Over the years, Gather Round has been a home to many creatives but two industries have always been prevalent: music and design. With the likes of Crack, Pirate Studios,Fiasco Design and The Discourse being proud members of our community — it was high time we hosted a hangout to ask our network to discuss the indisputable overlap.
Last week we gathered in our cosy meeting room to listen to some of Bristol’s creative moguls discuss the profound parallels of music and design. With Pizzarova supplying slices of the good stuff, we took to our seats and immediately the vibe felt like old friends getting together.
Amy is the Managing Director, Co-Founder and driving force at Hey! What? studio, a design agency specialising in music, festivals, food, drink and attractions. With a background steeped in the free party scene, Amy draws inspiration from underground culture and has worked alongside some big names in the music industry including Glastonbury Festival, Eats Everything and Massive Attack.
While studying design at university, Todd spent his nights out pitching his skills to DJs, promoters, and venues, turning casual conversations into creative opportunities. He quickly built up an impressive repertoire and founded Electric Mustard 12 years ago, a design agency catering to music, events and culture. More recently, he’s started his own record label, People Like Music. He’s been a key player in The Official Charts rebrand, the making of Drumcode’s website and Ben Howard’s tour artwork.
Music and design have always been a theme in Nat’s life. While studying design at university, you’d spot her on street corners, handing out flyers that she’d created for the events she was busy organising. Her career has taken her through the music world, working with DHP, Rock City Promoters, and the Colombo Group, where she managed iconic venues like XOYO and Jazz Café. And now she’s Head of Marketing at Fiasco, a Bristol design agency.
Ed is the MD and founder of The Discourse, a design agency that helps businesses and charities shift the narrative. His creative journey started at just 15, working in a record shop in the 90s in Stokes Croft and being a big part of Bristol’s underground scene. Ed simultaneously runs his own record label and a design studio right in the heart of Bristol.
Our first question was one poised on many of the audience’s lips. Todd jumped in and explained that when the cost of design is too high – “collaboration is key”. Amy emphasised that being accessible is crucial and that she has no desire to “gatekeep” information from emerging brands. “DIY is part of the culture, it’s how most events and sound systems started” and she intended to honour that philosophy. Working with smaller artists and brands always comes “full circle”, Ed pointed out. When you work with a grassroots organisation you get to grow alongside them and share their success. Nat made a point that “there is money in the industry, it’s just distributed unevenly” at which there was a collective nod of agreement throughout the room.
With culture so deeply ingrained in design and music, it’s impossible to ignore. Kendra raised an important question when it comes to appropriation. Nat stressed the importance of teams understanding music and design and hiring correctly for those roles. The panellists all agreed that working to what you know is important and one attendee, Blaise, expressed that, “Bristol is a melting pot of culture and backgrounds – creatives should tap into this”.
Ed talked about the intrinsic link of album artwork and his early days as a DJ, he explained that when he was doing a set, back in the 90s, the record covers were so important for him to transition his tunes. “When you’re mixing records, the artwork becomes a part of the experience,” he said. “We’re not just talking design – we’re talking art.”
The discussion then progressed to talk about the designer’s physical process when creating and how music influences that. Todd said that listening to a lineup when designing posters is “key to getting in the right headspace”. He spoke about music having so much “emotion and intangibility” that it can be a great creative source. Amy agreed and shared an anecdote about the speaker in Hey, What?’s studio is often causing rifts amongst the team due to the eclectic mix of music tastes.
The event’s conversation highlighted the intersection of two creative realms that are central to Gather Round’s community. From the role of grassroots collaboration to the emotional energy music brings to design, the panellists left us inspired and buzzing with ideas.
This event was one of five others that we put on to celebrate Gather Round’s fifth birthday. Previously, we’ve talked Breaking Boundaries, Community: A Force for Good and Building Creative Resilience. Got FOMO? Don’t worry, the ‘Gather Round Presents’ series of free events for the creative community was so popular we’ve decided to keep it going next year. Our next free event will be hosted in our brand new space early 2025. Keep your eyes peeled.
Thinking of hosting your own event? Our production spaces are up for hire and we’ve got a whole host of options to suit your needs. Whether it’s a team workshop, a community event or an intimate panel talk – we’ve got you covered. Tucked just a stone’s throw away from the city centre (although you’d never know the hustle and bustle is right outside), our production spaces have soft lighting, colourful decor and a cosy energy. The cosy meeting room is our newest room available for hire; to celebrate the launch of this space, we’re offering 50% OFF your first booking with us. Get in touch with our events team to explore the options. Just drop Hannah an email: [email protected]
Gather Round is a growing family of unique creative workspaces, designed to foster a positive community of like-minded creative people through an open and supportive culture. Our considered spaces are designed to adapt to the diverse needs of our members....
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