Making Play, Work.
St Bride Foundation, 6.30pm complimentary drinks for 7pm start.
——————
In this talk, Chris Clarke; Editorial Creative Director at The Guardian — explores the transformative power of play in creative work, leadership, and culture. Drawing from over 15 years at the heart of news design and storytelling, Chris weaves together personal projects, editorial campaigns, and global design challenges to show how curiosity, experimentation, and silliness aren’t distractions from serious work; but the beating heart of it.
Chris reveals how embracing play as a strategy has helped drive purpose-driven design at one of the world’s most trusted news brands. It's about purposeful play: building space for curiosity, risk, and experimentation inside complex systems and serious institutions. Because play isn’t childish. It’s radical. And in a world being flattened by algorithms and conformity, it might just be your biggest advantage. This is a talk for anyone trying to lead with creativity, protect originality under pressure, or simply remember why they started doing this in the first place.
——————
Chris Clarke, a London-based Creative Director, Graphic Artist, and Musician, is The Guardian's Editorial Creative Director, leading award-winning teams and shaping major editorial projects. Beyond his professional role, Chris produces typographic graphic art, collaborating on message-focused projects that balance understated craftsmanship with playful expression.
