UAL Creative Hack 2023: LCF students collaborate to address London’s challenges

Now in its third year the highly anticipated UAL Creative Hack, a 3-day creative hackathon event, recently hosted creatives from across all UAL Colleges to collaborate and problem solve. Students and recent graduates relished the opportunity to come together once more in cross-college teams to learn, innovate, create, and present their ideas. This year, the theme centred around social purpose, and the pressing need to address society’s inequalities. Hanan Tantush, BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear student participating in the hack thought:

The hack was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and work together for social purpose. I loved the chance to meet students from other colleges in UAL, something I haven’t done before, to create a shared idea.

Hanan also "found the hack to be a great experience overall" where they learnt "how to ideate quickly, work as a team, and present professionally" - All skills the students can take forward in their future. During the 3-day hackathon, participants took part in an Ideation and Business Modelling workshop delivered by LCF Graduate Future's Frances Odell and Aasia D’Vaz-Sterling. The interactive workshop supported students in ideating and design-thinking techniques which provided them with the scope to explore and develop viable and desirable business propositions.

Participants also worked with industry experts, mentors, and judges over the three days, receiving useful advice which helped them to refine their business idea, ready for the final pitch. Yiwa Lau, MA Fashion Photography student, thought:

The highlight of the experience was having the different mentors cover the different areas of concern we had. We were able to utilise their wisdom in our idea.

This year’s winning team, with their powerful disability-inclusive app ‘DisCover,’ impressed the panel of industry judges with their thought-provoking analysis of the disability equality issues facing disabled Londoners. Their app would offer services and support which could provide realistic and workable solutions to combat and alleviate these inequalities.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience and the opportunity to be inspired and to learn from their team members. As student Qiuwen Lyu, BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery student and part of the winning team reflected:

The creative hack ignites our ambition to challenge ourselves. Using our multidisciplinary skills and knowledge during the intense brainstorming makes me feel more excited than winning the award itself

Winners of the UAL Creative Hack 2023:

• Laura Hollik, London College of Communication
• Meiyi Chen, London College of Communication
• Riku Mitu, UAL Creative Computing Institute
• Quiwen Lyu, London College of Fashion
• Yiwa Lau, London College of Fashion

Runners-up of the UAL Creative Hack 2023:

• Bridget Knowles, London College of Fashion
• Elliot Strebel, Central Saint Martins
• Goda Kraštinaitytė, London College of Communication
• Maria Isabel Mayol, Camberwell College of Arts
• Siana Bezuhanova, Chelsea College of Arts
• Wanpeng Xu, Chelsea College of Arts
• Yijuan Li, Camberwell College of Arts

• Find out more about BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear
• Find out more about MA Fashion Photography
• Find out more about BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery
• Explore LCF Graduate Futures
• What’s on at LCF: open days and events
• More LCF Stories