Project Platypus: The Culture and Commerce Taskforce

I was one of two Graphic Designers to be involved in a research & development workshop that the City of London’s Culture & Commerce Taskforce had been running with 8 participants aged 16-18.

The students had all chosen a creative subject at GCSE or A Level and my role in the project was to help them visualise their ideas, guide them through the design process and offer assistance where needed. On the final day the students presented their projects while I summarised their work.

We found that students see the entry to creative professions as a linear path similar to their early education. Providing context to to the diversity of different routes people can take into creative careers was beneficial to them. We also found that the pressure they put upon themselves to come out of university as ‘perfect’ creatives was also an obstacle.