Coronavirus: online resource guide for home office creatives

As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, several companies worldwide have relocated their employees to work remotely. With some adaptations, the home office can yield positive results for many professionals. However, those working in the creative industry can face many challenges because of this new reality. In this context, some brands have made online resources available and free of charge, to inspire and provide tools appropriate to the work of creatives.

Thinking about it, we curated some unmissable opportunities for those who want to develop their knowledge and skills in design and other related areas during social isolation (and after too!). We list services, content and platforms, which can help you improve your skills and continue to be productive remotely.

Develop your skills with free access to the best workshops

Several content platforms have already provided free access to distance learning courses. In this way, free time at home can be seen as an opportunity to acquire new knowledge. The possibilities are many, so here we bring together the most interesting opportunities for creatives:

• Brandster: is a school of distance and in-person courses, with a focus on brands. The platform decided to release a series of free online classes in the areas of branding, naming and brand design.
• ESPM: the University is conducting Pocket Lives with different topics, ranging from tips to increase productivity in remote work to guidelines for the preparation of a marketing plan. The coolest thing is that you can interact and ask questions with the teachers in live classes and totally free.
• Coursera: the platform has a large number of online courses in partnership with renowned institutions. In the arts area, for example, you can find courses at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), free of charge. Incredible, isn’t it?
• GINEAD: the National Distance Learning Institute is offering a series of free courses on a wide range of topics, including digital photography, web design, time management, among others.
• Centro Paula Souza: about 12 courses were released free of charge. Among them, classes on design & photoshop and design thinking.
• Faber-Castell: the brand is offering free access to all its courses, from basic to advanced levels. There are several options to stimulate your creativity and develop new skills, such as the practice of lettering. 

Find free images in the most renowned collections

With the spread of COVID-19, many brands are producing diverse content on the topic. In this scenario, some image banks made free photographs available to contribute to the work of freelancers and small businesses:

• iStock: the famous image bank is making available about 70 free photographs related to the effects of the pandemic, such as social detachment and remote work.
• Shutterstock: a collection of more than 40 images, with popular themes, is available for free download.
• Freepik: the company is offering 3 months free access to the premium versions of the Freepik and Flaticon platforms for professionals in the areas of health, education and media. To apply for the benefit, simply fill out a form.

Enjoy all the best that online resources have to offer!

To facilitate access to essential tools and inspire creative professionals during this time at home, several other services are offering free permission on their plans. Check out some of them:

• Adobe: Students and teachers can access free Adobe Creative Cloud programs they used to use at their educational institution – such as Photoshop and Illustrator. In addition, Adobe Conect is offering a 90-day free license to facilitate video conferencing of schools, businesses and government agencies.
• Olhar de Cinema: the platform is offering free access to videos of insights, cineclubs and live broadcasts, for 30 days, for those who want to improve themselves in the audiovisual universe.
• Gary Hustwit documentaries: films like Helvetica and Objectified are being shown for free during the pandemic to inspire creatives in times of isolation.

Platforms from different segments are offering free access to content and tools to professionals who are working remotely during the pandemic. For creatives, online resources allow these people to be inspired and improve their skills, in addition to offering the ideal conditions for them to develop their projects at home. Did you like the suggestions? So keep following us here to have access to more tips like these!