The shop cats of China get a starring role in new book
In Marcel Heijnen’s photographs of shopkeepers and their feline companions, the viewer is given a colourful insight into China’s busy retail life
The pandemic underscores winning work at Wellcome Photography Prize 2021
Winners of this year’s prize address the challenges wrought by the pandemic, from the impact of isolation on mental health to everyday struggles faced by trans women in Indonesia
The Photography Annual 2021: Meet the Judges
We’ve invited over 15 judges from across the world of photography to judge this year’s Photography Annual. Read all about who will be seeing your work here
The theatrics of the street in Helen Levitt’s photography
A new photo book is celebrating the work of American street photographer Helen Levitt, known especially for candid images of young people at play
Exposure: Nathan Klein
We are expanding our Exposure column beyond only looking at photographers, to examine the work of the wider teams that contribute to image-making being the vital force it is today. Here, Gem Fletcher profiles the work of stylist Nathan Klein
How UK skateboarding culture flourished
As skateboarding reaches new levels of attention around the world, we look at the evolution of the symbiotic relationship between skate culture and visual media
How to commission great photography
From nailing the brief to making space for the magic to happen, CR spoke with photographer Shamil Tanna, IBM photo director Emily Keegin and East Photographic agent Kane Giblin to find out what it takes to commission great images
Brian Lomas’ images of Manchester’s independent shops in the 1980s
A new book and exhibition from the Modernist Society showcases Lomas’ rarely seen black and white photographs, which offer a snapshot of bygone years
Exposure: Annie Lai
In her latest Exposure column, Gem Fletcher profiles the poetic, dreamlike portraiture of Annie Lai, whose image-making aims to unpick complex issues around belonging
The photo show exploring youth over the last 40 years
From young fisherman in the 80s to the pandemic school leavers missing out on prom, a new exhibition examines the multifaceted nature of young people’s experiences in the UK over the last four decades
Richard Holman on the value of the unexpected moment
Wrong turns and unpredictable moments are a part of every creative journey, yet we rarely like to examine these in full, preferring to give the impression that everything is in our control. But, writes Richard Holman, these accidents are vital
A new exhibition celebrates five photographers’ individuality
In Progress showcases new and ongoing projects by photographers including Adama Jalloh, Laia Abril and Widline Cadet, via a series of solo exhibitions
How rap music took over advertising
As genres such as hip-hop and grime cement their position in the mainstream, we explore how the brand world is increasingly taking note
Manjit Thapp brings her illustrated world to life for Now Gallery
My Head Is A Jungle sees the Birmingham-born illustrator transform the gallery space into a 3D maze-like structure filled with murals and sculptures
Behind the scenes with Tyler, The Creator’s producer
We speak to Tara Razavi, founder of creative production company Happy Place, about her work with Tyler, The Creator on his latest album, plus what the role of a good producer entails
Meet the agency shaking up the ad industry in ten days
London-based agency 10 Days is run by a trio of brothers determined to prove that ten days is all it takes to crack a brief and make a brilliant ad. Creative director Jolyon White tells us how they get it done
Loulou João on creating a safe space in 3D
The animator, illustrator and visual artist speaks to CR about how her work has helped find her identity and why representation in what she does is key
How UK skateboarding culture flourished
As skateboarding reaches new levels of attention around the world, we look at the evolution of the symbiotic relationship between skate culture and visual media
Morag Myerscough has created a ribbon of colours for Coventry
The latest installation by the artist sees Myerscough turn a street canopy into a stained glass-style artwork that casts bright colours onto the pedestrians beneath
How to commission great photography
From nailing the brief to making space for the magic to happen, CR spoke with photographer Shamil Tanna, IBM photo director Emily Keegin and East Photographic agent Kane Giblin to find out what it takes to commission great images
Tom Hingston on designing for arts venues
As Hingston Studio’s type-led identities for the Serpentine and the V&A greet the general public, the designer talks to us about the importance of creating designs that give institutions flexibility in these times
Channel 4 releases new Paralympics epic for Toyko Games
The ad reveals the challenges that come with being an elite sportsperson, and features the provocative line, ‘To be a Paralympian there’s got to be something wrong with you’
How branding can help us reach a greener travel future
Car brands have spent years, and millions, shoring up our reliance on petrol and personal vehicles, but change is arriving fast. Can a new wave of design and branding persuade us to move to greener forms of transport?
My Career Journey: Calmatic
The LA-based director behind music videos for Pharrell, Lizzo and Lil Nas X reflects on his journey from afterschool computer club to Grammy-winning director
My Career Journey: Polly Nor
Polly Nor creates striking, satirical drawings of women and their demons. We speak to the illustrator about her up-and-down career journey, the perils of imposter syndrome, and using art as an emotional release
Explore the work of influential 20th century designer Tom Eckersley
A new book by Paul Rennie is packed with iconic poster designs created by Eckersley for the likes of London Transport and Guinness
Marina Willer and Stuart Watson on ‘aimless’ creativity
During lockdown, Marina Willer and Stuart Watson turned their house into a home for painting, doodling, monster-making and music. Here they talk about being creative as a family, and why making work for pure pleasure is essential
The changing face of travel
The pandemic has been the catalyst for all of us to reassess our relationship with travel. As the world slowly begins to reopen, we speak to the travel brands that are shaping what our holidays of the future might look like
Jump on 25 years of making motion graphics
Jump is responsible for the titles of some of the UK’s biggest TV entertainment and sports programmes. Here two of its co-founders look back on a turbulent 25 years in the industry, and what it takes to make a successful creative business
How Foundation empowers creatives to make money
As part of our series on creative businesses set up during the pandemic, we speak to Foundation, the auction platform for digital art and NFTs about how their digital-first approach is working for them
BBC Creative launches Tokyo Olympics 2020 promo
The corporation’s in-house agency has teamed up with Nexus Studios and Factory Fifteen to create a film that reimagines the host city
Sport and Creativity
In this report, we look at the way that creative thinking is influencing sport, including in advertising, TV, branding, design, photography, illustration and more
Cannes Lions 2021 Grand Prix winners in full
It’s a bumper year for Cannes Lions this time, with the awards honouring work from 2020 and 2021 after last year’s event was cancelled. Here you can view all 35 of the Grand Prix winners
How Strava built a billion dollar fitness app
We examine how Strava became the app of choice for both professional athletes and amateur fitness enthusiasts, plus its ambition to create the biggest sporting community in the world
An oral history of… the London 2012 Olympics branding
As the Tokyo Olympics approaches, we look back at one of the more controversial Olympic identities, Wolff Olins’ London 2012 branding, which prompted a storm of press and public opinion. CEO Sairah Ashman and chairman Brian Boylan remember the project
What’s next for the battle of the burger brands?
We look at the creative ways in which fast food brands are appealing to our tastebuds and standing out in a saturated market – from piggybacking off the vegan movement to embracing the allure of nostalgia
The stories embedded in the design of homes
The Museum of the Home’s new displays put storytelling at the centre and illustrate how our homes are rich with design and cultural history
How to make a thrilling sports promo
Sky Creative’s Simon Cole explains the process behind making sports promos, including how to appeal to younger audiences and why he takes parodies on the chin
Ikea Norway introduces the Trash Collection
Ikea’s latest sustainability push sees the brand repurpose furniture that has been found as trash on the street, to be sold in a new secondhand store
The role of the sketchbook in creative work
Despite the dominance of digital, the humble sketchbook is still a vital tool in making creative work. Here, we speak to three creatives about how working in a sketchbook is an important part of their process and also their favourite books to work in
Greg Williams on the art of the candid shot
The photographer discusses his journey from documenting war zones to capturing candid moments of some of the biggest celebs on the planet, plus why the best images often aren’t technically perfect
Unrecognised and unloved: Patrick Burgoyne on the state of creative education
Education is vital to the UK’s phenomenally successful creative industries. Yet its value to the country appears to be going unrecognised in the government’s plans
The colourful world of Autumn de Wilde
The photographer and director has injected striking palettes into fashion photos, celebrity portraits, vibrant ads and her feature-length debut, Emma. She talks to us about navigating these different arenas and building worlds through music and colour
Ryan Reynolds creates a Father’s Day cocktail: The Vasectomy
Reynolds brings his irreverent advertising approach to Father’s Day with a new cocktail for dads, featuring a good slug of Aviation Gin, natch
Why the time has come for game title sequences to shine
Territory Studio’s Andrew Popplestone discusses the evolution of games credits and title sequences, and how they’re moving ever closer to the world of film
Why it pays for brands to go local
In an age of turbulence, brands are seeing the benefits of a localised approach over a global one. Here, Ben Sillence, strategy director at Lewis Moberly, explores what this may mean for designers and creatives
Can we design a more sustainable internet?
With the internet now accounting for roughly the same amount of carbon emissions as global air travel, we look at what designers can do to help tackle our digital waste problem
Early 2000s nightlife in all its chaotic, shiny glory
Matthew Smith’s new book brings together his photographs taken across the flourishing British nightlife scene at the turn of the millennium
Tony Barry on why advertising should move people
The director and former Wieden + Kennedy creative director looks back on the lessons he’s learned about peeling back the ‘veneer’ of advertising to make people laugh, cry, and truly believe in what they’re watching
Cephas Williams project features letters from Black boys to their future selves
The letters are addressed by the children to their older selves, and detail the world that they’d like to see in the future. The project, which will appear on billboards in the UK, is created to mark the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder
The ups and downs of being a hybrid creative
In today’s complex media landscape, creatives are often expected to work across multiple mediums. CR speaks to those who’ve broadened their practice to understand the benefits and challenges of the multi-disciplinary life
