-19 Vaccine Won’t Save the World.” And then,
“Only A Free One Can Do That.”

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Print it and post it.

Design it differently.

What worked?

The image was reused and adapted in several other contexts.

About this project
Creators:

July, 2020

Image/graphic

United Kingdom, Cambridge

A3 size

Creative Commons BY-NC

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:

NB — this work can be reproduced on site by printing on any material that seems appropriate to the curator!

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Links:

  • N/A

Reflections from Sofia Weiss Goitiandia

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

The DogOwl Lab was super helpful. We kind of got on a role with combining messages and different imagery. These images were borne out of that.

Global Solution

Objective:

To call attention to a problem this large cannot be solved in a vacuum or by one university alone.

The Project:

Twitter graphic, or could be a sticker for a call for a global solution to the pandemic.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Print it and post it.

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

What worked?

Ideally the image would lead people to go to the website and find out more and sign the Open Covid Pledge.

About this project
Creators:
  • Stacy Early
  • The Dog Owl Squad
  • Laura Holzman

July, 2020

Image/graphic, Online/web thing, Print

United States, Memphis

Twitter size

Creative Commons BY-NC

Other Notes:

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Stacy Early

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

Because I am not a writer it was great to work with others who could come up with a pithy message and then I could play with it for different uses. There is a poster that contains this message with a longer explanation so this, a twitter graphic, and the poster can be used simoultaneously for greater impact.

Monopolies on Meds

Description:

Image that could be for a Facebook post or a sticker.

Objective:

A pithy message that will hopefully direct people to the site or to ask what it’s about.

About this project
Creators:
  • Dog Owls – Laura Holzman (others for the poster/wording?), Stacy Early

July, 2020

Image/graphic, Online/web thing, Print

United States, Memphis

Facebook Post size

Creative Commons BY-NC

Download Original/High-Resolution File:

What worked?

This got the likes on Facebook, however don’t know if anyone went to the FTV site to find out more.

Other Notes:

Reflections from Stacy Early

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

Because I am not a writer it was great to work with others who could come up with a pithy message and then I could play with it for different uses. There is a poster that contains this message with a longer explanation so this, a twitter graphic, and the poster can be used simoultaneously for greater impact.

Interpretive Statement

User Instructions

Print it and stick it!

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

A Bad Match

Description:

This poster references Tinder by using the word “match,” a flame symbol similar to the Tinder logo, and a pink/orange gradient similar to the Tinder colors.

Objective:

The objective is to get students to question the role of patents in the pandemic and to ask their university to sign the Open COVID Pledge.

About this project
Creators:
  • Navya Dasari

June, 2020

Image/graphic

United States, Phoenix

1728 x 2304 pixels

Creative Commons BY-NC

Download Original/High-Resolution File: PatentsandPandemicsRevised.png

What worked?

People familiar with Tinder were immediately able to get the reference and found it amusing! Hopefully, this means it can effectively catch students’ eyes on a university campus.

Other Notes:

Reflections from Navya Dasari

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

I created a draft, modified it using the feedback of other Free The Vaccine participants, and then submitted it for review by Avram Finkelstein. Using Avram’s feedback, I then revised the poster again. I also added a QR code created by Fiona Davey.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

If I had unlimited resources, I could imagine having giant posters installed all over university campuses. (We could modify the ask as needed, but continue using the concept of patents and public health/pandemics/coronavirus being a “bad match,” and continue using the pink/orange color scheme and flame symbol.)

Interpretive Statement

User Instructions

Print it and post it.

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

Freedom. It’s Worth A Shot.

Objective:

The aim was to create a simple and effective poster, conveying a clear message. We hoped that this poster would be eye-catching, and easy to make physical — and hence share in the public space, as well as on social media.

The Project:

A poster inspired by Avram Finkelstein. A hand holds a vaccine, ready to be used, on a plain background. The title reads “Freedom. It’s Worth A Shot.” The rejoinder reads: “A free COVID-19 vaccine is the only way to keep everyone safe.
#Freethevaccine.”

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Print it and post it.

Redesign it for social media.

What worked?

It’s a ready-to-use image that can be shared widely.

About this project
Creators:

June, 2020

Image/graphic

United Kingdom, Cambridge

A3

Creative Commons BY-NC

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:

NB — the work can be reproduced on site by printing on any appropriate material.

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Links:

Reflections from Sofia Weiss Goitiandia

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

I would just create non-stop! If had all the time and skills, I would want to make art, to design, to create physical installations that are smart and effective. I would create a network of people all around the world creating with me, to take up the public space with the messages of social justice and access to medicines.

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

Make many, many draft images! Move things 1mm each time. Really create as much as you can. You get on a roll and the images just start to pull themselves together. Then, don’t be too much of a perfectionist. When you have a first draft, ask someone who knows for feedback.

Barrel of Vaccines Game Prototype

Objective:

The hopeful objective would be to show how just one university (or person at a university) cannot do this alone. It takes everyone to work together to solve a global problem. By sending this to the university they can see this in a fun and engaging way that will hopefully start a conversation about signing on to the Open Covid Pledge.

The Project:

A game similar to A Barrel of Monkeys.
The game pieces are the logos of different universities that alone will not reach to free the vaccine from the ‘barrel’.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make one.

Workshop it with friends and revise!

What worked?

I think a surprising element of this is the nostalgia of the game for some people, and hopefully just bring a smile to their face and know this is a serious issue but it can be discussed with an open mind.

About this project
Creators:
  • Stacy Early

May, 2020

Installation/Intervention

United States, Memphis

Varies

Creative Commons BY-NC

Other Notes:

Reflections from Stacy Early

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

Creating this and sending to all the universities/people we have talked to so they are all ‘linked’ together would be amazing. Sharing on social media and tagging the universities to play virtually and encouraging others to sign on as them being the missing link to freeing the vaccine.

Why Should CureVac Sign the Open COVID Pledge? An Infographic

Objective:

Getting CureVac to sign the Open COVID Pledge.

The Project:

I sent the infographic to CureVac, a German biotechnology company that works on a COVID-19 vaccine. I additionally sent it to Dietmar Hopp, their main investor. The infographic gives 5 reasons why CureVac should sign the Open COVID Pledge.
Since Dietmar Hopp loves soccer (he is a big supporter of a German soccer team), I added that at the end, basically saying that signing the Open COVID Pledge would get him closer to “normal life” and watching/playing soccer again.
Dietmar Hopp has his own foundation and seems to be quite active with philanthropic actions. After the take over allegations of CureVac by the US he also mentioned that they aim for a fair access to their potential vaccine, which rendered CureVac and Dietmar Hopp as a potential target.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

The graphical presentation of the subject hopefully makes it easier to grasp the problem and is also visually appealing.

About this project
Creators:
  • Katharina Wolfenstetter

April, 2020

Image/graphic

Germany, Berlin

800 × 2000 pixels

Creative Commons BY-NC

Other Notes:

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Katharina Wolfenstetter