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Lisa Smith

@lisadesignnyc

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Global Chief Design Officer @uncommon.creative.studio Alum @jkrglobal @chobani @wolffolins @vamuseum @brownsdesign

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We gathered 270 of our nearest and dearest creative thinkers in Brooklyn, for our first US edition of Common Matters 👏

After ten events in the UK, hosting 2,270 passionate creatives, bringing the format to our New York network felt long overdue.

The headlines?

🔥 Eddie Opara wants us to unite, and unite meaningfully. Like we used to, as a creative unit.

👉 Lisa Smith loves change. Even when the going is good. Reject comfort. You deserve to broaden your own horizons.

🏁 Alex Tan gave us an opportunity amongst all this change: designers should help shape what the discipline of design becomes next.

👏 Alex Center shared a Brief History of Brooklyn, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Missed out?

We’ll be back in New York in early 2027.

A huge thank you to our event partners GF Smith and Frontify for making this possible and bringing the impeccable vibes 🤌

💥 Common Matters is an event for the creative community, run by Craft. We host twice a year in London, Manchester and New York.

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Ask and you shall receive…

MORE PICS OF ME ON A STAGE WITH A MICROPHONE.

Honored to host what was an incredible night at the first New York (Sold out!) edition of Common Matters by @movewithcraft.

Surreal to see design take center stage at the iconic Music Hall of Williamsburg before it closes at the end of this year. (Sad)

Huge shout out to Eddie Opara of @pentagramdesign , @lisadesignnyc from @uncommon.creative.studio and @jalexandertan of @mouthwash.studio for their brilliant minds, words and slides.

Also big love to @daisy_rascal who is a rockstar and put together an amazing event.

Graphic design forever.

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Some nights deserve a replay.

Creativity was truly alive at Christ Church Spitalfields (@spitalfields.venue) as we gathered to celebrate D&AD Awards 2026.

From the stage to the crypt, the evening was packed with big wins, big cheers and plenty of moments worth remembering. Four Black Pencils were awarded across three incredible entries, alongside our top creatives, top companies and President’s Award winner.

And what a night it was, captured by @anfilms. Press play and relive the night - then head over to D&AD to explore all the winning work. Link in bio.

#dandad26 #creativityisalive #filmmaking #creativeinspiration #advertising #craft #design

@xquamx @lisadesignnyc @irma_boom_amsterdam @nilsleonard @isleofany @o_hud @lukemoranmorris @elisaczerwenka @ellie_and_elisa

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ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR!!! 💥💥💥

Thank you, @d_and_ad , for the incredible honor of naming me 2026 Illustrator of the Year for Global Creative Excellence for my art in the @nytimes @nytkids cover story about BEST FRIENDS!

The best word to describe my art career might be “illustrious.”

My first dozen years as a professional artist were spent as an illustrator in NYC, creating 12–20 assignments a year for publications including @nytimes, @newyorkermag , @theatlantic, and @rollingstone , as well as clients like @nike, @mercedesbenz, and @labattbreweries. 🔥

For the past 25 years, I’ve continued to reinvent myself as a painter, art toy maker, animated TV show creator, and more.

I’ve spent my entire life as an artist—and along the way, I’ve broken down the boundaries between these labels to create the body of work I wanted to share with the world.

I’ve received many creative honors throughout my career, but this one feels especially meaningful. I originally entered the D&AD competition, which has celebrated creative excellence in design and art direction since 1962, to support THE MIGHTY PAW, my storybook about my cat Blackie.

Ironically, I received the honor for BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, the artwork that introduced my two black kittens, Beverly & Fairfax, to the world!

At the packed awards ceremony at Christ Church Spitalfields in London, I celebrated by drawing all over their black menu. And throughout my stay in London, I loved challenging myself to Dine & Draw on British menus—including @rules_restaurant , London’s oldest restaurant, established in 1798.

Thank you, D&AD, for this incredible honor.

Illustrator of the Year.
Creativity is ALIVE! 💥

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Last week in London, we were honored to receive one Yellow Pencil, one Graphite Pencil, and one Wood Pencil at @d_and_ad for our 1837 Tiffany Blue Conservation campaign for our clients at @tiffanyandco 🩵✏️

In addition, together with our partners at @serviceplan , we were named Independent Network of the Year, an immense achievement and a proud moment for all of us.

A huge thank you to our clients at @tiffanyandco and to our L&C team of optimists who believe every day in the power of creativity.

Vamos!

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a true New Yorker as of today 🥹

the last decade taught me a lot about how magical it is to bloom where you’re planted, as long as the conditions allow for growth and change and you’ve got people you trust helping you with the roots. 🪴🌱

I looked in my phone favorites for some iconic New York imagery, but instead I found a lot of pictures of connection between me and the extraordinary people I love in the city we all do or did call home.

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“We are gathered here tonight…”

What a way to prove that creativity is alive. 🖤✏️

Last night, it was a full house at Christ Church Spitalfields in London (@spitalfields.venue) as the creative community gathered to honour the best of the best at the 2026 D&AD Awards Ceremony.

From the first Pencil of the night to the final Black, there was plenty to celebrate. Four Black Pencils were awarded across three incredible entries (with one taking home two Black Pencils), and the top creatives, top companies and President’s Award winner were all revealed.

Congratulations to every single Pencil winner who walked across the stage, or celebrated from afar. Our thanks go out to D&AD President Lisa Smith (@lisadesignnyc) and Kwame Taylor-Hayford (@xquamx) for hosting the show, and to Christ Church Spitalfields for our incredible venue.

And the celebrations aren’t stopping 🎉 Catch up on all of last night’s festivities in our Stories, and then jump into all the winning work at the link in bio.

📸: Scott Little (@scottlittle) and Jack Hall/PA Assignments

#dandad26 #creativityisalive #advertising #craft #design

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“Size is an issue,” says Mary Lewis, Creative Director at @lewismoberly.

At D&AD Festival 2026, Mary joined current D&AD President Lisa Smith (@lisadesignnyc) of @uncommon.creative.studio to explore what happens when creative companies get swallowed up by bigger institutions, and what gets lost along the way.

After around 40 years of running her own consultancy, Mary has seen the impact first-hand: “culture goes out the door”, institutionalisation sets in, and “it destroys creativity, and it destroys a sense of belonging.”

Mary became D&AD’s first female President in 1995, after 33 years of male leadership; 30 years before Lisa took on the role. And at the Festival, they looked at how far creative leadership has come and where it needs to go next.

So, is bigger really better? Mary and Lisa have thoughts. Watch their talk in full at the link in bio.

#dandad26 #creativityisalive #creativeleadership #creativity #advertising #design #creativeindustry

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