006 / gavin strange
Introducing Hope Heads. A series where we ask brilliant minds three big questions about how hope shows up in their lives, work, and world.
Next up: Gavin Strange — designer, director, and maker of bright things, whose practice spans character design, filmmaking, and playful experiments that bring colour and joy into everyday life.
In this short interview he reflects on hope as humanity in action: protesting, creating, and standing for truth, justice, fairness, kindness and equality, even in the face of hate and noise. For Gavin, hope is art, it is music, it is something earned, and it is always active.
He describes how lightness, brightness and silliness in his work are not distractions but ways of coping with complexity and making space for joy. And he points to the people and communities who give him a glimpse of a better future — those who speak truth to power, use creativity to defend the marginalised, and build platforms that bring people together.
For Gavin, hope is loud, joyful and best when shared.
1. What does hope look or feel like to you, in this moment, in this world?
Hope is humanity. Hope is protesting. Hope is noisy. Hope is art. Hope is music. Hope is earnt and hope is active.
Hope is seeing other human beings stand up for truth and justice and fairness and kindness and equality in the face of so much hate and so much noise.
2. Where does hope live in your work or your industry, and what could shift if we let it lead?
For me, hope lives in the kinda work I love to make. Lightness, brightness, silliness, positivity. Letting in the good stuff, celebrating the positive and sharing in the wins. I love making bright, colourful characters and silly things; that’s my way of coping with a complex world!
3. What is one idea, project or person that is giving you a glimpse of a more hopeful future?
Oh boy, that’s tough. I’m really looking to people who are standing up against hatred and against cruelty and callousness. People like Zarah Sultana who are speaking truth to power, despite the ramifications. Musicians like The HIRS Collective who use their voices to stand up for marginalised groups and creative kind folk like Luke Tongue & Dan Alcorn who founded the Birmingham Design Festival and are intent on bringing and celebrating creativity for all people, all ages and all demographics. Kind people give me hope.
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