Whether you're in the design industry already, a graduate or studying design at uni, many of us creative people are feeling a niggling sense of unease about how things are changing and where things are going. Above and beyond the obvious impact of AI, structures have broken down, the traditional agency model is in transition and many roles are in question. Maybe you're someone who's embracing this change, and enjoying the state of flux. Whoever you are and whatever your point of view, we welcome it. For our third Huddle, we’re going to dig deep into this change – what it means, how we feel about it and importantly, how we can adapt and thrive. We'll be welcoming 5 speakers, each representing a key theme: Luke Tonge – Community Luke is a graphic designer (& occasional lecturer), originally from Nottinghamshire and now, via Falmouth, proudly flying the flag for the West Midlands. With a passion for craft, nourished by pop culture, his practise focuses on creating compelling identity & editorial work for brands, agencies and charities. As co-director of Birmingham Design, the organisation responsible for the Birmingham Design Festival & Gather, he spends much of his time championing the creative community and mentoring the next generation. He is very into kindness, fun and wearing shorts. Laura Parke – Education Laura is a Bristol-based educator and designer. She’s been teaching graphic design for over 20 years in the UK and internationally, including at the Hong Kong Design Institute, the British Higher School of Art & Design Moscow, and Liverpool School of Art. She currently works at the University of the West of England. She is the co-founder of Imperfect Index, a publishing project and series of small talks that aims to deconstruct the graphic design canon by giving space to ideas and projects that look towards a more diverse future in design practice and education. Her work has been shown at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, The Whitworth in Manchester, Islington Mill in Salford, Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival, and the Liverpool Independents Biennial. Ellen Moriarty – Agency Ellen joined Taxi Studio as Associate Creative Director in 2025, bringing over a decade of brand-building experience and with big ambitions to help shape the studio’s next wave of distinctive, culture-shaping design for clients such as Coca Cola. She was previously at Jones Knowles Ritchie, where she worked across both legacy and challenger brands, and helped lead the rebrand of the RSPCA. A collaborative leader with a passion for crafting distinctive brand worlds, Ellen is passionate about creating meaningful work that connects deeply with people and endures culturally. Athena Cauley-Yu – Craft Athena is the owner of Meticulous Ink, a luxury letterpress print company in Bath and maker of stunning bespoke stationery. From wedding invitations to personal stationery, she creates beautiful covetable craft on their antique presses dating from 1870. Alongside their own-brand greeting cards and stationery, stocked at Liberty, Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges, Meticulous Ink has collaborated with Mulberry, Burberry and Anthropologie, and often work with high-profile private clients. Athena has appeared on Channel 4 over the years as a craft expert on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas and Celebrity Craft Masters. A self-titled stationery geek, she loves collecting niche stationery related skills and running print can calligraphy workshops. Alec Tear – Practise Alec is an independent British designer and lettering artist with an extensive background in brand identity and packaging design. A relatively new arrival to Bristol after moving from Amsterdam, Alec collaborates with creative agencies and draws on a network of independent specialists. He combines conceptual creative thinking with his unwavering passion for typography to create bold, original work for brands around the world. As with all our Huddle events, it will be a pared-back, screen free talk – rather like a live podcast. Audience involvement is VERY welcome. Join us! ––– What time should I get there? Doors open 6pm. Talks start 6.45pm. Come early, grab a drink, and make the most of your evening. Information on tickets Please ensure you use the correct email address. You will be emailed your ticket and you‘ll need to show proof on the night door, either as a print-out or on your phone/device. We cannot refund or exchange tickets. We only refund tickets if the event gets cancelled. We often photograph WEDF events – please let us know if you'd prefer not to be photographed.

Entry requirements: no age restrictions (under 18s to be accompanied by an adult over 21yrs, 1:1 ratio) — Read more — Read less