Overview
The goal of this project was to bring together a group of artists to create a unique collaborative 2026 art calendar. I initiated and led the entire project, managing everything from artist recruitment and design to budgeting, printing, and marketing.
I wanted to do something that supported the local artist community in Seattle, while creating a product that could bring joy to cat lovers everywhere.
Planning
Project Proposal and Recruitment
I started by writing a project proposal document that outlined the vision, finance strategies, timeline, and critical roles. Since cat-themed art is universally loved and tends to perform well online, I chose “Cozy Cats” as our theme.
After that, I recruited five artists who have extensive works on cat-related illustrations and known record for producing high quality full paintings. Each artist illustrated two months for the calendar, allowing their unique styles to shine while still feeling cohesive as a collection.
Timeline
Working backward from ideal launch date to reduce competition
I set October 18 as our pre-order launch date after researching when other cat-themed calendars from popular Instagram artists were releasing. Working backward from that date helped me plan milestones for artwork completion, file formatting, and social media promotion.
Day 1
Shared project proposal with artist candidates for review
Day 2
Recruited all artists and assigned illustration months and additional tasks
Day 7
Finalized printing quotes with local printer
Marketing Phase 1 - Artist Showcase
To build excitement, I created a social media campaign introducing each artist and sharing sneak peeks of their pieces.
Once the artworks were finished, I formatted all calendar pages in Figma, and created mockups in Photoshop for social media teasers.
To make the campaign feel cohesive and engaging, I designed a progressive artist reveal leading up to launch day. I started with a cover post that teased all six contributors, then revealed one artist each day to build anticipation and encourage followers to return daily for the next reveal.
Marketing Phase 2 - Launch
Once samples arrived, I shot product photos and edited reels in Premiere Pro to showcase the finished calendar.
I coordinated with local printers to collect quotes and samples, comparing options to balance quality and cost for a small production run.
Marketing Phase 3 - Ongoing Promotion & Next Steps
The project is currently in its pre-order phase, running until mid-November.
I’ve been monitoring website analytics using Google Analytics to track shop traffic, conversion rates, and identify which social media posts drive the most engagement.
I’m also coordinating with the team to schedule content and reels across social media platforms to maintain excitement throughout the pre-order period.
Once pre-orders close, I’ll finalize the production order with our manufacturer, oversee quality checks, and coordinate packaging and shipping to customers.
My reflection
This is the first time I created a calendar or led a physical product launch. I gained a lot of hands-on experience in project management, budgeting, and marketing strategy. I learned how to make practical decisions to balance product quality with profit margin, and to act quickly when issues arise.
Overall, it was extremely fulfilling to create something with a tight-knitted community. Leading Cozy Cats Calendar definitely helped me strengthen my creative direction skills, and seeing all six artists’ work come together in one beautiful product made all the effort worth it.
