We are delighted to announce we’ve appointed James Hirst as Bristol Creative Industries’ (BCI) new managing director, alongside the addition of three new board directors: Nicky Clark, Aimée Norman and Robert Rawle.
James Hirst’s appointment reflects BCI’s commitment to strengthening our leadership and delivering enhanced value to its growing community of creative businesses and professionals.
Commenting on his new role, James Hirst said:
“I’m delighted to be joining BCI at such an important point for the sector in this region. The organisation has a strong foundation, supported by an active and highly engaged community. I’m looking forward to working with the team, our members and partners to further develop our offering, deliver our ambition to be the voice of creativity in the region and ensure we continue to create sustained value for our members.
“The South West has an extraordinary concentration of creative talent and entrepreneurial energy. There’s a real opportunity to build on this momentum and amplify the region’s reputation nationally and internationally, strengthening collaboration, and championing the sector as a key driver of innovation, growth and cultural impact.”
Hirst brings a wealth of experience in creative, digital and commercial growth, and will work closely with the board and wider membership to shape BCI’s future direction.
His appointment comes as we prepare for a landmark milestone – our 20th anniversary next year – offering an opportunity to celebrate two decades of championing creativity while setting an ambitious course for the future.
Joining the board are three highly respected industry figures:
Together, these appointments reflect BCI’s intention to broaden its perspective, deepen industry connections and ensure it continues to serve a diverse and evolving membership base.
Lis Anderson, co-chair of Bristol Creative Industries, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome James as our new managing director and to strengthen our board with the appointments of Nicky, Aimée and Robert.
“BCI plays a critical part in supporting and representing the creative sector in the region – fuelling innovation, driving investment and shaping the region’s identity on the global stage. With this strengthened leadership team, we are well placed to build on our success, elevate the voice of our members and ensure the sector continues to thrive.
“We have ambitious plans for the future including adding more valuable benefits for our members, building on our events and training offer and expanding our partnerships to create new opportunities for skills development, collaboration and growth.”
As BCI approaches our 20-year milestone, we are focused on expanding our programme of events, training and advocacy, strengthening connections across the region, and further establishing itself as a powerful voice for the creative industries.
The new leadership team will play a key role in delivering these ambitions, ensuring that Bristol and the South West continue to be recognised as one of the UK’s leading creative hubs.
Not yet a member of Bristol Creative Industries? Join today!
A few days ago, MOYA Studio was named Creative Startup of the Year for the South West at the UK StartUp Awards 2026. Now we are heading to the national finals in September, representing the South West region. We’re still a little stunned, honestly.
But the award isn’t really where this story starts. It starts with a bag. And a lot of frustration.
When I launched my own handbag brand back in 2022, I hit a wall that nobody in the industry talked about openly. The fashion manufacturing world simply isn’t built for startups. Designers raise their fees and limit iterations the moment they hear the word “Startup”. Manufacturers want minimum orders we can’t meet. The worst is that nobody in this process supports the experimental, trial-and-error mentality that startup founders have. And if our idea is genuinely new, which the best ones always are, there’s no roadmap to follow.
Through my work as a freelance bag designer, I saw the same problem happening repeatedly. A founder is often stuck in no man’s land, caught between a designer who didn’t understand production and a manufacturer who couldn’t see the vision. I realised how broken the process was.
So I built the thing I wished had existed.
MOYA Studio is an end-to-end design and development consultancy for bag and accessory startups. Not a design agency. Not a sourcing agent. One partner who holds the whole picture, from a rough concept through design, prototyping, sourcing and into manufacturing – until the founder receives the products at their doorstep. The creative vision and the commercial reality, kept in the same room throughout.
In just one year, our studio has supported 20 founders across the US, Europe and beyond. Products that are genuinely new, from modern motherhood bags, patent-pending smart bags to pet carriers or sustainable accessories, built by people who are close to real problems and brave enough to do something about them.
The award is a wonderful thing. But if we’re honest, it belongs as much to those founders as it does to us. The ones who trusted us with their idea at the earliest, most vulnerable stage. That kind of courage deserves the right support. We’re just glad we get to be that.
MOYA Studio is Bristol-based. We’re heading to the national finals in September.
Come say hello at www.moyabagstudio.com
Wow, what a way to mark the tenth edition of the Gather Round Presents event series. Thank you to everyone who came through the doors at Brunswick Square last week. To our incredible speakers and sponsors, this really was our best one yet… and before the doors had even opened, all the signs were there.
A queue snaked around the block. People peering through the door asking to get on the list. Familiar faces greeted new ones. Conversations started on the pavement long before anyone stepped inside.
By 6.30pm, our gorgeous space at Brunswick Square was already coming to life. Hot pizza from our friends at Pizzucci disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived, while the first through the door claimed a free, delicious Boardwalk x Left Handed Giant beer. A huge thank you to Boardwalk for sponsoring the evening and helping us create an experience that felt special from the moment guests arrived – the totes went down a treat. Summer beach bag, sorted.
Soon every seat was filled. Each corner humming with conversation. Strangers became collaborators. The energy was infectious.
What unfolded over the next few hours was generous, thought-provoking and often deeply personal. Nine creative voices from the local scene shared stories, observations and lessons on the subject of taste, while our audience of curious, engaged minds helped shape the conversation in return.
We left feeling incredibly grateful, and more than a little in awe, of what can happen when the right people gather in a room together.
Here’s some of what stayed with us….
Taste isn’t something we’re born with or suddenly discover. It’s something we build, refine, challenge and evolve throughout our lives.
If there was one overarching takeaway from the evening, it was this: your taste is your creative superpower – but only if you’re willing to pay attention to it.
Your taste is shaped by what you don’t like, as much as what you do. Penfold, Visual Artist.
When we think about developing taste, we often focus on collecting inspiration and finding things we love. But Tim Gresham (Penfold) reminded us that our dislikes can be just as valuable.
The things that make us cringe, switch off, feel uncomfortable or leave us cold tell us something important about who we are. They help define our boundaries, values and preferences. Building taste isn’t just about collecting influences, it’s about noticing your reactions and understanding what they reveal.
Pay attention to both. They’re all clues.
A recurring theme throughout the evening was that taste isn’t a destination. Helen Liang described taste not as a fixed identity but as an ever-evolving state of doing. It develops through action, experimentation and curiosity. It changes as we change.
Tim Gresham (Penfold) shared a perfect example. Growing up, he hated the strange abstract artwork hanging around his family home. He thought it was weird. Yet years later, he found himself wanting to make weird, abstract work of his own.
Taste isn’t always conscious. Sometimes the things shaping us are quietly working away in the background for years before they reveal themselves.
There was little talk of waiting for the perfect moment or becoming an overnight expert. Instead, our speakers championed learning through action. Small steps. Consistent practice. Making things regularly.
Illustrator Jess Knights reflected on how taste develops gradually through curiosity, repetition and attention.
The message was clear: creative growth happens through doing, not thinking about doing. Little and often beats waiting for perfect.
Or as Helen reframed it: FAIL = First Attempts In Learning.
Discomfort appeared throughout the evening as a necessary ingredient of creativity. Growth rarely happens when everything feels easy.
Whether it’s trying a new medium, sharing work before you’re ready or exploring unfamiliar ideas, creativity often requires stepping into uncertainty. We were encouraged to stop seeing failure as evidence that we’re not good enough and start seeing it as evidence that we’re learning.
Many of the talks returned to the importance of curiosity. We were encouraged to look at the world as a child might: seeing everything as a phenomenon, approaching experiences with wonder rather than assumptions. What if we stopped trying to categorise everything immediately? What if we simply paid attention?
TJA touched on a transformation she went through in her early twenties during a set at Boomtown festival. A light-bulb moment on stage where she realised this wasn’t for her anymore, she listened to her intuition and forged a new path for herself, led by curiosity. Exploring new sounds from a spectrum of musical influences, shedding the old, birthing a new.
Curiosity opens doors that certainty keeps closed. It allows us to notice connections, patterns and possibilities that others miss. And often, that’s where original ideas begin.
Alongside curiosity came another invitation: play. Playfulness isn’t the opposite of serious creative work. It’s often the route into it.
Experimentation, exploration, making without a clear outcome – these are the moments where unexpected discoveries happen.
Constraints are often viewed as barriers. Limited budgets, limited time, limited resources.
But, instead of asking “what’s stopping me?”, our audience was encouraged us to ask “what becomes possible because of this constraint?”
The most distinctive creative solutions often emerge from limitations. Constraints force us to think differently, find new angles and develop original approaches. Creativity doesn’t survive despite constraints. It often thrives because of them.
Helen shared an anecdote about two pandas (your regular bamboo-eating guy and then the ‘trash panda’ aka raccoon) that perfectly captured the subjectivity of taste.
What one person dismisses, another cherishes. And that’s the point. Taste isn’t about universal approval. It’s about finding and trusting the things that resonate with you.
Fox, COO of Artichoke, referenced a cabinet created in collaboration with artist Grayson Perry, highlighting how deeply personal taste can be. His work isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s exactly what makes it compelling.
As Fox put it, originality is what matters. Not everyone has to like it.
One of the evening’s most memorable exercises came from Jess Knights, who invited people to think about what they were obsessed with as children.
What did you collect?
What couldn’t you stop thinking about?
What drew your attention again and again?
Jess encouraged us to see our lives as a growing collage made up of ticket stubs, textures, clippings, trinkets, photographs, objects and memories.
Taste isn’t formed in isolation. It’s the accumulation of countless experiences, interests and fascinations layered over time.
‘So why not go down the rabbit hole, become obsessed with something. Dive deep into a subject matter that interests you, follow curiosity wherever it leads..’ Seb Alexander, Director, Photographer & Videographer
The internet often encourages breadth over depth, but meaningful taste frequently develops through immersion. Spending time with a subject. Exploring its nuances. Understanding its context.
In other words: go down the rabbit hole.
Sarah O’Connell delivered perhaps the most direct challenge of the evening:
Comfort kills. Get weird or get forgot.
She argued that creativity needs more courage, more whimsy and more unconventional perspectives. More radical accessibility. More queer perspectives. More working-class joy. More magic. More hope.
The work that stands out isn’t usually the safest.
It’s the work brave enough to be itself.
Rene Katiisa shared a powerful reflection about storytelling and identity. Life rarely follows the script we imagined. Careers change. Plans unravel. New opportunities emerge. But every twist, challenge and experience contributes to our perspective.
Our taste is shaped by our story.
And because nobody else has lived our story, nobody else can offer exactly the same perspective.
Rene also highlighted the importance of creative community. While taste is deeply personal, it doesn’t develop in isolation. It grows through conversation, collaboration and exposure to different ways of seeing the world.
Many minds, means different perspectives and better ideas. Brand aficionado Ross Hawkins shared stories of brand transformations, with a new, fresh voice at the centre. He delved into the development of a Brompton campaign working with ex-pro cyclist and tastemaker David Millar. He ended up being the key ingredient in creating a campaign that stood out from previous releases.
Expand your network and collaborate to keep things fresh.
The evening drew to close on a sentiment that will stay with us far beyond the coming weeks. An important note that taste is your unique human superpower. It’s your way of understanding and showing the world who you are. In this era of change, it’s important now more than ever that we wear our weirdness with honour, because there’s no one like you.
If you missed this epic event, be sure to sign up to our newsletter to be the first to get an invite to the next one.
Or if you are looking for an event space to hire, email our events manager for more info on [email protected]
Interested in becoming a member? Join our community in June 2026 you get your first month free.
Book a tour, we’d love to meet you!
Most AI-generated brand messaging reads like marketing copy trained on even more marketing copy. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Here’s how the best marketing and creative teams are using AI to develop pin-sharp positioning and whip-smart brand lines.
Confidence gap
Many of us now use AI in some form. Blog content, social copy, summaries, captions and campaign variations can be created quickly, often with surprisingly competent results. So far, so good. But when the stakes rise – positioning, campaign messaging, brand voice or strategic narrative comes into play – confidence in AI tends to disappear. And we all know why. AI-generated messaging often sounds polished but generic. Strategically thin. The kind of copy that ticks boxes while saying very little. For organisations that care deeply about reputation and positioning (i.e. the global success stories), that’s a problem. Obviously.
The assumption is that AI simply can’t produce high-level brand language. Strategic messaging still belongs entirely to human writers. But increasingly, that assumption feels shaky. Because the real shift is not that AI is replacing writing. It is that writing itself is changing.
The problem with most AI prompts
Most teams are still using AI as an output machine. A prompt goes in, some copy comes back out and everyone hopes for the best. Which is usually how you end up with campaign lines that sound like they were assembled in a corporate escape room. The problem is not the technology itself. It’s the lack of context, direction and strategic thinking surrounding it. Today, a typical AI prompt for a campaign line or a piece of brand messaging might look something like this (and, to be fair, most of us are now using more detailed prompts, but let’s use the following for illustrative purposes):“Write a catchy slogan for a leadership programme. Make it inspiring, memorable and engaging. Keep it short and dynamic. See attached our brand voice guidelines for guidance on tone. Use wordplay if appropriate.”
Good luck with that.
Strong strategic messaging has never worked like this. Before AI, nobody expected a creative agency to develop distinctive positioning from a two-line brief and a vague adjective like “dynamic”. The same principle applies here. Better inputs create better thinking. The marketing teams getting real value from AI are feeding it considerably more context. Brand background. Audience insight. Internal tensions. Tone of voice examples. Competitive positioning. Personas. Even references to sentence rhythm, pacing and emotional tone. The strongest prompts increasingly resemble strategic creative briefs rather than instructions. Because that’s where things start getting genuinely good.
Writing using AI
The most effective teams are not using AI to write for them. They are writing using AI. And it’s an important point to note.
Using AI to write usually produces generic work because the model defaults towards probability. It selects the most statistically likely phrasing, which is why so much AI-generated marketing language converges around the same structures, clichés and predictable turns of phrase. The result is polished, technically competent copy that sounds just like everything else. Writing using AI is different. It becomes a collaborative process built around refinement, challenge and iteration. Ideas are tested. Routes are pushed further. Language is tightened. And messaging evolves through a conversation rather than appearing fully formed after a single prompt.
It’s worth bearing in mind that, the strongest results rarely emerge in the first couple of hours. They develop gradually as teams refine the thinking, sharpen the tone and articulate what feels right – and what doesn’t. That process requires more human judgement, not less.
Why feedback quality matters
One of the biggest shifts AI introduces to the writing process is the importance of articulate feedback. The organisations seeing the strongest messaging results are often the ones capable of explaining nuance clearly. Not: “This doesn’t work. Try again.” But: “The tone here feels abrupt and slightly curt. It needs to have pace, but with warmer, more approachable language.” Or: “The sentiment here is fine, but we need to add some flair to the language. Try some repetition. Use the power of three in a sentence to add impact and tone.” This kind of feedback gives the model something it can work with.
In practice, the process starts to feel far more like a creative conversation than a transaction. A campaign line will probably be tested, rejected, rewritten and refined 50 times. Messaging becomes something that’s shaped collaboratively in real time. Which means that strategic brand messaging still depends heavily on craft. AI can process language at warp speed, but it still struggles with judgement, subtlety and implication. The writer’s sensitivity to tone, nuance and audience psychology remains hugely important. (Arguably, more important than before.)
Why most brand voice guidelines fail in AI
Brand voice is where many organisations start running into problems. And, to be honest, we’re also yet to learn how to stop AI from going off-piste with brand voice, but a big part of the problem is caused by feeding conventional tone of voice guidelines into the LLM. Most existing tone of voice guidelines were written for humans. And human writers are good at interpreting nuance. Give an experienced copywriter a handful of brand traits – confident, intelligent, approachable, authoritative – and they understand how to balance those qualities.
AI tends to interpret them much more literally/weirdly. The language often becomes an awkward blend of stated characteristics rather than a genuinely coherent voice. The organisations getting this right use AI-specific brand voice guidelines. (And the smartest organisations ask SIM7 to create this for them, by the way.) These will include detailed, extensive examples of the brand voice in action, which are far more helpful for an LLM.
It’s still about craft
There is a temptation to frame AI as either a creative revolution or a creative disaster. But the reality? It’s somewhere in the middle. AI is exceptionally good at accelerating parts of the writing process. It can help teams explore more routes, test more language and develop messaging frameworks more efficiently than before. But strategic brand messaging still requires judgement, restraint and clarity of thinking. Human thinking.
The marketing teams getting the most value from AI are not using it to avoid the work. They are using it to go deeper into it. Which means staying ‘inside the conversation’, refining continuously, challenging the language harder. And giving much, much richer feedback.
Basically, they use AI to sharpen strategic thinking rather than shortcut it. And that’s probably the most important shift of all. In future, the advantage will not belong to the organisations producing the most content. It will belong to the organisations that know how to shape language with greater clarity, precision and intent.
Because strategic messaging was never just about output.
It was always about craft.
SIM7 is a creative consultancy that builds standout brands from the words up. We shape voices, sharpen messages, and design brands and campaigns that your team can confidently take forward. Award-winning, human-led creative – with AI woven into the process.
We are delighted to announce the return of an amazing benefit for Bristol Creative Industries members this summer. You can enjoy free access to the brilliant Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square, Bristol.
Here are all the details direct from Origin:
Origin Workspace invites members of Bristol Creative Industries to enjoy a complimentary, inspiring, and productive workspace in the heart of the city, on Fridays between 26 June and 28 August,
Whether you’re a designer, writer, artist, or innovator, this is more than just a free desk – it’s a chance to thrive with no strings attached. Our lounge and lobby provide the ideal setting to focus, connect, and create, with unlimited coffee, reliable Wi-Fi, and a welcoming atmosphere designed to support your productivity and wellbeing.
We know many creatives are navigating the challenges of securing consistent work. That’s why we’re offering more than just space, we’re a community, offering solidarity, and creating a space where local talent can connect and collaborate.
Surrounded by like-minded professionals, you’ll have the chance to be part of a vibrant network that values support and shared success. As a proudly independent Bristol business, nurturing our Bristol ecosystem is at the heart of what we do. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a spark of inspiration, or simply a place to get things done, Creative Fridays is your opportunity to be part of something bigger.
Spaces are limited, so send an email to register your interest and make Fridays your most creative day of the week. We can’t wait to welcome you to the space. Terms and conditions apply.
Not a Bristol Creative Industries member and want to take advantage of this brilliant offer? Join today.
Missing the buzz of an office without actually wanting to be in an office? Craving a desk that isn’t also your kitchen table? Or maybe you’re already at a co-working space, but it’s giving very much… white box and bad lighting?
Come and find us.
Join Gather Round in Bristol (Brunswick Square, Cigar Factory) or Bath before 30th June and get your first month free, plus an automatic invite to our members’ party on 9th July!
Gather Round is a thriving creative community. Our members are designers, copywriters, and illustrators to developers, tech innovators, magazine publishers and even a cartographer in the mix.
They collaborate constantly, not because anyone told them to, but because that’s what happens when you put creative people in the same room. Connections turn into projects. Ideas turn into reality. And occasionally someone brings really good pastries.
Book a tour to see the space for yourself.
No hidden extras, no surprises. Every membership comes with:
Every month, we create proper reasons to get together: Family Breakfasts, Campfire Talks, group coaching, community sessions, yoga, and more. Community Sessions varied, fun and perfect for meeting new people: drink-and-draws, wine & cheese nights, summer picnics, tennis matches. This month we’re taking everyone to the pub, and the first round is on us!
All events are free for members across every package. And on top of that, members get discounts with local independents, including Pizzucci, Bosco, Soul Spa, and The British Blanket Company. It’s just one more way Gather Round sets itself apart from other coworking spaces.
Whether you’re freelance and flying solo or a small team ready for a proper base, we’ve got part-time, full-time, fixed desk and private studio options across Bristol and Bath. Come for a tour, have a cup of tea, and meet the people who might just become your favourite colleagues. Get involved, get in touch…
Terms and conditions apply, see full details below.
Terms & conditions:
Arnolfini has announced a new strategic partnership with Bristol-based creative agency Fiasco, marking an ambitious new chapter for one of the UK’s leading institutions for contemporary arts.
The partnership comes at a pivotal time as Arnolfini embarks on a major transformation programme designed to strengthen its cultural impact and future growth ambitions.
The organisation has delivered a series of significant strategic and commercial milestones over the past year, including new hospitality partnerships, digital transformation initiatives, and sustainability improvements.
Fiasco’s appointment marks an important step in communicating Arnolfini’s renewed vision and strengthening its distinct position within Bristol’s and the UK’s contemporary arts landscape.
Known for its distinctive work across the cultural and creative sectors, Fiasco will develop a new visual identity for the iconic cultural institution. The identity will reflect Arnolfini’s ambitions to become more open, visible and connected to wider audiences, while celebrating the diversity and creativity of Bristol’s cultural scene.
Alongside a new visual identity, Arnolfini is preparing to launch a new membership scheme, develop a new website and ticketing platform, and reimagine key public spaces within the building ahead of hosting the British Art Show in 2027: the UK’s largest touring exhibition of contemporary visual art.
The partnership comes at a landmark moment for Arnolfini, as the organisation marks 50 years in its iconic harbourside home, Bush House, while looking ahead to its next phase of development. Membership growth and the delivery of more connected experiences across every touchpoint will be a key future focus.
Neil Commander, Chief Commercial Officer at Arnolfini: “Partnering with Fiasco marks an important moment in Arnolfini’s evolution as we shape the next chapter for the organisation and reaffirm our role within Bristol’s dynamic cultural landscape. From the outset, Ben and the team demonstrated a deep understanding not only of Arnolfini’s heritage and purpose, but of our place within the city’s wider creative ecology.
This work goes far beyond developing a new visual identity. It is about articulating who we are and where we are heading – strengthening connections with audiences locally and internationally, increasing visibility and access, and ensuring every experience of Arnolfini reflects the ambition, openness and relevance of our creative programme.
This partnership reflects our belief in the power of creativity and collaboration to drive cultural impact and represents an important step in building a more connected, resilient and future-focused Arnolfini.”
The appointment also marks a significant milestone for Fiasco. Co-founders Ben Steers and Jason Smith launched the agency from an incubator space in Bush House in 2010, making the opportunity to work with Arnolfini a notable full-circle moment.
Ben Steers, Co-founder & Executive Creative Director: “Arnolfini has always been a special place for us. Long before we started the agency, it was a space that made creative ambition feel possible — somewhere that connected us to a wider creative community and shaped our understanding of what culture and creativity could do.
To now partner with Arnolfini at such a pivotal moment in its evolution feels incredibly meaningful. It’s a cultural icon in Bristol, and one on the cusp of an exciting new chapter. There’s a natural alignment between our shared ambition, our belief in the power of creativity, and our deep connection to the city where this journey began for us. It’s a real privilege to be part of what comes next.”
As Bristol continues to evolve as one of the UK’s key creative hubs, this partnership offers an exciting opportunity to help shape a more visible, inclusive and connected future for the city’s cultural landscape.
Fiasco is a brand and digital agency blending strategy and creative craft to move businesses forward with feeling. Past clients include renowned cultural institutions such as Nederlander Theatres, National Trust, Channel 4, Good Energy, Pinewood and Vertical.
fiasco.design
Founded in 1961, Arnolfini is Bristol’s international centre for contemporary arts, presenting an ambitious programme of visual art, performance, dance, film and music. A pioneering public space for arts and learning, Arnolfini is committed to offering innovative, inclusive and engaging experiences for all.
arnolfini.org.uk
Our award-winning creative event series turns 10 this year, double figures! We can’t quite believe it.
When we started Gather Round Presents back in June 2024, we knew we had something good but it’s evolved into something truly special and that’s all down to you, the creative community, our followers and fans. Extending a heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s been involved over the past two years; to our speakers, audience, sponsors and team – you’re the bees.
So, with all that being said, it’s safe to say that we are extremely excited to announce our speaker line up for our tenth edition on Thursday 4th June: “Taste – How to Harness Your Creative Superpower”. Over the course of a couple of hours, our speakers will explore how, in a world saturated with content and repetition, having a distinct point of view is what cuts through the noise – and how learning to trust your own taste is what turns individuality into your greatest creative advantage. Coming from nine different viewpoints across the spectrum of the creative industries, our speakers are poised and ready with gems of knowledge that, hopefully, will inspire you far beyond the walls of our beloved Brunswick Square.
Sponsored by the wonderful people at Boardwalk – a lifestyle focused estate agency selling some of the most beautiful homes in Bristol. With an eye for thoughtful interiors and genuinely great design taste, they’re the go-to people for homes with character, style, and soul.
You can of course expect the usual, delicious free pizza from our good friends Pizzucci, a free raffle with some top notch prizes and this time there’s even a free beer from Boardwalk for the first 20 x people that get through the door.
Tim is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, print, and visual experimentation. Check out the amazing paint job on this VW Baja Bug!
When it comes to a truly distinctive visual identity, Penfold stands apart. From the streets of Bristol and Cambridge to cities across Europe and beyond, his work is instantly recognisable. One glimpse of a mural is enough – it’s unmistakably his. Defined by a bold, intuitive use of colour and an interest in layered compositions, Tim’s work strikes the balance between spontaneity and a deep understanding of material and process.
We can’t to hear him speak about his creative journey – how he’s developed his taste, refined his voice, and built such a striking identity over the past 20 years as a working artist.
Beyond her life as a singer-songwriter, TJA brings her signature blend of soulful storytelling and quiet confidence to her role as co-host of The Library Podcast. Known for her genre-fluid approach to music, she carries that same curiosity into every episode, viewing each guest’s story as a unique composition.
For TJA, every conversation is an exploration of the human experience; introspective, experimental, and always deeply personal. Her professional life is a harmony of creative and strategic pursuits; balancing her own artistry with a career in sync music which has given her a grounded understanding of how a song moves from an intimate idea out into the world.
Driven by a commitment to her community, TJA is exploring her voice in new ways, expanding into presenting and industry panel talks, a new platform to share her journey and insights on ‘becoming’ in the creative arts. And the exploration doesn’t stop there – alongside her presenting exploits, TJA leads music production workshops for women, demystifying the technical side of the craft to empower female creators to take full ownership of their sound. Whether she’s behind the desk at The Library, navigating the publishing landscape or mentoring in the studio – her work is defined by the belief that every story deserves to be told with intention and soul.
As a Gather Round Presents supporter since day one, we’re incredibly excited to finally welcome Helen Liang onto the stage. A familiar face within Bristol’s creative community, Helen has spent years championing thoughtful collaboration, creative experimentation and meaningful innovation across a wide range of industries. Known for her ability to bring people together around complex ideas, she has built a reputation as both a strategic thinker and an energising facilitator – so naturally, expectations are high.
Helen works as a creative consultant specialising in insight and innovation, helping organisations and teams test, learn and grow through structured creativity. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, research and facilitation, supporting people to navigate uncertainty, unlock new thinking and turn ambitious ideas into practical action. Whether she’s leading workshops, shaping innovation programmes or helping teams reframe difficult challenges, Helen thrives in what she describes as the “deep-middle”. The messy, often uncomfortable space where the most meaningful breakthroughs tend to happen.
For Helen, taste isn’t a fixed identity or polished endpoint – it’s something that develops through action, curiosity and a willingness to sit with discomfort. In her talk, she’ll explore the idea that building taste means embracing tension: between intuition and logic, confidence and uncertainty, structure and play. She sees taste as an evolving “state of doing” rather than something static. Expect insights into creative growth, collaborative thinking and why staying curious is so important.
Jess is a Bristol-based illustrator and creative facilitator working across mixed media to create textured, playful and engaging visual work. Her practice combines paints, pens, pastels, collage and digital design to produce illustrations and murals that help organisations communicate ideas in a warm, accessible way. Much of Jess’s client work focuses on the health, social and environmental sectors, where she collaborates with charities, public organisations and community-focused brands to create visuals that connect people and ideas. Her clients and collaborators have included organisations such as Forestry England, Coeliac UK and community groups across Bristol.
Alongside her illustration practice, Jess runs creative workshops across Bristol designed to help people feel more confident, playful and expressive in their approach to making. Her workshops, including Drink & Draw sessions and seasonal illustration clubs, encourage people of all abilities to experiment. Jess regularly hosts workshops in independent venues across the city as well as facilitating private sessions for teams, community groups and organisations.
In her talk, Jess will explore the idea that taste isn’t something you suddenly “discover”, but something that develops gradually through curiosity, repetition and attention. Drawing from her own creative journey, she’ll discuss how personal taste is shaped by lived experience, visual references, experimentation and the things we instinctively keep coming back to.
Fox has spent decades building brands across agencies, startups and global businesses. After launching his first ad agency at 27 and later founding a brand consultancy, he went on to spend 10 years helping grow Pukka into the globally recognised brand it is today, before joining Unilever as Global Creative and Digital Director across its tea brands! Big stuff!
Today, Fox runsArtichoke – a bespoke furniture and interiors company providing some of the most gorgeous hand-crafted pieces we’ve ever seen. On top of this, Fox also works as CMO forSt Eval. Across both roles, his work focuses on creativity, brand strategy and building meaningful connections between brands and people.
In his talk, Neil will reflect on how taste develops through experience, instinct and perspective – shaped by years of making creative decisions across very different environments. Expect thoughts on branding, creative growth and why, ultimately, the only currency that really matters is time.
Rene Karen Katiisa is a Ugandan-born British actor, theatre-maker, creative director and cultural producer based in Bristol. A trained performer with a background spanning theatre, education and community work, Rene’s creative practice is rooted in storytelling, accessibility and lived experience. After studying at the BRIT School and graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama, she performed with the National Youth Theatre and worked with organisations including Battersea Arts Centre, Frantic Assembly and Complicite collaborators, contributing to award-winning productions and large-scale creative projects.
Alongside her creative work, Rene spent 25 years working in the public sector, leading education and advocacy projects supporting children in care across Bristol. In recent years, she has returned fully to her artistic practice, developing theatre and interdisciplinary work exploring identity, disability, displacement, motherhood and belonging. Her recent projects include performances with Bristol Old Vic, contributions to the Decolonising Disability in the Arts residency, and presenting autobiographical work through the Culture Biz Incubator Programme and Diverse Artists Network Mini Diaspora Festival.
Seb is a photographer, director and filmmaker specialising in real human stories across music, food and fashion. Working across atmospheric portraiture, lifestyle campaigns and documentary projects, his work is rooted in storytelling – creating images and films that feel natural, thoughtful and emotionally grounded.
With a style that balances honesty and atmosphere, Seb’s projects often focus on capturing people, places and moments in a way that feels enduring rather than over-produced. Whether working on commercial campaigns or longer-form documentary work, his approach is shaped by curiosity, observation and a strong visual sensitivity to mood, connection and character.
Sarah is Head of Copy at Mr B & Friends where she helps shape distinctive brands through strategy, language and creative thinking. A self-described “oddball”, she’s drawn to ideas that feel slightly unexpected, with a particular interest in the details, instincts and cultural references that make creative work feel memorable and human.
Over the course of her career, Sarah has become increasingly interested in the idea of cultivating taste – and how intuition, gut feeling and personal obsessions often play a bigger role in creativity than we like to admit. Her work explores how following curiosity, leaning into niche interests and trusting instinct can help create ideas that genuinely cut through.
Ross spent a decade helping transform a small London bike manufacturer into an internationally recognised lifestyle brand, working at the intersection of culture, design and brand growth. Now consulting with startups and businesses in transition, he brings experience shaped by working alongside brands and individuals who have each influenced taste in their own distinct way – including Palace, Freitag, Kenzo, LCD Soundsystem, David Millar and Tom Dixon.
In his talk, Ross will explore how taste shapes the way brands grow, the directions they take, and the cultural signals they choose to follow. Expect reflections on branding, influence and the strange ways our own tastes can evolve – or occasionally lead us completely astray.
Well, if that lineup hasn’t got you excited we don’t know what will.
Tickets will be released this week, so keep an eye out for an email from us inviting you to come along, for FREE. If you aren’t signed up to our newsletter yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up here to be the first to get your hands on a ticket.
Want to run your own event in our space? You’re in luck, as we have five amazing spaces for hire across Bristol and Bath. Get in touch with Hannah, our Events Manager, to find out more on pricing and availability.
You can also keep up to date with Gather Round by following us on instagram!
Strike Communications has been shortlisted for two awards in the CIPR Excellence Awards 2026 and an award in the PRCA DARE Awards 2026, marking a standout moment for the Bristol-based agency.
For the national CIPR Excellence Awards, the team is in the running for Small PR Consultancy of the Year, a category that recognises high-performing agencies delivering exceptional client work, business growth and industry impact. Strike has also been shortlisted for Low Budget Campaign of the Year at the CIPR Excellence Awards and Low Budget Campaign in the PRCA DARE Awards for its Bring Turner Home campaign, delivered in partnership with Bristol Museum & Art Gallery last summer.
Run by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Excellence Awards are among the most respected in the industry, celebrating campaigns, teams and individuals that have made a genuine difference – from shifting perceptions to delivering measurable, meaningful results.
The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) DARE Awards brings more top-tier recognition, celebrating the best PR and communications professionals across the UK, with winners determined by a panel of highly respected industry experts.
The recognition comes after three years of strong growth for Strike and it’s most successful year to date last year – the result of its clear strategy on providing values-led strategic consultancy with creative, high-impact campaigns.
The Bring Turner Home campaign captured national attention by rallying public and media support around Bristol Museum’s ambitious bid to bring J.M.W. Turner’s The Rising Squall masterpiece back to the city. Delivered on a modest budget, the campaign demonstrated how strategy, cultural insight and compelling storytelling can drive significant reach and engagement.
Strike’s founder and managing director, Catherine Frankpitt, said: “Being recognised nationally for both our agency performance and our campaign work highlights the breadth and impact of Strike’s work. Seeing our name alongside some big names in the industry and long-established London agencies is real validation for how far we’ve come in the last couple of years. This is real recognition to the Strike team, all of whom put their heart and soul into ensuring we deliver for our clients and remain true to our mission of delivering positive social impact through our work.”
The winners of the CIPR Excellence Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 1 July 2026, with the PRCA DARE Awards announced in Bristol on 1 June 2026.
One of the UK’s most influential city-led tech events has today announced its next chapter, relaunching in 2026 as Brazen: a reimagined festival of technology, creativity and culture designed to become a must-attend fixture on the national tech calendar.
Formerly known as Bristol Technology Festival and most recently BTF+, the event, of which Bristol Creative Industries is a founding partner, has evolved rapidly over the past six years, growing from a focused tech gathering into a city-wide movement that brings together founders, creatives, investors, policymakers and communities. Now, as Brazen, the festival is setting its sights firmly on the national and international stage.
Taking place across Bristol over five days in late 2026, Brazen will once again use the city itself as its venue, spanning institutions, neighbourhoods and grassroots spaces, bringing together big ideas, practical innovation and cultural moments in a single, interconnected programme.
Inspired by global festivals such as SXSW but rooted in the distinctive character of the South West, Brazen has been created to showcase Bristol as a place to build, experiment and collaborate, while forging meaningful connections between people and sectors that don’t usually share the same space.
Delivered on a not-for-profit basis, Brazen is designed as a long-term platform rather than a one-off event. Each edition will build on the last, with surplus reinvested into growing the festival’s reach, quality and relevance, strengthening Bristol’s position as one of the UK’s most dynamic centres for innovation and creativity.
In its most recent edition, the festival delivered:
Figures that underline both its scale and its growing national impact.
As part of its next chapter, Brazen has confirmed Bristol Business Improvement District (BID) as a strategic partner for the next three years, cementing the festival’s role in supporting a thriving, inclusive and economically vibrant city centre.
Bristol BID is a business-led partnership, working to make the city centre safer, greener, cleaner and more welcoming. The BID invests directly in initiatives that support local businesses, attract visitors and strengthen the city’s cultural and commercial life.
Steve Bluff, COO at Bristol BID, said:
“Bristol BID is excited to be a lead partner for Brazen, where technology, creativity and culture will collide across five days later in 2026. The festival will unlock new opportunities for Bristol’s businesses, strengthen pride and confidence in the city, and showcase Bristol and the wider region as one of the UK’s most exciting hubs for innovation and creativity. Brazen will bring the city to life with opportunities that we’re excited for our business community to be part of.”
Brazen’s programme is built around four interconnected tracks, designed to reach different audiences while maintaining a strong, coherent festival identity:
Across the week, each day will explore a different theme, from leadership and AI to clean tech, scale-up growth and creative technology, giving the festival a clear narrative arc while allowing organisations and communities to engage in ways that suit them.
Bristol Creative Industries will be running events as part of Brazen Festival. Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated.
Brazen has previously worked with organisations including Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Barclays, Deloitte, Dyson, EY, Meta, Sony, NatWest, and multiple universities and public bodies, as well as hundreds of regional businesses, startups, artists and community groups.
Crucially, there is no single model of involvement. From hosting events and shaping programme themes to showcasing innovation or supporting international delegations, Brazen is built around long-term value and collaboration, not short-term visibility.
At its heart, Brazen is about people: the conversations that spark ideas, the collisions that create opportunity, and the community that keeps showing up. With a renewed identity and an expanded ambition, the festival is inviting organisations, partners and audiences from across the UK and beyond to help shape what comes next.
Ben Shorrock, CEO of techSPARK, commented:
“Brazen is the next evolution of everything Bristol Technology Festival and BTF+ set out to be. We’ve seen first-hand the power of bringing technology, creativity and culture into the same space, and Brazen gives us the confidence, scale and ambition to take that story beyond the city.
“This is about building a festival that people plan their year around, one that puts community first, but speaks to a national and international audience.”
Further announcements on programming, speakers and tickets will be made later this year.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.techspark.co/brazen
Bristol Creative Industries will be running events as part of Brazen Festival. Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated.
You need to load content from reCAPTCHA to submit the form. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More Information