“The sessions have been like tiny art galleries.” Han, a Creative Pro at Apple Carnegie Library, summed it up best in a discussion with illustrator Ohni Lisle on April 14. The event was the 19th of 21 virtual sessions held over the past 12 weeks thanks to a partnership between Today at Apple and It’s Nice That. Through those tiny galleries, more than 20 leading artists and a global audience of creatives shared profound ideas for a post-pandemic world.

When COVID-19 put in-store sessions on hold, Today at Apple responded not with defeat, but with an online program that supported artists and connected communities across the world at a deeper level than any one store could accomplish on its own. Through virtual live events, hands-on activities, and immersive online guides, creatives were given a toolkit to emerge from lockdown life inspired to make a difference.

Many of us have spent the past year living a two-dimensional life, where days melt into weeks, milestones lose meaning, and hard-fought skills atrophy under the weight of hopelessness. New World challenged participants to shake off the dust of the past and think about what comes next.

Who do you want to be? Why should your community change? What will make this time different? How can you use your skills to make a positive impact?

The sessions, hosted by Apple’s Creative Pros, It’s Nice That’s Matt Alagiah and Lucy Bourton, and supported by curator Kimberly Drew, left no stone unturned. Each session asked meaningful questions that invited deep introspection. Artist guests shared their stories, struggles, and creative workflows — often working through complex emotions live in front of a global audience. Most importantly, the sessions were positive and inspiring, with art celebrations that always left participants on a high note.

As New World draws to a close, here’s a look at what creatives across the world made. Six participating artists will wrap the series on April 22 in a free panel event.

Each session included a presentation where a guest artist or team shared their process, inspiration, and style. Creative briefs were assigned to viewers and demonstrated live with support from Apple Creative Pros at Apple Stores around the world.

To protect the privacy of attendees, work shared with Apple is deleted after 72 hours. Participants were invited to share their projects on social media with the hashtags #todayatapple and #creativenewworld.

Black History Month and International Women’s Day

New World coincided with Black History Month and International Women’s Day. Special sessions with Tré Seals, Joshua Kissi, and Shan Wallace highlighted the work of Black creators. These sessions were moderated by Kimberly Drew, who addressed Black visibility in art and the need for creativity in supporting renewed racial justice efforts. Participating artists were interviewed for a feature on It’s Nice That.

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For International Women’s Day, It’s Nice That explored how artists are redefining beauty and inclusion. Camila Falquez, Sara Andreasson, and Bethany Mollenkof shared their photography and illustration work in a series of sessions.

Creative Guides

In each session, Creative Pros at Apple Stores from D.C. to Dubai guided attendees through a creative brief. For Apple, the tools of choice are iPads, iPhones, and the Procreate app, but viewers were always encouraged to use the best tools available: the ones you have with you. Art from participants often included pieces drawn with pencil and paper or work that incorporated external resources.

Lovely talk with @vocaltypeco on his journey and design practice last night. Here’s to preserving culture through type! @itsnicethat #CreativeNewWorld #TodayAtApple pic.twitter.com/k29ariIATi

— Wing (@wingyueso) February 5, 2021

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Nowhere were creatives encouraged to take their skills further more than in a series of five creative guides published on It’s Nice That. Camila Falquez, WWWesh Studio, Ohni Lisle, Studio Nari, and Kris Andrew Small collaborated with Apple Creative Pros to build immersive resource packs that detail a creative project from start to finish. Many of the guides include downloadable assets and tips for adding an extra level of polish to your work. You can spend an hour or a day with any of the guides — there’s no wrong way to use them.

A Moving Map For Our New World

One of the most collaborative sessions in New World was hosted on February 18 with Rotterdam-based motion agency Studio Dumbar. With permission, the Studio Dumbar team collected motion graphic animations created during the session to build an interactive world map. Each tile on the map represents both a landform — sand, concrete, forest, or mountains — and the work of an attendee.

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You can view the completed map on Studio Dumbar’s website from a Mac, and navigate using W-A-S-D or your arrow keys.

Explore more work shared from New World.

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Think of this as the beginning of something new, not the end of a series. The work above represents aspirations, plans, and the promise of a better future. A new wave of artists is ready to emerge from a time of suffering to reimagine our world.

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Had fun creating this simple animation with @D_V_T_K. Thank you for the amazing session! @itsnicethat #CreativeNewWorld #TodayAtApple pic.twitter.com/hGrcKBdphg

— Wing (@wingyueso) April 20, 2021

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For more inspiration, visit #creativenewworld on Instagram or check out the Instagram guide I’ve compiled.

If you attend a great Today at Apple session, share your experience with me. Follow along on Twitter for daily Apple Store news.