Welcome to 2026! We’re kicking off the year by announcing our 26 for ‘26. The annual list brings together a wide range of people blurring the lines between creativity and activism.
With any luck, you've managed to clear your holiday inbox – now say hello to a stellar line-up of architects and artists, designers, researchers and tech pioneers, and so much more. Together, they are redrawing the blueprint on empowering communities and challenging the profit-obsessed, climate destabilising status quo.
The full list is: @nateagbetu ; @seyiakiwowo ; @thisiskarimali ; @bakhtawer.haider + @bettybrunfaut ; @elizalicollin ; Joel De Mowbray; @daisygreenwell ; @laurenharewood_ ; Paula Harriott; @_sophiehaydock_ ; @kaddyjatta ; @semlee ; @naviedm ; Nick Mailer; @petramarko ; @kshitija__m ; @nyimamurry ; @greenpartyzack ; Damayanthi Ponnuthurai; James Reeves; @mad.e.leiner ; João Prates Vital Ruivo; @kaye.song ; @christie.wip ; @rosawhiteley ; and @lillianwilkie .
You can find all their bios and brilliance at zetteler.co.uk/news (link in bio!), and we’d like to thank everyone involved, these generous people for accepting, the Zetteler team for putting forth nominations, and @itsart.studio for creating this years graphics ♥️
We’ll be shouting out each individual over the coming weeks. Until then, happy new year!
#Architecture #Design #Art #Activism #Climate
They’re not going to do anything, but we all can. Stop funding this global capitalist militarised nightmare via your coffees, burgers, home entertainment, cosmetics, anything you spend your money on. If you think there’s nothing you can do - that’s a choice you’re making. This is all funded by money and remember, a lot of that is your money and the corporations you openly cheer for and invest in by giving them your cash. Download the @nothanks_app and make better choices 💸 Boycott. Divest. Sanction. NOW 💙 @collecteurs
Two big numbers today: Zetteler is 13 years old and a proud 4-day working week employer!
Our founder @sabinezetteler represented Zetteler in the House of Commons last Tuesday 21 October as part of the @4dayweekfoundation ’s event that brought together MPs, business leaders and trade unionists. This was the very first Working Time Council meeting, a body that is advising the government on a possible transition to a four-day working week in the UK.
There is a growing body of evidence for the positive social and economic impacts of a 4-day working week – and events like this are essential to putting the case forward to politicians. In 2026, it will be a century of the 5-day working week. What was then a major leap forward is now assumed to be something that can’t change; but it’s time to evolve further!
Our company was founded in 2012, so it felt quite special to join a chorus of voices demanding change as we enter our teenage years!
📸 Images courtesy @4dayweekfoundation
#4dayWorkingWeek #4day #Workers #Employers #Politics #UK #Business #Zetteler #HouseOfCommons
Watched AUTHORS OF THE ESTATE again three times this *week* (thanks for the biggest and best view @connorrankin ) as it’s one of THE most beautiful short films about one of THE most incredible projects, by @abdou__cisse , @freedom_balance + @nabil_alkinani and many others. It’s 21 mins and available for free on YouTube. I’ll watch it endless times. I actually think it’s perfect 📽️
The power, beauty and necessity of telling your own story amid a toxic media landscape and culture that reduces people to fictional stereotypes, with absolute intention. Relentless goosebumps watching people redefine who they are without apology.
This film and everyone in it fills me with hope about what we can do when we organise, when we listen, when we enable, empower and act. Endless respect to André and Nabil and everything they’ve built ♥️
A very special trip to @tippingpointeast yesterday with lots of @_zetteler_ friends old and new, thanks to everyone who came with us and asked all their questions 🩵
Honestly, in times like these, visiting a project filled with hope, determination, love, grit, action, community, care and collaboration is so important! I am so utterly grateful to the teams at @yesmakeldn@resolvecollective and @material_cultures both for making TPE exist (this stuff doesn’t happen by magic - even if they make it look like it is - it is hard work!) but also for trusting us to help them tell its many, many stories in partnership with their teams. This is hope in action.
Do follow their feed. Book in trips to visit with your friends and businesses! It’s a charity so there are small fees - but that money goes to funding this miracle of a project and it’s a big effort to welcome people on site and deliver tours 💛 Support them however you can.
Massive love to everyone involved.
Massive love to everyone who joined us.
Watch this space!
A milestone in East Bank’s journey. This Saturday, V&A East Museum opens its doors to the public for the first time, as part of East Bank in the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 🌞
V&A East Museum is co-created with young people, creatives, and east Londoners, and celebrates making and creativity’s power to bring change. And, inspired by the Museum’s inaugural exhibition ‘The Music is Black: A British Story’, the East Bank festival directed by @tamsinace will encompass a programme of music, exhibitions, talks, screenings, dance and digital content, with choreographer-curated club nights and social dance events at Sadler’s Wells East; free talks, screenings and exhibitions presented by UCL and London College of Fashion, UAL; and unique contributions from the BBC, diving deep into the history of Black British music. Events will take place at all East Bank institutions, alongside a training academy designed to amplify local talent and build a career pipeline into the creative industries.
Watch this space!
Photo credit: Hufton+Crow and V&A East
The best thing you can do for your country, your kids, your friends, your family, your colleagues, your neighbours and our beautiful shared planet is to vote @thegreenparty 🌍
An incredibly inspiring campaign - well done to the tens of thousands of people who made this moment happen and to @hannahtheplumbermcr + @greenpartyzack for inspiring us all the way!
I’m out all day canvassing in Hackney tomorrow - come along - it will take all of us 🌱🌾 Our brighter collective future has just been power charged! Lets GO 📣📣📣📣📣📣
Our door @_zetteler_ 🩷🧡💚
Encouraging as much participation as possible for this @togetheralliance march on 28 March 2026 here in London! This needs to be a biggest collection of people on the streets to send a clear and direct message to the far right that everyone is welcome. Get it in your diary 🗓️
Community print by @bookeralex 💙
Our founder @sabinezetteler speaks with @artsprofessional.co.uk about the people who have inspired her life and career!
She speaks about having a laugh during childhood jobs with her former neighbour and best friend Suzanne, the long lasting and meaningful impact of Alain de Botton’s book Status Anxiety, how friend and artist @bisilanoha lives and breathes (and makes) her values and what we can all learn from the inspiring campaign of @zohrankmamdani .
And how architectural designer and activist @chrislaing_ “had a very personal impact on me. I had my first hearing test just before I started Zetteler and, over the years, I became Deaf and entirely dependent on my hearing aids. I was originally hesitant about using the term Deaf because my hearing aids enabled me to hear fairly well. A conversation with Chris changed my perspective and helped me to understand the value of language around disability: I went from being an ally to being disabled.”
Read the full piece online via @artsprofessional.co.uk !
📸 Photo by @taranwilkhu , social graphic by @zarashasorecreative .
#Career #Workplace #Zetteler #Deaf #Communications
Went super analogue (and extremely childish) with my family presents this Christmas 🎄 And by the end of 2026 these little tins will be filled with adoring - and stupid - lil messages from our loved ones to open on difficult days to remind us all of what we mean to one another 👀
Was my little anti AI, anti consumerism, anti convenient contribution to things (though I did need to buy some books for people too). I’m no artist and had never used enamel paints before - but I did wanna make something personal, jolly, clumsy, time-consuming and useful… and that’s all we can do innit 🔴🟠🟡🪩🟢🔵🟣
