Graphic Design alum partners with UWE Bristol to create Showcase 2020

BA(Hons) Graphic Design alum and Creative Director of Rhombus Studio, James Ratcliffe has partnered with UWE Bristol this summer to create the unique Showcase 2020.

The online showcase features the work of hundreds of this year’s graduating talent from 25 of UWE Bristol’s creative programmes across art, design, animation, fashion, media, performance, photography and filmmaking.

James said ‘It’s an honour to be able to build a digital showcase for a university I owe so much to. The website will hopefully be a vital tool for both students and employers for years to come.’

Caring in Bristol

Alongside this, James has been busy working on several projects with the charity Caring in Bristol during the Covid-19 pandemic. The charity works with the public and community partners to bring about lasting change for people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness in Bristol and beyond.

Projects have included taking over advertising space in the city centre for their ‘biggest campaign ever but you won’t see it’, to contributing a full brand identity to ‘Cheers Drive’,  a life-saving new food aid service in Bristol delivering food to homeless people during the Covid-19 outbreak. They have already delivered 100,000 meals since launching.

It isn’t the first time James has partnered with Caring in Bristol, one of James’ top clients. Their ‘Makes Homelessness History’ Christmas appeal won the best regional charity campaign of the year. James saw this as a win for both the charity and simple, typographic design and one of the proudest moments of his career, so far.

Rhombus Studio is also involved with ‘Tap for Bristol’ - an innovative donation scheme, with over 30 ‘Tap Points’ installed across the city where people can donate to homeless charities using contactless payment.

Rhombus Studio

James credits the course and tutors during his time at UWE Bristol for helping him develop the way in which he thinks and looks at things. This, alongside a passion for typography, branding and design consistency led to him co-founding a business with his best friend in 2019. Rhombus Studio is a multidisciplinary creative agency, specialising in branding, graphic design, web design and animation.