Minted Celebrates Fifth Annual Independent Artist Day, Championing the Role of Human Creativity in an AI-Driven World

The global initiative spotlights independent artists while demonstrating how technology and human creativity work together to shape the future of design

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Minted, the omnichannel premium design brand known for its community-powered approach to stationery, art and home decor, announces the return of its fifth annual Independent Artist Day™, taking place on April 3. The global initiative celebrates the role of human creativity at a time when rapid technological advancements are reshaping how content is created and discovered.

Founded in 2022, Independent Artist Day honors the artists behind the designs that mark life’s most meaningful moments, from weddings and holidays to fine art and everyday creative goods. As advancements in artificial intelligence continue to transform how content is created and discovered, Minted’s 2026 Independent Artist Day campaign centers on a simple but powerful idea: that human creativity remains essential; a theme that underscores the value of lived experience, individuality, and creative expression at a time when technology is transforming how content is produced and consumed.

Minted’s global artist community includes more than 20,000 independent artists from 120 countries, making it one of the highest quality artist marketplaces in the world. Through its unique open design challenges and community-driven crowdsourcing model, Minted enables artists of all backgrounds to submit their original work, receive feedback, and earn income from every purchase of their designs. Since its founding, Minted has reached more than 90 million homes, sold over 500 million holiday cards, and played a role in over one million weddings—demonstrating the scale and impact of independent artists on everyday life and reinforcing the brand’s commitment to creative entrepreneurship and long-term artist success. To date, the platform has driven more than 776,000 artist submissions and over 100 million consumer votes, underscoring the strength of Minted’s community-driven model and its ability to surface and support successful creative talent at scale.

Technology and Human Creativity, Working Together

As a technology-driven marketplace, Minted leverages data, machine learning, voting data and consumer insights to identify emerging trends and curate its merchandise assortment. This approach enables Minted to surface the most relevant high-quality designs from its global community—while ensuring that independent artists remain at the center of the creative process.

Minted’s technology enhances discovery, accelerates feedback loops, and expands economic opportunity for creators worldwide—validating how human creativity and technology can work together to shape the future of design.

“Independent artists bring a perspective shaped by their own lived experiences, curiosity, and creativity, something that makes their work deeply personal and meaningful,” said Melissa Kim, Co-Founder and CEO of Minted. “Independent Artist Day is a celebration of that human craft—the stories, the imperfections, and the unique points of view that truly resonate. While AI is trained to learn from the past, human creativity is what pushes ideas forward. At Minted, we believe technology and human creativity are most powerful together, which is why we continue to invest in tools that help our artists reach more people, grow their businesses, and bring their most authentic work to life.”

A Global Community of Independent Artists

This year’s Independent Artist Day campaign highlights the personal perspectives and creative influences that shape artists’ work—underscoring the idea that great design is rooted in human stories.

Featured artists include:

Maja Cunningham

An architect-turned-fine artist, Cunningham brings a deeply personal lens to her work, drawing from her experience as a child refugee fleeing Yugoslavia. Her creative practice, rooted in tactile processes like printmaking, reflects a belief that art is fundamentally human. Cunningham sees technology as a tool, but not a replacement for the emotional and physical act of creation. “Art will survive,” she says. “I will always go back to the physical act of creating art. I do it for enjoyment and personal growth—both things AI cannot give me.”

Kamala Nahas

A photographer and mixed-media artist, Nahas approaches creativity not as a discipline, but as a mindset shaped by creativity and experimentation. From photographing clouds on her mother’s camera to experimenting with instant film and collage, Nahas’s work is driven by curiosity and a willingness to fail. “Creativity is a way of seeing the world,” she says. “I can create something ugly, and it’s okay. I learn something in the process, and I can apply that to something beautiful later on.”

Sweta Modi

An illustrator and founder of Creo Study based in Mumbai, Modi approaches creativity as both a worldview and practice. After a decade in corporate hospitality, Modi pivoted to pursue design at the Rhode Island School of Design, building a career in stationery, illustration, and beyond. Guided by curiosity and her fearless openness to experimentation, her work reflects a lifelong belief that creativity exists in every corner of the world.

Celebrating Human Creativity in Everyday Moments

Independent Artist Day reflects Minted’s broader mission: to empower independent artists while helping consumers discover meaningful, one-of-a-kind designs for life’s most important moments.

From wedding invitations and holiday cards to original art and home decor, every Minted purchase directly supports an independent artist—reinforcing a model where creativity and commerce go hand in hand.

Discover and shop designs from independent artists featured in this year’s campaign at minted.com/independent-artist-day.

As the creative landscape continues to evolve, Minted remains committed to one core belief: that human creativity is not only enduring—but essential. Learn more at minted.com.

ABOUT MINTED

Minted is an omnichannel premium design goods brand known for weddings, stationery, art, decor and digital content. Minted systematically sources unique and on-trend design content by crowdsourcing thousands of designs per week from more than 20,000 independent artists around the world. Minted empowers independent artists to earn income from every purchase of their design, while Minted handles manufacturing, marketing, customer services, and fulfillment.

Since its founding in 2007, Minted products have reached more than 90 million homes worldwide. Minted also builds traditional retail distribution for its independent artist community, partnering with major retailers and consumer products brands. The company has raised more than $300 million from top-tier investors including Benchmark Capital, T. Rowe Price, Permira, Ridge Ventures, Technology Crossover Ventures, and Norwest Venture Partners. Learn more at minted.com.

Contacts

Press Contact:
Minted

Courtney Grinnell

courtney.grinnell@minted.com