Celebrating creativity: Pride 2025

Pride matters more than ever this year. As we celebrate diversity and spread messages of unity, visibility and equality, it continues to be one of the most visible ways to celebrate queer joy, LGBTQIA+ activism and the hope for a more inclusive future.

Coming at a time of wide-scale DEI rollbacks and legislative attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights across the world, these celebrations have never been more important, bringing people together as a community in the face of global political pressure and rising discrimination.

In the US, corporate sponsorships of Pride are reported to be down by hundreds of thousands of dollars, with Seattle Pride projecting a $350k shortfall, and some smaller, rural Prides down by 70 to 90% compared to the average year.

This Pride Month, we’re featuring our favourite LGBTQIA+ artists, designers, writers and thinkers who inspire us at Wolff Olins, celebrating their unique talents and showcasing their important contributions to our cultural life.

As we champion the voices of inclusivity, it is our hope that we will all once again be inspired by joyful and peaceful Pride celebrations, culture and events across the globe.

Bex Wade

Bex Wade is a trans non-binary photographer whose lens has captured decades of queer life. Self-taught and deeply embedded in LGBTQIA+ communities, their photography began in clubs and protest spaces in the UK and New York, documenting expressions of joy, defiance and togetherness. Now working across portraiture, street photography and editorial, their archive is a testament to the power of the queer experience.

Qween Jean

Qween Jean is a costume designer, storyteller and activist reshaping what representation looks like – on stage, on screen and in the streets. Based in New York, her creative work spans theater and film, where she uses costume as a tool of transformation and narrative power. Additionally, she’s a powerful voice for Black trans liberation, founding initiatives that bring visibility and resources to those most in need.

Emory Southwick

Emory Southwick is a trans disabled neurodiverse artist, designer and model based in Durham. They launched The Marra Project, a vibrant community hub that provides a space for queer, neurodiverse, and disabled people to connect across County Durham. They create a rich variety of art with representation and diversity in mind, highlighting people’s experiences with queer, trans, neurodiverse, and disabled bodies.

Kingsley Gbadegesin

Kingsley Gbadegesin is the founder of K.NGSLEY, a bold fashion label that sits at the intersection of Black and queer identities. A first-generation Nigerian-American based in New York, Kingsley launched the brand after years of experience working for the likes of Versace, Celine, and Loewe. His clothing works to reclaim and redefine Black, queer bodies and communities, and to create the tangible, direct support that communities need today.

James Junk

Andrei Dominiq, known professionally as James Junk, is a Southern California-based graphic designer whose work fuses nostalgia with bold digital energy. Specialising in vintage poster design, creative direction and storytelling, James recently co-led the rebrand of LA Pride with illustrator Josh McKenna. From custom typography to character design and merch, his work is all about making an impact with vibrant colours and personality.

Robert Hamberger

Poet and memoirist Robert Hamberger crafts verse rooted in memory, identity and love. Born in London and now based in Brighton, his writing explores themes of queerness, masculinity and family, often drawing on autobiographical details. His poetry has appeared everywhere from The Guardian to The Observer, and his memoir, A Length of Road, retraces a journey of both place and his personal journey.

Rhea Dillon

Artist Rhea Dillon works across film, photography and installation to explore the legacies of race, gender and Britishness. Their deeply poetic visual language explores Black and queer identities in both personal and political ways, offering a nuanced perspective on identity and perception. Dillon’s work has been featured in exhibitions at the Tate Modern and the South London Gallery, and has quickly become a significant voice in the contemporary art scene.