Who runs the People's Graphic Design Archive and how can I get involved?

The People's Graphic Design Archive is a community-built virtual design archive rather than an institution run by a single organization or editorial board. Its own description states it is "built by everyone about everyone for everyone," and the site's navigation reflects that open, participatory model: alongside browsing the collections, visitors are invited to Get involved, Add to Archive, Contact the project, follow it on Instagram, and Donate. If you want to participate, the two main paths are contributing items to the archive and reaching the project through its contact or social channels.

What kind of project is it?

The archive presents itself as a virtual design archive. The framing "by everyone, about everyone, for everyone" signals that contributions are not restricted to a formal curatorial team — the collection grows through community submissions. The site also maintains About, Blog, Resources, Events, Press, Newsletter, Legal & Privacy, and Contact pages, which is the typical structure of a volunteer- or community-run digital project rather than a commercial product.

The presence of a Donate link and a Legal & Privacy page indicates the project accepts financial support and operates with published terms, but the available information does not specify a parent organization, a registered nonprofit status, or a named director. Treat the archive as a community project unless its About page states otherwise.

How to get involved

Contribute an item

The site provides an Add to Archive entry point. Based on the collection shown on the homepage, submitted items are catalogued with a title, a category (for example Poster, Magazine, Book, Album Art, Video Game, Packaging, Newspaper, Logotype, Signage, Catalog, Product, Article, Advertising), a view count, and one or more credited names. Examples from the archive include:

If you add an item, expect to supply at least a title, a category, and the people or organizations behind the work, since that is the metadata pattern visible across existing entries.

Contact the project

Use the Contact page for direct questions, corrections, or partnership inquiries. The site also links to Instagram, which is often the fastest channel for a community-run archive.

Follow updates

The Blog, Events, Press, and Newsletter pages are the places to watch for announcements, calls for contributions, and coverage. Subscribing to the newsletter is the lowest-effort way to stay informed without contributing immediately.

Support the project

A Donate link is present in the site navigation. The available information does not state what donations fund, whether they are tax-deductible, or what payment methods are accepted, so check the Donate page itself before giving.

Practical notes

• No account requirement is stated for browsing. The homepage shows items with view counts and contributor names, so reading the archive appears open.
• Contribution workflow details are not documented here. The exact fields, review process, and rights terms for submitted work would need to be confirmed on the Add to Archive and Legal & Privacy pages.
• The archive mixes eras and regions. Entries range from a 1925 Gebrauchsgraphik issue to contemporary video games and street murals, so it is not limited to one national tradition or period.

If your goal is simply to explore, start with the collections and use the sort options (Contribution Date, Item Date, Most Discussed, Most Viewed). If your goal is to participate, begin with Get involved or Add to Archive, and use Contact or Instagram if you need a response before submitting.