WAIA (Women+ AI Artists)

What It Is

WAIA is a community platform supporting women and LGBTQ+ creatives in AI art. It includes a central website hub and a curated artist directory designed for discovery, visibility, and documentation.

Why It Matters

AI expands creative access, especially for people who face barriers to traditional art-making (time, tools, disability, caregiving, cost). WAIA exists to translate that access into visibility + community infrastructure.

In the community, I saw recurring personas: disabled artists using AI to create without traditional supplies; new parents using prompts and image-making as a therapeutic return to self; and creatives who paused their artistic ambitions and now bring vivid ideas to life through AI. WAIA helped make that work discoverable, and helped people feel less alone while making it.

How It Works

• Defined the platform structure: hub + directory + content ecosystem
• Built a cohesive visual identity across website + social system
• Designed the directory experience for discovery:
  • Curated cohorts (archived)
  • Filters for themes / location (if applicable)
  • Consistent entry layout and visual system
• Created a repeatable content system:
  • Artist features / interviews (as a format)
  • Templates for social posts and highlights
  • Clear pathways for discovery → feature → archive

Outcomes

• A recognizable community platform and directory that increased visibility through curated discovery
• A durable archive that continues to represent artists and the moment in AI art culture

WAIA is not currently in an active growth phase, and the directory remains online as a living archive.