Some creative movements begin with a grand vision.
Others begin with a problem.
For 1000 Drawings, it was a stolen soup kitchen delivery van in Johannesburg.
In 2006, a group of creatives responded in the most creative way they knew how. They gathered 1,000 original artworks, sold them and raised enough money to replace the stolen vehicle.
The idea was simple.
Create something. Give something. Do some good.
Twenty years later, that small act of creativity has grown into one of the world’s largest inner-city art exhibitions for charity, bringing together artists, schools, businesses and ordinary people around a shared belief: even the smallest creative act can make a difference.
Now, as 1000 Drawings celebrates its 20th anniversary, the movement is entering a new chapter.
And it has a new character leading the way.
Meet iji.
From 1,000 Drawings To More Than 10,000
The 20th anniversary campaign is setting an ambitious target.
1000 Drawings is calling on South Africa to create more than 10,000 original A5 artworks.
You do not need to be a professional artist.
You do not even need to consider yourself an artist.
A doodle counts.
So does a sketch, painting or detailed illustration.
The only requirement is simple: the artwork must be A5 in size.
That simplicity is part of what has made 1000 Drawings so accessible.
The movement is built around participation, not perfection.
As founder Kelly McGillivray explains:
“This initiative has never just been about art. It’s about people coming together to create something meaningful – creativity to do good.”
For McGillivray, the cause has always extended beyond a single campaign or moment.
It is about community, generosity and hope.
Johannesburg Is Still Home
The idea may have travelled far beyond South Africa, but Johannesburg remains at the heart of the movement.
Over the years, the 1000 Drawings concept has reached cities including Los Angeles, Esbjerg, Copenhagen, Daejeon, Rome, Tuscany, Amsterdam, Berlin, Freiburg, Munich, StuUioart, Uio, Fulda, Sacramento and Dubai, among others.
Yet its roots remain firmly planted in Johannesburg.
In 2026, the city will once again become the stage for what promises to be one of the initiative’s most ambitious editions.
This time, thousands of individual creative contributions will come together under one anniversary campaign.
And watching over it all will be iji.
Meet iji
The 20th anniversary brings with it a refreshed identity, a new website, new energy and a new symbol for creativity, community and collective impact.
Its name is iji.
But iji is more than a mascot.
The character represents the spirit of 1000 Drawings and is designed to grow and evolve alongside the campaign.
Every donated doodle, every creative session and every person who participates symbolically powers iji.
Its design carries another layer of meaning.
Visually inspired by the “000” in 1000, iji has three eyes.
Each one tells a different part of the 1000 Drawings story.
The First Eye: The Past
The first eye looks backwards.
It honours every drawing contributed and every person who has helped build 1000 Drawings during the past two decades.
It represents where the movement came from.
The Second Eye: The Present
The second eye looks at what is happening now.
It watches over the creativity unfolding across Johannesburg as the 20th anniversary campaign gathers momentum.
The Third Eye: The Future
The third eye looks ahead.
It represents the children, charities and communities that will benefit from the movement in the years to come.
Together, the three eyes connect the history of 1000 Drawings with its present and its future.
There is also a deeper symbol within iji itself.
The two “i”s support the “j”, representing the way members of a community support one another.
And despite its giant appearance, iji is not a creature of destruction.
It is something entirely different.
“iji is a giant of creation,” says McGillivray.
A Giant Leaving Trails Of Creativity
As the campaign develops, iji will begin appearing throughout Johannesburg.
Posters.
Installations.
Digital campaigns.
And vibrant trails of colour.
Those trails represent the creativity and impact generated by the community.
Interactive elements will also form part of the campaign, including QR codes connected to participation and donation platforms.
The idea is to make joining the movement easier.
And there is a simple message behind it all:
The more you give, the more creativity and impact you create.
Everyone Can Make A Drawing
The 10,000-artwork target may sound enormous.
But the invitation is remarkably small.
Pick up something to draw with.
Then create.
1000 Drawings is calling on schools, businesses, tattoo parlours, design colleges, restaurants, community groups and individuals across Johannesburg to host doodle sessions.
These informal creative gatherings will give people a chance to make artwork specifically to donate to the campaign.
Doodle boxes will also be placed in coffee shops, studios and public spaces around the city.
That means creativity does not have to happen inside a traditional art studio.
It can happen almost anywhere.
And there is no requirement for artistic experience.
As the campaign puts it, whether someone creates a quick sketch, doodle, painting or detailed illustration, every contribution counts.
Creativity With A Cause
There is another important part of the 20th anniversary campaign.
1000 Drawings is inviting members of the public to nominate a charity to benefit from the proceeds raised.
It is a continuation of the philosophy that has guided the project for two decades.
The creative community can direct its generosity.
And the public can have a voice in where that generosity goes.
For anyone unable to donate an artwork, there are still other ways to participate.
The campaign is looking for sponsors, volunteers, interns and material donations, including art supplies and installation materials.
Every form of support can contribute to the collective effort to turn thousands of individual creative contributions into one extraordinary experience.
From A Stolen Van To A Creative Institution
There is something powerful about the journey.
A stolen soup kitchen van created a problem.
A group of creatives responded by making art.
One thousand drawings helped replace the vehicle.
And an idea that could have ended there continued growing.
Twenty years later, that same belief remains at the centre of 1000 Drawings: creativity can do good.
Now the movement wants more than 10,000 drawings.
It has a new character.
It has a refreshed identity.
And it has a city to inspire.
Johannesburg does not need to wait for someone else to create the next masterpiece.
The invitation is already here.
Pick up a pen.
Pick up a paintbrush.
Pick up a crayon.
Make something.
Give something.
Be part of something bigger.
And keep an eye out for iji.
Because the more Johannesburg creates, the bigger iji becomes.
And so does the impact.
DOODLE. DONATE. DO GOOD.
