Why DevelopmentArt?

Many information, extension and teaching materials in developing countries consist almost entirely of text. Lacking even the simplest illustrations, they are difficult for farmers, extension personnel and children to understand and use. They fail to carry their message. They fail to communicate.

How can the pictures be used?

In many ways: in extension manuals for farmers, on posters, in school textbooks, on overhead transparencies, on websites, in training materials. The pictures can be used as is, or they can be adapted--for example, changing a figure's clothes and hairstyle, and adding a mountain in the background, may be enough to "move" a picture from Bangladesh to Bali.

Doesn't a lot of clip art already exist?

Yes, there's a lot available on CD-ROM, the Internet and as printed clip-art books. But... almost all these pictures are of Northern people and situations. Very little is of relevance to developing countries or development topics. A picture of a blonde secretary on a phone is of little use if you're trying to prevent AIDS in Botswana.

Who is DevelopmentArt for?

Anyone interested in development: research and extension agencies, non-government organizations, government departments, charities, community-based organizations, publishers, consultancies, and funding agencies. Their audiences include:

• farmers, rural people and the urban poor in developing countries
• people (mainly middle-class) in both rich and poor countries who support development activities
• schoolchildren, students and teachers in both rich and poor countries
• policy makers, managers and staff of the development organizations listed above.

What does DevelopmentArt want to do?

We're in the early planning stages. Here are some ideas:

• Assess needs for artwork among development organizations.
• Collect and classify artwork already in our collection.
• Collect and classify other artwork already published. Get copyright permission to make this artwork available (ICLARM, IRRI, IIRR and other organizations have already given permission to use large amounts of their artwork).

• Commission new artwork from artists to fill gaps in the collection. This artwork could be drawn in mini-workshops of artists in several countries, each drawing scenes relevant to their own cultures.
• Load a selection of the most useful art onto the Internet.
• Add colour to existing balck-and-white drawings.
• Prepare and publish a series of booklets containing artwork.
• Publish a CD-ROM containing the full collection.

We've made a start on this, but a lot depends on the availability of funding support.

How about the artists?

We've made contacts with a number of talented artists from around the world. To be featured on the website, an artist provides DevelopmentArt with a number of development-related pictures copyright-free. In return, the artist gets free exposure for his or her work. We hope that this leads to more business for the artist, and more use of artwork to support development.

If you want to get in touch with an artist, please do so directly (samples of each artist's work, plus contact information, are on the Artists page). DevelopmentArt does not currently negotiate contracts on behalf of artists or users.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. DevelopmentArt does not charge users for downloading artwork, or artists for featuring their work.

Who is behind DevelopmentArt?

The DevelopmentArt idea came from discussions with artists in Britain, Ghana, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. DevelopmentArt was established in 1999 by Paul Mundy, a freelance development communication specialist based in Germany, in partnership with the artists featured. At present, DevelopmentArt is a part-time, unfunded, volunteer effort.