Design Can

🎉‘Delivering for Freelancers: Creative UK’s proposal for a new Freelance Champion Role’ is a paper outlining the huge impact of freelancers on the cultural and creative industries. With 70% of employees identified as freelance (with many operating through a mix of short-term PAYE contracts and self-employment), they often fall short of support, access and protection. This report compiled by Amy Tarr and Harry Gault outlines the potential impact of a new Freelance Champion role, to work across government departments to ensure the perspectives of freelancers are consistently embedded within policy decision making. Embedding inclusion and addressing structural inequities is central to the Champion’s role to help surface gaps and ensure that policies and practices ensure that issues of fair treatment, financial inclusion and equitable opportunity for freelancers - particularly those from underrepresented groups - are addressed systematically, rather than reactively. 🔥 Freelancers are not a marginal group; rather they are essential. Are you a freelancer? What’s your take? Head over to to download the report, or to our resources page. @wearecreativeuk Team DC #areyouusingyourpower #designcan #frelancer #report #wearecrative

Apply before 17 November! Two years after the illegal felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, the @nationaltrust is launching a major creative commission to mark its legacy and inspire a renewed connection with nature. The commission aims to transform the story of the Sycamore Gap into a powerful symbol of hope, creativity and connection with the natural world. Around half of the tree’s timber will be made available for the project. Artists, organisations and creative agencies are invited to submit proposals that will breathe life into the wood saved from the felled tree. Up to five shortlisted artists will receive funding to develop their ideas, with one final concept selected in early 2026. Apply via @nationaltrust . 📸 Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall | © John Millar. #Tree #Creative #Commission #Nature #Sycamore #Timber #Wood #UK #Landscape

In Conversation Beyond the Box and Design Can invited Akif Rahman and Barakat Omomayowa to sit down with Yinka Ilori MBE at the unveiling of Walk With Your Dreams in Milton Keynes Station Square. The UK’s largest mural sets the stage for a powerful exchange on community, heritage, and storytelling. 🎥 This is Part 1 of our 3-part interview series with Yinka Ilori. #WalkWithYourDreams #YinkaIlori #BeyondTheBox #DesignCan #MiltonKeynes

Ever heard of the curb cut effect? It’s one of the most influential metaphors about accessible design from the early history of computing, and as @eejackson writes in ‘Thank You For Your Feedback Loop’, it’s a classic example of how designers have profoundly failed disabled people. Here’s a snippet: ‘The logic of the curb cut effect is not “a mantra from the disability community” as Microsoft has since attempted to claim…The research of Elizabeth Petrick, associate professor of history at Rice University shows that curb cut rhetoric was “deployed by computer engineers, as a metaphor to persuade stakeholders (often, their employers) to invest in making personal computers accessible.” Clearly written and packed full of history, we couldn’t recommend the piece enough. Find the full feature via @eejackson . #Disabled #Disability #Design #History #Microsoft

🦔 @openarea_ is a new platform using cultural programming to reframe how people and communities interact with nature in accessible and culturally relevant ways. 👏 It’s launch coincides with the fifth anniversary of @flocktogether.world – Ollie Olanipekun’s trailblazing bird watching club for people of colour, now an international movement redefining nature as something that belongs to everyone. Between 30 Sept and 5 Oct, Camley St Nature Park in King Cross will become a site for performances, installation, intervention, joy, play and gallivanting as we ‘celebrate our shared space’. With incredible people lined up join these kin folk, to connect to nature. @joelsp_ @daryanknoblauch @elliot_fox @chairlieboy @rachymcewan @charlottewerth_ @lordtusk @jovial3 @roxannetataei @spf50.project @crematelondon + more. Follow their incredible work to stay up to date with all things connection and culture. Team DC #areyouusingyourpower #designcan #connection #openarea #flocktogetherworld

This report by @wearecreativeuk benchmarks the gaps in leadership diversity. Many in the creative and cultural sectors have been measuring inequality for years so these statistics are not new to us. However, what Creative UK have done is collate benchmarks that can tell a bigger story about how diversity is mapped across team structures – and crucially, how it is reflected in our sector’s leadership. For the first time, they have pulled together existing data sets to map out the sector’s leadership diversity as a whole: marking a line in the sand from where progress can, and should, be made. Some key findings: 🕴 88% of the arts, culture and heritage workforce is White 🏄 only 37% of the creative industries workforce are women ❤️ just 17% have a disabilityJust 17.3% of UK-based directors are from working-class backgrounds in Film, TV & Video. 🦈 In video games, only 10% of Directors/CEOs and 12% of managerial staff were from a working-class background. ✍ 17% of C-suite-level roles are held by those from working-class backgrounds in advertising. ⚡ Across the Creative Industries, only 21% of those in managerial positions were from working-class backgrounds. We believe equity is not just a nice to have, but essential across all levels of seniority for proven benefits to profit, positive work culture and sector progression. What do you think? Download the report at report.wearecreative.uk/diversity-leaders-report By Sarah Gregory and George Vincent. Team DC #areyouusingyourpower #designcan

💡Open House Festival is on! From 13-21 September you can discover more about London’s unique architecture and built environment. There are nearly 4 million buildings in London - ever wondered what they are all about? Here is our curated list of places and spaces to bring you closer to your city. 🤸 Moments of Resistance and Renewal, by Jos Boys. A celebration of groups and projects that value alternative ways of living, working and learning, beyond the profit motive. Find brilliant events including tours of Graeae, UK’s flagship disabled-led theatre company, and the Museum of Transology. @josontheline 13-21 Sept, Drop in ✈️ Discover Croydon’s Forgotten Aviation Glory in this special event! ✨Join local Will Noble, author of Croydonopolis for an illuminating talk on the golden age of Croydon Airport—once the busiest in Britain! @croydonopolis 17 September 2025, 19:00–20:30, West Croydon 📸The Purpose of Light: Exhibition by Misan Harriman. This landmark exhibition bears witness to significant moments, not with judgment or ideology, but with an unflinching empathy for the human condition. Featuring 110 unique photographs, this exhibition calls for togetherness. @misanharriman 13-21 Sept, Drop in, Oxford Circus 🌙Muslim Heritage Tour! A captivating journey through the City of London with the Muslim Heritage Tour. Discover the deep connections of Salahuddin Ayubi - marvel at the UK’s oldest Muslim statues, dating back 1000 years. Friday 19 & Saturday 20 Sept, various times, booking required, Temple ▶️You Play Croydon by MATT+FIONA. Bring your imagination to life in a big build! Using recycled materials, cardboard, colourful and some nifty fixings. Reimagine an eco-friendly, joyful Croydon of the future. @matt_and_fiona Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 Sept, 11:00 - 16:00, booking required, West Croydon. 💌Interested in all things print and publishing, print and archive? Don’t skip Sahra Hersi’s list including Riso Print geniuses; Rabbits Road Press and City of Westminster Archive, and it’s extraordinary collection telling the story of London and its people. @sahra_hersi 13-21 Sept, online Visit .uk

DC Guest Edit: Sabrina Tirvengadum
 For this edition of DC Guest Edit, we asked visual artist and founder of WAH @wereallhuman.uno , Sabrina Tirvengadum- whose collective makes digital spaces inclusive, accessible and joyfully human - what interconnectedness means to them: “Interconnectedness and community mean building spaces where people can share stories, learn from each other, grow together and feel seen.” In this Edit, Sabrina shares people and organisations that embody this spirit: Submit to Love Studios / Headway East London A collective studio in Hackney run by artists with brain injury. Their mission, “discovery through art,” advocates for creativity by and for everyone. @headwayeastlondon @submittolovestudios Compiler
Led by Tanya Boyarkina & Oscar Cass Darweish, Compiler explores digital art and critical tech through accessible exhibitions and talks. @compilerzone @neyanoya @o_s_c_d Dialogue Café
A space committed to inclusion, encouraging orders in BSL and conversations with Deaf and hard of hearing baristas. @dialogue.hub Autograph
Champions artists using photography and film to explore race, identity and justice. They focus on empowering artists and helping audiences see differently. @autographabp Wheels and Wheelchairs
Led by activist Isaac Harvey, wheelchair users and skaters ride side by side, from park laps to European roller marathons. @wheelsandwheelchairs @iamisaacharvey Rabbits Road Press
Risograph print studio and press founded by OOMK. They run workshops and community projects supporting local artists and writers to share their work. @rabbitsroadpress @oomkzine Crip Cinema Archive
An archive of films made by and with disabled people, reframing cinema history through a disability justice lens. Created by Emily Simmons. @cripcinemaarchive @emilysmmns Yoga & Pints
Led by Davy Lazare & Liz Quach, they bring men together to stretch, move and reflect on masculinity. A safe space for men to be vulnerable and find new connections. @yogaandpints @davylazare Thank you, Sabrina, for curating this DC Guest Edit and sharing your community. Go explore and support these brilliant spaces. Team DC #designcan #areyouusingyourpower

@l_d_f_official is celebrating creativity, innovation and design across the city this September and we’ve listed the 5 most exciting events to get yourself over to during the festival. Kaalchakra कालचक्र by @onscreenartstudio studio is an exploration of cyclical time, drawing upon South Asian cosmologies and ecological rhythms; rather than presenting time as something to chase or conquer, this exhibition offers it as something to inhabit. Out of Orifice by @h_e_i_r_l_o_o_m presents a collection of 36 objects designed to enter the body. The show asks questions about whether and why the objects we put into ourselves inspire trust or spark joy – and how we can make them better. Sense Scapes @designmuseum sees Kingston School of Art @curatingdesign students intervene in the Dame Sylvia Crowe Garden to support those living with Alzheimer's to interact with the world more inclusively. You can also catch a showcase of their immensely beautiful work at the school itself. @andumasebo presents A GOOD IDEA, starting Saturday 13th, part of A Softer World, curated by @tiwa_select for @brompton_design_district In collaboration with @gfsmithpapers , @erectarchitecture invites people of all ages to create 3D paper sculptures inspired by artist @lacey.ferri 's work as an exercise in community engagement and a showcase of sustainability. We’ll be sharing more finds over the festival, so follow along for more updates! Team DC #areyouusingyourpower #designcan #ldf25

Ethics in Design, AI + Social Mobility, Design and Disability on centre stage: this is our Round Up 🔈 📌 @itsnicethat  ask "is there such a thing as an ethical designer?" Designers share their experiences, the logistics and risks of rejecting work on moral grounds, with ideas on how to keep afloat whilst maintaining some personal integrity. 📌 A story in @nytimes  spotlights @vamuseum  Design and Disability, noting how the exhibit 'goes beyond the precepts of "universal design" to celebrate particular identities and bodies.' 📌 What happens to social mobility in the age of AI? It's not good, according to this analysis in The Critic: 'Social mobility will become progressively locked as AI progresses. What is at risk is not simply job loss, but the very idea of income distribution.' Let us know which of these stories makes you pause for thought? Team DC #areyouusingyourpower #designcan #newsradar #disability #designethics #equalopportunities #diversity #equity #inclusion #access #socialmobility #class

✨Ones to watch – World Design Congress 2025 ✨ The World Design Congress returns to the UK for the first time since 1969 — taking place at the Barbican from 9–10 September 2025! ‘Design for Planet’ is this year's theme – exploring the effects of climate change and design’s crucial role in helping to reduce carbon emissions and increase biodiversity. This is a moment to convene as an industry and come together to accelerate design's power in building a regenerative future for all. The lineup is truly impressive. Our highlights of who should be on your radar are: PRIYA KHANCHANDANI Write, Curator, Broadcaster @hiyapriya SAMSON SAHMLAND-BOWLING Director of Energy Makers Academy and Open Energy Labs @openenergylabs @energymakersacademy SUHAIR KHAN Creative and Technology Leader @suhairk @openended.design TOM ADEYOOLA Executive Chair, Innovate UK CHARLOT MAGAYI Founder / CEO of Mukuru Stoves charlotmagayi @mukurucleanstoves CÉLINE SEMAAN Founder, Slow Factory & environmental justice advocate. @celinecelines @everything_political @theslowfactory PETER GITAU Senior Programme Coordinator of Energy Makers Academy and Open Energy Labs @openenergylabs @energymakersacademy INDY JOHAR Architect & Cofounder of Dark Matter Labs @darkmatter_labs KAVYA SAXENA Director, Khamir @khamircrafts MICHAEL BENNETT Spatial Designer & Philanthropist @mosesbread72 @studioker NATSAI AUDREY CHIEZA Founder & CEO of Faber Futures @natsaiaudrey @faberfutures POOJA AGRAWAL CEO & Founder of Public Practice @public.practice PRIYA AHLUWALIA Creative Director and Founder, Aluwalia @ahluwalia Hosted by @designcouncil Team DC #designcan #areyouusingyourpower #worlddesigncongress #designcouncil #diversevoices #designforplanet

You are invited to NAN’s first public event hosted by The Fitzrovia Chapel and with support from Grimshaw Architects! NAN - Neurodiversity Architecture Network CIC - has invited three spatial practitioners to discuss Intersectional Neurodiverse Experiences in Architecture and Design Practice and Education. Drawing on their stories and our collective experiences we hope to raise awareness about the often overlooked intersectional implications in spatial practices and education. Trigger Warnings: Some of the speakers may talk about sensitive topics including suicide as well as personal traumatic experiences. Please keep this in mind when attending the event. Blue Badge Parking: Cleveland Street: 2 bays on west side. Max 4 hours Cleveland Street: 1 bay on east side. Unlimited Berners Street: 2 spaces Nearest Tube Stations: Goodge Street Station ~ 5 min walk Warren Street Station ~ 12 min walk Oxford Circus Station ~ 12 min walk Tottenham Court Road Station ~ 15 min walk Great Portland Street ~ 15 min walk Please note that this event will be recorded and there will be a photographer please keep this in mind and let us know on the day and on the form if you don't want to be photographed. Please contact Luisa (the organizer) if cost is a barrier or if you have any other questions at [email protected] Find out more: /e/intersectional-neurodiverse-experiences-tickets-1598570380039?aff=oddtdtcreator @accessify_uk @_designcan__ @achapmanmiller @jwpthomas @nazneenayyubwood @fitzroviachapel @lupereirapires We would like to take this opportunity to thank @fitzroviachapel for offering us the space in kind and to @grimshawarch for their kind donation to the project.