5 key takeaways from Birmingham Design Festival

Being able to get out there and hear from industry leaders first-hand is always a masterclass in inspiration, and Birmingham Design Festival gave us exactly that. Spread across various venues, this annual festival brings together designers, business owners, students and other creative folks from all walks of life to explore creativity based around an annual theme. This year, the theme was a change, and we were all in for a treat.  

The design team headed over there on Friday to take in a few of the talks and soak up the general atmosphere. Here are a few of our takeaways from the talks we attended. 

James White told us to commit to the craft

James started drawing when he was just four, and this talk took us from then, right through to today. He explored a 45-year journey, complete with archive footage. Starting with his childhood drawings on typewriter paper through to some of the major projects he’s worked on. 

For James, it was both the big and small key moments that guided his path, and hindsight certainly played a part in how he developed and grew as a creator. It was great to see the part that those early influences, side projects and his curiosity played in the process. 

Our takeaway was that creative identity is built through persistence, not shortcuts. James showed that finding your style comes from years of experimentation, influence and incremental improvement.

Akiko Stehrenberger suggested looking back to move forward 

Akiko Sternburger is an award-winning movie poster art director, illustrator and designer. Throughout her career she’s worked with a host of directors, movie studios, advertising and movie advertising agencies. She has a vast portfolio, including artwork for the TV series The Last of Us, which definitely caused a fair amount of envy back at webdna HQ.  

For us, her argument that originality often comes from reinterpreting what already exists certainly struck a chord. Akiko’s work proves that drawing from art history, culture and subtle symbolism can transform familiar ideas into something fresh and new. As a team, we felt that this is something that would stay with us when approaching new projects. 

James Ortiz said balance technique with authenticity

James Ortiz may well be the closest we’ll ever get to puppetry royalty! And he’s also a performer, director, designer and playwright. This individual lives and breathes creativity and it was an absolute joy to hear about his career and experiences. 

James told us that great puppetry, and great art in general, relies on a delicate balance of technical skill, artistic vision, and performance. He highlighted the importance of staying true to what excites you personally, rather than diluting your vision to try to please everyone. 

Of course, in day-to-day life it’s a much more delicate balancing act when you’re trying to achieve a client’s goals. But there was something to be learned about trying to please everyone, particularly where there are multiple stakeholders involved. As designers, we bring experience and creativity to a project. It’s important to listen to what excites us and bring our clients along with us on a journey while demonstrating that we have listened and understood what success looks like to them. 

Edit Studio discussed building for longevity

Karen Hughes and  Khadija Kapacee are Co-founders of Birmingham-based EDIT studio, which specialises in creating brands and campaigns for cultural organisations. It was really valuable to hear about their experiences and to discover how many of our values and ways of working overlap. We also picked up some useful tips and fresh perspectives that we'll definitely be putting into practice.

We really connected with the idea that the best brands are built to last, not just launch. Their case studies showed how the strongest identities come from authenticity, flexibility and building on what already makes an organisation unique. It felt reassuring to hear this echoed by another agency, as it's something we strive for in our own work every day.

Frankie Ratford suggested we trust our gut 

Frankie is an all-round vibrant human being who specialises in design. We loved her energy and are big fans of the entire look and feel of her brand. It’s a great example of how you can use design to help users get an authentic feel for what you’re all about.  

Frankie told us to own our niche and trust our instincts, with a talk centred on embracing spontaneity, saying yes to opportunities and giving ourselves permission to shape a career that feels true to us. Reading it back, it all seems pretty obvious, but in the busy day-to-day, it's easy to lose sight of these simple principles. As designers, we're not immune to imposter syndrome, so it was a timely reminder to trust our experience and lean into what makes webdna different. In short: Frankie told us to relax. 

All in all, it was a great festival to be a part of, and if there was a common thread connecting all of these speakers, it’s that authenticity and patience are the ultimate competitive advantages. Whether you are building a brand or defining your personal style, success lies in trusting the process and staying true to your unique perspective.