Building creative connections

Communication colleagues are being asked to participate in a survey by 18 October 2024 to share their areas of interest within communications. These areas could evolve into smaller, more focused communities linked to the emerging Community of Practice.

To give an idea of what it’s like to be part of one of these groups, we catch up with Mark, Senior Designer at Saïd Business School and a leader of the Oxford Creatives. This group provides a supportive space for designers and connects with the University’s wider communications community through Creative Hub sessions. Mark explains how the group got started, how he supports it and the benefits of getting involved. 

Please introduce yourself and tell us your current role.

Hi, my name is Mark. I’m the senior designer at Saïd Business School, which means that I lead the creative output. I work closely with the studio manager to ensure we maintain the school brand and deliver high-quality design work for our area. 

How long have you been involved with the Oxford Creatives community, and what inspired you to become actively involved? 

I’ve been involved with this community from the beginning. In the summer of 2022, I met with the Public Affairs Directorate's design team for an informal chat about branding and design and to introduce ourselves to one another. We had a great conversation that lasted quite a while, and we all left feeling enthused and inspired. I walked away from the meeting with a bounce in my step, thinking we should do this more often and reach out to colleagues who do similar work or could benefit from this. That meeting marked the starting point for Oxford Creatives. 

What does your role as a community leader entail?  

 My role as a community leader means actively promoting and championing Oxford Creatives within the wider University community. I organise regular meet-ups and help coordinate the Creative Hub workshops that we host. I couldn’t do all this on my own, and my network doesn’t yet reach all corners, so we have a core group of engaged members who share the load. I also try to involve community members so they feel as invested in the community as I am, so they get involved and help it thrive moving forward. 

What are the key priorities that your community focuses on?  

 As a designer, you put your heart and soul into your projects, which are very personal to you; therefore, our key priorities are to create a safe space for designers to be inspired and share good practices. We all have challenges in design; this community is there to help us get past those creative blocks, bounce ideas off each other, support development, and build a professional creative community. 

How has being part of the Oxford Creatives community benefited you both personally and professionally?  

Being a part of a community of practice has helped me stay in touch with the rest of my peers across the University. The community has given us a place to share and build brand awareness. On a personal level, it has also helped me connect with some great, like-minded designers, gain more confidence and feel less isolated. Regarding further development, I would love to invite a well-known and respected creative leader from outside the University to talk to the Oxford Creative members. 

How does the community foster collaboration and innovation among its members? 

Just because I’m a community leader, it doesn’t mean I have all the ideas. We are a creative group, after all. So, as far as innovation goes, I see my role as more of a facilitator. We encourage our members to put forward ideas, come up with sessions or workshops, provide locations for meetings, etc. Alongside the face-to-face meetings, we also have a Teams channel to enable us to all communicate, collaborate, share inspiration, talk about events we have been to and all that sort of thing.  

What advice would you give to colleagues considering joining or becoming more involved in Oxford Creatives and the wider community? 

If I had any advice for new members of our community, it would be to leap in with both feet and be inspired. We aim to be that sounding board you’ve missed or help you get past creative blocks. 

If you're looking to start a community around a new area of interest within the broader community, it can be a slow process, but keep going. It took us time to connect with designers across the University. And remember, no matter how small your group is; it's still valuable if you're gaining something from meeting and sharing ideas. 

The team would love to hear from you if you are a creative working within any part of the collegiate University and have yet to connect with the Oxford Creatives. 

To find out more, please email brandanddesign@admin.ox.ac.uk.