The Beehive Design Collective is a 100% volunteer driven non-profit political organization that uses graphical media as educational tools to communicate stories of resistance to corporate globalization. The purpose of the group, based in Machias, Maine, is to “‘Cross-pollinate the grassroots” by creating collaborative, anti-copyright images that can be used as educational and organizing tools. The Beehive Collective is most renowned for its large format pen and ink posters, which seek to provide a visual alternative to deconstruction of complicated social and political issues ranging from globalization, free trade, militarism, resource extraction, and biotechnology.

The Bees gave a presentation prior to the opening reception on September 17th as a part of Syracuse’s Third Thursday events. They also gave workshops for high school and college students at Cazenovia College during their stay. Storytelling is a major facet of the Collective’s educational work. Members of the group undertake international lecture circuits with giant fabric reproductions of their posters as storytelling aids.

“Picture lectures” frequently feature a Plan Colombia graphic thirty feet in height and a six foot tall fabric flipbook/storybook used as a sequential visual tool.