EPIC launched in 2009 with our signature program: EPIC Creative Rallies. How do they work? We pair teams of creative professionals with nonprofit clients that need their talent and strategic skills. During eight-week rallies held throughout the year, EPIC’s volunteer professionals—top-flight people drawn from different companies (freelancers, too) across Chicago—produce strategic, probono campaigns for their NPO clients. Led by a creative director or principal designer, teams meet once weekly in a formal way, then work separately as needed through the week. At the end of the rally, we throw a party to celebrate and showcase the work.

EPIC is poised to roll out new programs in the years to come, all centered on furthering our mission: To empower creative people to make social change happen. A few programs we’re developing:

EPIC Agency
A turnkey corporate social responsibility program in which EPIC brings the creative rally model into advertising, design and communications firms. In this program, which runs off sponsorship dollars, we set up agencies with important nonprofits that need probono help. You do the good work; we do the grunt work.

EPIC 20/20
During EPIC 20/20, professionals who have used their creative talents to make social change happen present their work–from projects that encourage growth in the developing world to innovative public health initiatives. And much, much more. This presentation series, delivered to a packed house at a Chicago bar, is one of our most buzzed about events.

EPIC Education
EPIC plans to roll out a series of educational events and workshops that connect the creative community with nonprofits and social change makers. They’ll share relevant, groundbreaking ideas about creativity, nonprofit management and social good—and the intersection between the three.

EPIC Awards
This program will honor “EPIC Places,” or companies in advertising, design or related communications fields that engage their employees in making social change happen in their communities and the world at large.

Help us grow these programs: Would you like to volunteer with EPIC? Sponsor us to sustain EPIC initiatives? We’d love to talk. Just email us and we’ll take it from there.