Open to Opportunity: Building a Thriving Creative Career

• Discover how curiosity and openness can lead to unexpected creative opportunities.
• Learn why artistic collaboration is one of the most valuable skills in a creative career.
• Explore how experimentation and adaptability can unlock new directions and possibilities.
• Gain practical insights into developing your own creative voice and building a career that evolves with you.

Hosted by Academy Creative Producer Fiona Byrne, this exclusive Guild Conversation is an opportunity to hear from multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator Christopher Kelly. During this live conversation, Fiona and Christopher will reflect on a creative career that spans fashion, contemporary art, sculpture and education, sharing how curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to embrace unexpected opportunities have shaped his journey. Discover how following your instincts, embracing creative collaboration and remaining open to new possibilities can lead to a career that evolves in exciting and unexpected ways.

Christopher Kelly is a multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator whose career spans fashion, contemporary art, sculpture and installation. After working with renowned designers including Michiko Koshino and Alexander McQueen, Christopher founded his own fashion label, TDLM, before expanding into art direction, prop making and award-winning fashion film. Today, his large-scale sculptural work has been exhibited across the UK, and alongside his artistic practice, he has taught at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, for over fourteen years, inspiring the next generation of creatives through experimentation, collaboration and creative exploration.