April 2026 creative news: queer Black California, pay transparency & AIGA scholarships

The creative industry is pushing back against barriers this month, with freelance pay transparency tools and diversity and inclusion scholarships. Here's the creative news, opportunities and exhibitions worth knowing about.

New exhibition 'Free and Queer' puts Black California at the centre of gay liberation

Long before Stonewall, generations of queer Black Californians contributed to the fight for democracy and free expression. This exhibition is here to right the narrative of the LGBTQ liberation movement, exploring Black-led struggles through print culture, artistic practice and performance styles, alongside grassroots communities and political activism. Expect historical materials, including photographs, film, archival objects, vintage newspapers, and more

Open now.

This student design competition offers a chance to create a permanent George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis

At the spot where George Floyd was murdered, a spontaneous memorial grew. It became a site of vital remembrance of the countless Black lives lost to systemic racism and police violence.

Now, this student design competition is offering the chance to create a permanent memorial for George Floyd. It will be a symbol of support, resistance, and solidarity, marking what became a pivotal moment in history.

The contest will award cash prizes to the top ten student designs, with $1,500 going to the winner.

Apply here by 19 May.

Apply for this year's AIGA Worldstudio DxD Scholarship

At a time when funding for diversity and inclusion programs is being dramatically cut, the AIGA Worldstudio scholarship remains steadfast. Since 1995, it's been ensuring that financial barriers don't determine who gets to shape the future of design, addressing the lack of diversity in the creative industries.

Scholarships are awarded to enrolled students who can demonstrate a commitment to positive social change, environmental responsibility and cultural awareness through the practice of visual communication, including photography, illustration or graphic design. High school seniors entering college in Fall 2026 are also eligible to apply.

Apply here by April 22.

What do New Yorkers earn? New York Magazine asks 60 residents what they brought in last year.

The last time New York Magazine surveyed New Yorkers about their paychecks, the math was a bit simpler than it is today. As NY magazine writes, ‘There was no “gig economy,” at least not as we know it today, and coffee shops from Bed-Stuy to the Upper East Side weren’t lousy with model–pickleballer–nanny–actor–producer–DJ–creative directors’. Today, amid a cost-of-living crisis, making money is more complicated – often requiring multiple side jobs and freelance gigs. This survey is here to break down what the city-dwellers are bringing home, with some surprising results.

Read the full article.

How much should you charge for freelance work? Fast Company and AIGA are finding out

Don’t know what to charge for freelance work? With a creative industry in flux, you’re not alone. Fast Company and AIGA are creating a detailed snapshot of the freelance landscape with their new data-driven Design Pricing Transparency Project, so freelance designers can better understand how much they should be charging for their work.

Designers and companies that hire freelancers can take part in the survey here. The results will be free for anyone who takes part.