Vancouver artists decry FIFA World Cup poster contest [Video]

A pitch to B.C. artists to create a poster to represent Vancouver as the host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is facing criticism as an “unethical” request.

“I always recommend to my students not to participate in these types of contests,” said Marga Lopez, who teaches graphic design in Vancouver.

It’s known as “spec work” any many artists believe it’s unethical and takes advantage of creatives.

“You would not ask a lawyer to not pay for your fees and just defend you. We need make sure that they understand that this is labour that this is work and it needs to be compensated.”

Spec work is something the Association of Registered Graphic Designers is firmly against.

“Nobody wants to work for free and usually the folks who can work for free are the folks who can afford to work for free,” said Nicola Hamilton, the president of the …