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Wednesday 8th June

7pm until 11pm
  • Exhibition
  • –
  • Main Event

Genesis: An interactive installation by Imbue

BDF 2022 Launch Party & Exhibition
  • Free
  • Exhibition
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
More info
8:30pm to 10:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Illustration

Drink & Draw
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 90 mins
  • The Old Crown - Courtyard
Book tickets More info

Thursday 9th June

10:00am to 1:00pm
  • Tour
  • –
  • Illustration

Freedom to Explore: a lesson in visual foraging

  • Lucky Pablo (Jane Anderson & Ally Standing)
  • Free
  • Tour
  • 180 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Food for Thought

  • Zena Kay (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 1:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Digital

The Unintended Consequences of Facebook's Metaverse

  • Santini Basra (Andthen)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 120 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11am – 5pm hourly workshops
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

The freedom of the press

  • Richard Small (Sony)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 40 mins per workshop
  • BCU Parkside
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11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Energy: Delivers more creative opportunities than talent alone

  • Shaun Loynds (Creative Director)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Softening the edges; finding creative freedom in curve & colour

  • Richard O'Gorman (Househomo)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

a-free-for-all

  • Kristian Jones (Multidisciplinary Artist & Lecturer)
  • Sarah Selby (Visual Artist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
11:00am until 5pm, drop-in
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

Birmingham Collage Collective

  • Birmingham Collage Collective
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • BCU Parkside
More info
11:00am until 3pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

RBH Portfolio Surgery
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 15 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book a Slot More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

The story of an unusual chocolate bar

  • Nicola Matthews (Tony’s Chocolonely)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
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12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Creative Freedom - Staying Playful

  • Jocie Juritz (Animation Director)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Quantum physics, goosebumps and the meaning of life

  • Matthew Jones (Accept & Proceed)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Learning to Let Go

  • Amy Victoria Marsh (Illustrator and Ceramist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Elbow Room Joy

  • Rachel Joy (Lettering Artist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Illustration, Briefs and the Creative Freedom Trap

  • Jon Cockley (Handsome Frank)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Ron Goes Right: Making an animated feature with two startup studios

  • J.P. Vine (Director & Animator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Freedom to break convention: Designing for a waste-free future

  • Harriet Cooper (Pentatonic)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Freedom Sucks

  • Jamie Ellul (Supple Studio)
  • Yee Poon (Supple Studio)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

World Building Through Character Design

  • Dan Woodger (Illustrator & Animation Director)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
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3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Do more - Think less - Learn more

  • Liam Hopkins (Lazarian)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

The edges of design

  • Laura Kalbag (Small Technology Foundation)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Crayons and credit blocks:  Behind the scenes look at designing movie poster

  • Doaly (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
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4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Mistakes I made so you don't have to

  • Jimmy Turrell (Artist & Video Director)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Pacing Information Flow in AAA Games: From the Open Worlds of Horizon, to the Sandbox That is Battlefield V

  • Ahmed Salama (Ubisoft Stockholm)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
7:00pm to 10:00pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Main Event

Freedom in Making

People, place & performance

  • Jay Blades MBE (Furniture Restorer)
  • Morag Myerscough
  • Ailbhe Keane (Izzy's Wheels)
  • Rob Lowe (Supermundane)
  • From £15
  • Talk
  • 180 mins
  • The Giant Screen
Book tickets More info

Friday 10th June

11:00am until 3pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

RBH Portfolio Surgery
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 15 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book a Slot More info
11:00am to 12:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Design for Planet tools - Systemic Design Framework

  • Cat Drew (Design Council)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 60 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:00am – 1:00pm or 2:00pm – 4:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

alternate_characters by The Typographic Circle

  • Jim Sutherland (Studio Sutherl&)
  • Alice Ishiguro Tosey (Designer / Creative)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 120 mins
  • Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Purposely Accidental: Looking for creativity in the cracks of the everyday

  • Ben Newman (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Freedom to be what you can’t see

  • Sisterhood Studio (Rebecca Thomson & Rachita Saraogi)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

The Delight of Design Research

  • Alexa Münch (Special Projects)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
11am until 5pm, drop-in
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Illustration

Make Your Mark!

Exploring composition through stamping

  • Noah Kulman & Beth Izatt (Illustrators)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • BCU Curzon
More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Typography for the people

  • Elliot Jay Stocks (Google Fonts)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11am – 5pm hourly workshops
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

The freedom of the press

  • Richard Small (Sony)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 40 mins per workshop
  • BCU Parkside
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:30am until 1:30pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Illustration

Portfolio reviews with Handsome Frank

  • Jon Cockley (Handsome Frank)
  • £5 Deposit
  • Workshop
  • 15 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book a Slot More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Digital nomads & navigating 2020 one drawing at a time

  • Michelle Turton (Illustrator, painter, and surface designer)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

What writing can do

  • Thomas Sharp (Poet & Creative Director)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Beth Cosmos talk

  • Beth Cosmos (Billy Rainwear)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Unlocking SVG’s superpowers

  • Cassie Evans (GreenSock)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Design for Planet

  • Cat Drew (Design Council)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Levelling Up: The evolution of game ui and why you should be a part of it

  • Hayley Brant (Lucid Games)
  • Helen Kaur (Rocksteady Games)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 4:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Digital

SVG animation with GSAP

  • Cassie Evans (GreenSock)
  • From £25
  • Workshop
  • 120 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

How can I be a better Designer? F37®’s Top Ten Tips

  • Annabel Welbury (F37® Foundry & F37® Studio)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Taking it to the streets

  • Venessa Scott (Artist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

The Impact of Why

  • Ashwin Chacko (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
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3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Eat with your eyes: editorial design for food

  • Holly Catford (Pit Magazine, Cheese Mag)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

PoliNations

  • Angie Bual (Trigger)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Design + Motion + me

  • Glen Yeoh (Moving Brands)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
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3:00pm to 5:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

THE OFF~CUT OUTS WORKSHOP

  • Beth Cosmos (Billy Rainwear)
  • From £25
  • Workshop
  • 120 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

The Path to Creative Freedom

  • MURUGIAH (Artist & Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Creative Hustlers: The steps to greatness!

  • DINES® (STUDIO BLUP)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

From kites to space and everything in between

  • Carl Robertshaw (Transdisciplinary designer and artist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Notes on Determinism: Bringing the Unexpected into Product

  • Neef Rehman (ustwo)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
7:00pm to 10:00pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Main Event

Freedom in Music

Sight, sound & sensation

  • Gaika (Artist & Musician)
  • Ashleigh Jadee (Film Director)
  • Kate Dawkins (Kate Dawkins Studio)
  • From £15
  • Talk
  • 180 mins
  • The Mill
Book tickets More info

Saturday 11th June

11am – 5pm hourly workshops
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Graphic

The freedom of the press

  • Richard Small (Sony)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 40 mins per workshop
  • BCU Parkside
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
11:00am to 12:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Digital

Embracing Chaos With Code

  • Neef Rehman (ustwo)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 60 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Whenever, Wherever: How Art Can Function as a Mode of Transport

  • Ella Flavell (Printmaker & Researcher)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

The Simple Path to Creative Freedom

  • June Mineyama-Smithson (MAMIMU)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Nothing About Us, Without Us: Disability & Designing Our World Inclusively

  • Amy Francis-Smith (Pinnegar Hayward Design)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 12:30pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Punch needle hoop wall hanging
  • £55.00
  • Workshop
  • 90 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
11:00am & 2:30pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Candle Workshop
  • £50
  • Workshop
  • 90 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
11:00am to 11:40am
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

PoliNations - A super virtual garden

  • Paul Reardon (Peter and Paul)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
11:00am to 2:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Summer blooms flower arranging workshop
  • £65.00
  • Workshop
  • 180 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
11:00am to 1:30pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Macrame wall hanging workshop
  • £40.00
  • Workshop
  • 150 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

On the quest to (creative) freedom

  • Sarah Boris (Artist & Designer)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Finding freedom in freelancing

  • Zoë Barker (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Lord Whitney : Freewheeling, Freedom and the Art of Making it up

  • Lord Whitney (Amy Lord & Bek Whitney)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
12:00pm to 12:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

3D African Art

  • Jeryce Dianingana (Rocksteady)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Process - Visual Journeys in Graphic Design

  • BankerWessel (Jonas Banker & Ida Wessel)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Designing the future through food

  • Lara Hanlon (Portion Collaborative)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 3:30pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Digital

PoliNations - growing a super virtual garden workshop

  • Paul Reardon (Peter and Paul)
  • Free
  • Workshop
  • 90 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Sold out More info Join waiting list?
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

The Trouble With Yellow...

  • Crispin Finn (Anna Fidalgo & Roger Kelly)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
2:00pm to 2:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Ghost Horses and Guns

  • Melanie Tomlinson (Artist)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
2:30pm to 5:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Macrame plant hanger workshop
  • £35.00
  • Workshop
  • 150 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
2:30pm to 5:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Leather clutch bag with Willow & Hive
  • £52.00
  • Workshop
  • 150 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
2:30pm to 5:00pm
  • Workshop
  • –
  • Product

Paperdolls: Crafting with dried flowers with Angela Maynard
  • £50.00
  • Workshop
  • 150 mins
  • Factory Works, Digbeth
Book (external) More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Keep on Drawing - Working Your Way Through a Creative Block

  • Holly Wales (Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Forget what you know and start again: Two decades of being creatively restless

  • Simon Dixon (DixonBaxi)
  • Aporva Baxi (DixonBaxi)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

Everything old is new again

  • Sam Frith (Solus)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
3:00pm to 3:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Freedom to fail: How we become our most creative when we have the freedom to fail

  • Liz Hamburger (RIVAL)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Illustration

Drawn to space

  • Rob Turpin (Designer & Illustrator)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Curzon
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Graphic

Design and Art

  • SPIN (Jonas Zieher & Tony Brook)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU Parkside
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Product

The Design Effect

  • Gurtake Singh (Gensler)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • BCU STEAMhouse
Book tickets More info
4:00pm to 4:40pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Digital

Finding Flow: Discovering our purpose as a studio

  • Karl Doran (Flow)
  • Free
  • Talk
  • 40 mins
  • Innovation Birmingham Campus
Book tickets More info
7:00pm to 10:00pm
  • Talk
  • –
  • Main Event

Freedom in Expression

DIY, Doing & Disruption

  • Richard Turley (Corporate Shill (and design legend))
  • Mr. Bingo (Artist)
  • Gabriella Marcella (RISOTTO)
  • Arisa Sudangnoi (Playdate)
  • From £15
  • Talk
  • 180 mins
  • The Crossing
Book tickets More info

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