Festival
Upstart Festival 2026
Supported by the Adobe Foundation
Find out more
Group Mentorship Sessions
Join 30 minute group sessions with mentors from the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme's mentorship scheme
Book on the day from 10.30am
Timings:
11:30-12:00
13:30-14:00
14:45-15:15
The Mentors:
GYMNASIUM Studio
Inside the World of Graphic Design for Fashion Brands
GYMNASIUM Studio is a London-based, full-service design practice working across architecture, fashion, culture, technology and hospitality. Their work blends strategy, design and storytelling to build brands, websites and systems that last.nside the World of Illustration for Fashion Brands -
Brindha Kumar
Inside the World of Illustration for Fashion Brands
Brindha Kumar is a Malaysian illustrator based in London. Her work merges traditional Southeast Asian influences with contemporary digital abstraction, resulting in bold, layered compositions that explore the space between heritage and modernity. She has worked with global brands including Porsche, Apple, Selfridges, Lush, Adidas, and Starbucks.
Marija Marc
Passion Project to Paid Gig: How to Turn Personal Projects into Client Work
Marija Marc is a London-based designer who’s passionate about identity, motion, and all things bold. She’s been inspired by her time at Uncommon, Dazed Studio, and Sony Music. Her work is all about visual storytelling, spanning culture, fashion, music, and what is happening in the world today. She really enjoys creating designs that feel alive, expressive, and connected to our culture.
Leonidas Liolios
How I Got Here: Real Talk on Starting Out in Your Creative Career
Leonidas Liolios (he/him) is a graphic communication designer, publisher and educator. His practice focuses on exhibition design and creative direction for museums, galleries and cultural institutions. Select clients include Aesop, Central Saint Martins, Chatsworth and Wellcome Collection. Leonidas lectures across Graphic Communication Design and Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins and is the founder and editor of The Boy Is Beautiful magazine.
Dean Richardson
Building Your Creative Brand Online: How to Promote Yourself and Your Work on Social Media
Dean Richardson is the founder of YUCK, a motion-first studio that specialises in visualising sound. Drawing on his dual background in design and music, he leads creative direction for artists, labels and cultural institutions including Universal Music, Sony Music, XL Recordings and Glastonbury Festival.
The Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme provides young artists and creatives with real-world job, mentorship, and networking opportunities from Adobe and their committed brand partners, with paid freelance commission opportunities with teams at Adobe, mentorship and placements in leading companies in the industry and real briefs.
To learn more: https://www.behance.net/resources/apprenticeship
To apply: https://www.behance.net/resources/commissions
This event is part of Upstart a creative careers festival. Join us to explore and expand your creative practice, meet inspiring artists and designers from the fashion and textiles industry, develop your network and learn new skills for your creative career journey.
Download the programme on the right-hand side of this page.
The Adobe Creative Residency is supported by the Adobe Foundation.
Timings:
11:30-12:00
13:30-14:00
14:45-15:15
The Mentors:
GYMNASIUM Studio
Inside the World of Graphic Design for Fashion Brands
GYMNASIUM Studio is a London-based, full-service design practice working across architecture, fashion, culture, technology and hospitality. Their work blends strategy, design and storytelling to build brands, websites and systems that last.nside the World of Illustration for Fashion Brands -
Brindha Kumar
Inside the World of Illustration for Fashion Brands
Brindha Kumar is a Malaysian illustrator based in London. Her work merges traditional Southeast Asian influences with contemporary digital abstraction, resulting in bold, layered compositions that explore the space between heritage and modernity. She has worked with global brands including Porsche, Apple, Selfridges, Lush, Adidas, and Starbucks.
Marija Marc
Passion Project to Paid Gig: How to Turn Personal Projects into Client Work
Marija Marc is a London-based designer who’s passionate about identity, motion, and all things bold. She’s been inspired by her time at Uncommon, Dazed Studio, and Sony Music. Her work is all about visual storytelling, spanning culture, fashion, music, and what is happening in the world today. She really enjoys creating designs that feel alive, expressive, and connected to our culture.
Leonidas Liolios
How I Got Here: Real Talk on Starting Out in Your Creative Career
Leonidas Liolios (he/him) is a graphic communication designer, publisher and educator. His practice focuses on exhibition design and creative direction for museums, galleries and cultural institutions. Select clients include Aesop, Central Saint Martins, Chatsworth and Wellcome Collection. Leonidas lectures across Graphic Communication Design and Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins and is the founder and editor of The Boy Is Beautiful magazine.
Dean Richardson
Building Your Creative Brand Online: How to Promote Yourself and Your Work on Social Media
Dean Richardson is the founder of YUCK, a motion-first studio that specialises in visualising sound. Drawing on his dual background in design and music, he leads creative direction for artists, labels and cultural institutions including Universal Music, Sony Music, XL Recordings and Glastonbury Festival.
The Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme provides young artists and creatives with real-world job, mentorship, and networking opportunities from Adobe and their committed brand partners, with paid freelance commission opportunities with teams at Adobe, mentorship and placements in leading companies in the industry and real briefs.
To learn more: https://www.behance.net/resources/apprenticeship
To apply: https://www.behance.net/resources/commissions
This event is part of Upstart a creative careers festival. Join us to explore and expand your creative practice, meet inspiring artists and designers from the fashion and textiles industry, develop your network and learn new skills for your creative career journey.
Download the programme on the right-hand side of this page.
The Adobe Creative Residency is supported by the Adobe Foundation.
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Header image: Hydar Dewachi