The NBA and Microsoft announced a groundbreaking multi-year partnership on Wednesday.
The partnership, which begins this year, will be led by the design-focused program, NBA Creators presented by Microsoft .
The social impact program will aim to highlight the most diverse Canadian artists and provide the opportunity for their work to be seen on a national level.
The 2021 Play-In Tournament will offer fans their first chance to see the work of Canada's most talented BIPOC artists. The tournament will air exclusively on TSN.
A diverse group of illustrators, graphic designers and multi-disciplinary designers will also be employed to create promotional assets throughout the NBA Playoffs and 2021 NBA Finals. Their work will be seen across the NBA and Microsoft social platforms in Canada. All work will be designed on Microsoft Surface Pro 7's and Surface Studios.
*source: Corbin Portillo/Instagram
The NBA and Microsoft partnership, built on the foundation of diversity and inclusion empowerment in Canada, will also create and implement new campaigns and design-focused programs with the common goal to create positive social change and develop a more equitable world. They'll be a digital hub that will feature tutorials, galleries and more to showcase the wealth of BIPOC artists and designers the country has to offer.
CREATORS BIOS:
Cornelia Li
Cornelia’s website | instagram.com/cornelia_illo
Cornelia Li is a Chinese-born illustrator currently based in Toronto. She is intrigued by narrative weaved into daily interaction between people and their surroundings and set out to capture the relationship by externalizing the ideas and emotions into elements in her images. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, The AOI, 3x3 Illustration, National Magazine Award, and more.
Rafael Mayani
Rafael’s website | instagram.com/rmayani
Rafael Mayani is a Mexican artist based in Vancouver. By day he's an Associate Creative Director at Giant Ant. By night, a freelance illustrator working with some of the most exciting brands out there (mostly after his son Rio goes to bed). He got his start studying Industrial Design at UNAM in Mexico City, quickly pivoting on to a Visual Arts course at Atelier Design School in Barcelona, after which he began a career creating whimsical characters that play with form, scale, colour and perspective. His work can be found in a variety of media, from children’s picture books to various magazines and newspapers. He's Designed murals in Slovenia, Illustrated a new edition of The Jungle Book, Created a Google Doodle and Art Directed the new intro to Pinky and the Brain.
Corbin Portillo
Corbin’s website | instagram.com/blkoutln
Corbs (Corbin Portillo) is a Hamilton-born & raised artist who specializes in digital illustration with 10+ years of experience working with an array of professional brands and athletes. He’s well known for his unique, detailed and colourful surrealism-collage illustrations with a heavy inspiration and influence from his basketball upbringing. Corbin has worked with many notable clients including Adidas, NBA, Toronto Raptors, James Harden and Complex.
Will Selviz
Will’s website | instagram.com/willselviz
Born in Venezuela, raised in Kuwait, Will Selviz emigrated to Canada in 2013, and is an Afro-Caribbean multidisciplinary designer who specializes in immersive media technologies including 3D animation, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 360 video. After graduating from OCAD University's Digital Futures program, Will founded RENDRD Media, a remote 3D animation studio, and RENDRD Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to employ youth from underrepresented communities at the intersection of creative and digital innovation. RENDRD Media’s clients include Nike, Revolt TV, Prada, Bell Media, and Universal Music. Will's early career was heavily influenced by the electronic music scene, being one of the youngest concert photographers in Canada at 19. His distinct visual branding led him to shoot Coachella and EDC Vegas. His work has been featured on major digital and print publications, front covers, and billboards in Times Square and Yonge-Dundas Square.