Getting out there (with a little help from Berlin)

One of my favourite parts of being an Art Director is the hunt for inspiration. Honestly, I’m something of a hoarder: pins, bookmarks, likes, the works. I even put out an internal monthly newsletter just to give all that collecting some purpose, and to justify the habit.

But collecting from behind a screen only gets you so far. I’m a firm believer that creatives need to get out into the world and see design in the flesh, and not just design, but art, architecture, sounds, smells, the full sensory brief. Our digital lives give us plenty, but nothing quite replaces standing in a new city, letting a different culture rearrange your perspective a little.

Which is exactly what I’ll be doing later this week: heading to Forward Festival, this time in Berlin, for my first proper look at the city. I caught the Vienna edition a couple of years back and came away buzzing with ideas, so I’m hoping Berlin delivers a similar hit of fresh thinking from designers and artists from around the globe. New city, familiar festival, and hopefully a decent excuse to see more of it than the venue and the nearest coffee shop.

So watch this space, or better yet, the Outlook socials, for daily dispatches straight from Berlin, followed by a full wrap-up once I’m back (Currywurst reviews included).

 Go get out there.