THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

In May, I was delighted to attend the Northern Design Festival in Lancaster.

My word, what an amazing job by Niamh Cartwright, Toni Arbova and the whole team of superb volunteers - professional, fun and inspiring 💥 

Above all, it demonstrated the energy, creativity and commitment of a new generation to help build a thriving design sector.

The theme this year was 'Transparency and Trust' and I was honoured to chair an awesome panel discussing what is becoming a key topic across many sectors right now. Rohit Sharma Olivia Hampson Joanna Tulej Ya'Qub Mir’ - thanks for your help in making it great fun and insightful.

There were many highlights at NDF including Simon Dixon's ‘Design Journey’, David Sedgwick & Katy Cowan's chat over a pint - impressive work from DBD - there were foiling and ceramic workshops, networking, portfolio reviews and many many other top activities. 

Lastly, this was also a slightly indulgent trip down memory lane for me - I loved my time at Lancaster University back in the 90s - in fact it’s where I met my wife ❤️ So it was great to revisit some familiar haunts on campus and in town but also see the Uni really grow and develop. In partnership with hashtag#NDF and its talented student and graduates, long may it continue…

#NDF #design #transparency

Find out more here and join us in 2026: https://northerndesignfestival.co.uk/