What do creatives value in themselves?

We’re asking established industry experts and upcoming talent from all over the world to define what they value in themselves – in the hope that it can be encouraging or provide the spark to look inward, into the practices of those who may read. This series will last throughout 2022.

We’re very excited to share the latest selection of talented creatives to feature in this edition of ‘Creative Values’. The first is Tina Jiwa. Tina’s an independent brand designer based between Birmingham and London, heading up a creative studio working on collaborative and conscious projects. Next is Andrea Limjoco. Andrea’s a London-based award winning designer, self-taught artist and founder of Margie Studio; an interdisciplinary studio by creatives of colour. Lastly, we have Fuse Birmingham’s host, Neeraj Kainth. Neeraj is a multidisciplinary designer and is also part of the illustrious Birmingham Design team.

Read on to see what they value in themselves!

Tina Jiwa – Birmingham/London – Brand Designer

Follow Tina: linkedin.com/in/tina-jiwa • tinajiwa.co.uk

“I value my determination to constantly seek to release social conditioning and all limiting beliefs that do not serve me or my highest good. To shed these identities and previous versions of myself in order to allow myself to step into my absolute truth and authenticity. The process is not comfortable, it challenges you to constantly step into the unknown but the reward is to be so comfortably yourself, that others around you feel safe to be themselves too - and this produces the best kind of relationships and collaborations.”

Andrea Limjoco – London – Artist, Sculptor, Urban Designer

Follow Andrea: andrealimjo.co

“I always make sure to be kind in whatever situation I find myself in — especially in my work. There will always be bad apples in the industry. And being kind doesn’t mean letting people step all over you, of course. It means, respecting everyone you work with (no matter how frustrating things get). Being kind goes a long way. When you’re kind, people want to work with you more, and you will find that your work becomes more enjoyable too.”

Neeraj Kainth – Birmingham – Multidisciplinary Designer, Birmingham Design Team Member, Fuse Birmingham Host

Follow Neeraj: @neerajkainth_

“As a creative person I value community. Community is a word thrown around quite a lot, but I genuinely feel there is some importance to it within the creative industry. Given how the last 2 years have been, I feel like it’s important to feel a sense of belonging within the industry, whether you’re from an underrepresented group, an emerging creative or even if you’re working in a region that’s often overlooked. I’m both proud to be involved in amazing initiatives such as Fuse and Birmingham Design, and value such initiatives which both embody community!”

If you’d like to share what you value in yourself, please email fusedirectory@gmail.com with a few words about yourself and your creative values!*

*Fuse is platform for creatives from a racialised and ethnic backgrounds, so we’re only accepting submissions from those who identify as that!