May 2023 Schedule
Timings are approximate and schedule is subject to change.
- Warm-up Events Wednesday 10th
- Conference Thursday 11th
- Conference Friday 12th
- Other Activities Saturday 13th
- 11am-1pm
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Creative Ecosystem Workshop
Creative Ecosystem Workshop (up to 30 people) with Emmi Salonen
In this Creative Ecosystem workshop, Emmi Salonen (Studio Emmi) will bring you on a journey to uncover processes, practices and rituals that help fuel your inspiration across all areas of life. We’ll do this through prompts, reflection, exercises and discussion within the group.
Work is often so focused on output that when people aren’t intentional about input as well, it can lead to burnout and a lack of creative energy. Inspired by the Finnish ecosystems Emmi grew up in, she saw the opportunity to help others reconnect with their creativity, purpose and excitement for their work. Ecosystems are all interconnected and interdependent, seamlessly flowing together. Similarly, creativity cannot happen in isolation. The Creative Ecosystem model is based on balancing your creative output with nurturing input areas to sustain your creative wellbeing. “My intention is for this to be a nourishing and inspiring experience for you, and I hope you can take this as ‘time for you’.” - Emmi
* You must be a paid All Flows ticket holder to attend this workshop.
Register for workshop * -
- 3pm-5.30pm
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All Flows Film Screening of Rams
Rams is a documentary portrait of Dieter Rams, one of the most influential designers alive, and a rumination on consumerism, sustainability, and the future of design.
For over fifty years, Dieter Rams has left an indelible mark on the field of product design and the world at large with his iconic work at Braun and Vitsoe. The objects Dieter has designed have touched the lives of millions of people––so many of us have had a Braun coffeemaker, shaver, stereo, calculator, speakers, or alarm clock. Or an Oral-B toothbrush. Or a Vitsoe 606 shelving system. Or any of the hundreds of other products Dieter has designed or overseen the design of.
His work has influenced the way most of today's consumer products look and function. The computer or phone you're reading this on looks the way it does because of Dieter Rams. Dieter's influence also extends to his "Ten Principles of Good Design," a list of edicts that champions simplicity, honesty, and restraint, and still applies to design theory and practice today.
In 2008, Gary interviewed Dieter for his documentary Objectified, but was only able to share a small piece of his story in that film. Dieter, who is now 86, is a very private person; however Gary was granted unprecedented access to create the first feature-length documentary about his life and work.
Rams includes in-depth conversations with Dieter, and deep dives into his philosophy, his process, and his inspirations. But one of the most interesting parts of Dieter's story is that he now looks back on his career with some regret. "If I had to do it over again, I would not want to be a designer," he's said. "There are too many unnecessary products in this world." Dieter has long been an advocate for the ideas of environmental consciousness and long-lasting products. He's dismayed by today's unsustainable world of over-consumption, where "design" has been reduced to a meaningless marketing buzzword.
Rams is a design documentary, but it’s also a rumination on consumerism, materialism, and sustainability. Dieter's philosophy is about more than just design, it’s about a way to live. It’s about getting rid of distractions and visual clutter, and just living with what you need. The film features original music by pioneering musician and producer Brian Eno.
- 6:30pm-10pm
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Festival Meetup
Join us @ Brewhouse & Kitchen for a Made in MK x All Flows collab, bringing the tech and creative community in MK together with All Flows attendees from around the world.
To celebrate the launch of All Flows, Made in MK is hosting a special meet up for the tech and creative community. They'll bring the local community together with event attendees from across the world providing an opportunity to meet like-minded people and connect with a broad range of talent from across the sector; from startup founders to software developers, digital designers to photographers, and everything in between. Made in MK is a free and informal meet-up for the tech and creative community in Milton Keynes.
Come along to meet like-minded people and stay connected with a broad range of talent from across the tech and creative sector; from startup founders to software developers, digital designers to photographers, and everything in between.
Some food and drink for the evening are included thanks to our sponsors Concept Personnel and Incentivesmart, plus our Made in MK friends Ethiqs Legal who have kindly supported this event.
There are only a limited number of tickets and they go quick so make sure you register for FREE now.
Details & FREE Registration
Doors Open + Registration
Welcome 👋
Opening introductions welcoming a fun and inspiring couple of days in Milton Keynes.
Universal Everything - Claire Cook & Joel Gethin Lewis
Lifeforms: from minimal to mocap
UE explore their design inspirations and creative process when making new character driven artworks.
Find out more about Claire, Joel and Universal Everything.
Refreshment Break
A quick message from our Lead Partner, Milton Keynes City Council
Sarah Boris
Multi-practice
A journey in art and design: in an age where digital and AI are omni-present, Sarah will talk us through her journey from working in the arts to making artworks, presenting an analog and physical range of works.
Find out more about Sarah.
Refreshment Break
ustwo games - Jennifer Estaris
How games can inspire positive social impact
Games have contributed to social change for many years, even pre-dating the video game era; for example, in 1903, Monopoly was originally conceived as a social justice game by Lizzy Magie. In this session, we'll take a quick look at the latest developments in this realm, covering topics such as the climate crisis and social justice, and focus on activism initiatives in games, drawing examples both from history and from ustwo games’ Monument Valley and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, among others. Jennifer will also share highlights from the UN-backed Playing for the Planet's 2022 survey, which reveals how games can spur positive actions in real life.
Find out more about Jennifer and ustwo games.
Refreshment Break
Elliot J Stocks
Drawing Lines
Do side projects actually lead to paying work? Elliot quite literally draws the lines that connect his seemingly disparate creative endeavours over a two-decade career that has been punctuated by large side projects. Spoiler alert: the answer is “yes”.
Refreshment Break
Kate Dawkins
Playing with light and dark
Working in the field of visuals arts, projection and digital media, Kate will be talking about her influences, passion for design, key moments such as projects for BBC Studios - Events, as well as her love for both analogue and digital processes, all wrapped up with the challenges associated with this kind of work.
Join us for a drink in the cafe
Foxdog Studios
Robot Chef - Live interactive show
Foxdog Studios, Lloyd Henning and Peter Sutton, are computer programmers turned live performers. They create comedy shows that put the audience in control of interactive games and DIY gadgets. Their live show, “Robot Chef”, was a sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe and had viewers cook sausage and beans by controlling a robot on their phones (a highlight being firing a hotdog from a cannon).
Day 1 close
Doors Open + Registration
Welcome 👋
We kick-off our exciting day 2 at MK Gallery.
Territory Studio - David Sheldon-Hicks
When life imitates art
From the dashboard of Blade Runner 2049's iconic spinners to the creation of real AR interfaces in an Audi, David will showcase the way motion designers are blurring the boundaries between design for fiction and reality.
Find out more about David and Territory Studio.
Refreshment Break
Stefanie Posavec
Designing data with a ‘post-infographic’ mindset
About a decade ago, data visualisation and infographics exploded across our media landscape, and are now a ubiquitous presence across all its forms. Now this design space has matured, where can we go next, and how will we get there?
Stefanie will use examples from her practice to explore what a ‘post-infographic’ design approach might look like, where data is not merely visualised but instead – through experimentation with the dataviz design process – becomes a community conversation starter, a souvenir, an artistic material, and more.
Find out more about Stefanie.
Refreshment Break
The Designers Republic™ - Ian Anderson
A to Z of The Designers Republic
The Designers Republic, led by founder and born rebel Ian Anderson, has shaped graphic communication over the past 30 years. It has done this through gravity-defying client work, revolutionary self-initiated projects, and provocative gestures.
Under Anderson’s idiosyncratic leadership, TDR™ pioneered the idea of a design group with attitude. More like a band than a design studio, they changed the dynamic between client and design group, and uniquely, they acquired a following beyond the graphic design tribe.
Find out more about Ian and The Designers Republic™.
Eva Cremers
Stretching Boundaries
Eva takes you on board on her wild journey of working in the creative field as a 3D artist and director. She comes armed with an honest talk filled with fun as well as lessons she learned along the way.
Find out more about Eva.
Refreshment Break
Shaun Wellens - Arrival
The Self Apprenticeship
The importance of learning your tools, honing your craft and the value of failure.
Refreshment Break
Gavin Strange - Aardman Animations
Less thinkering, more tinkering
A neon-soaked passion-filled presentation of all things creativity, trying to strike the elusive balance between uncurbed enthusiasm and pragmatic process. Director & Designer Gavin Strange plots his creative journey through his time in the design and film industry– picking it apart and extracting the lessons and learnings from it all. It’s loud, silly, and hopefully energizing. The aim of the game is to convince YOU to make more of the stuff that makes YOUR heart sing.
Closing Remarks
After Party
Join us for music, drinks, chat and good vibes
We'll announce more details soon, but we'll be hosting a great closing event with music provided by local DJs, drinks and great conversation.
Guided Tour of Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is pleased to offer all those attending the All Flows Conference 50% off admission to Bletchley Park, plus a private tour of the site for 30 people at 12:30-13:30 - more details and registration*.
Although the numbers for the tour are limited, all attendees of the conference are eligible to receive 50% off admission.
Tickets are also Annual Passes which means you can visit for free again and again for a whole year!
*This is reserved for All Flows ticket holders and you may be required to show your pass on arrival.
From our Friends
Art in the Park, 2023
MKIAC are hosting the 2023 edition of Art in the Park will be on the 13th May, 2023 at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes.
You can look forward to cultural music, international artists, visual arts, workshops, a 'Parade of Colours', funfair and delicious food from MK's different communities! It is free for all to attend!
This year's theme is 'Roots + Foundations', focused not only on cultural heritage but also the environment and climate change.