Ed Matthews-Gentle

A specialist advisor with over twenty years of experience working within the creative industries – from fashion brands to the visual and performing arts. Ed's work focusses on how design thinking and creative processes can transform businesses from any sector, combined with the long-term view to conceive and develop exciting and creative concepts that frequently combine an interests in style, design and the arts, creating a space to share knowledge, ideas and expertise. Over the years he has fulfilled numerous key roles with fashion, design and creative organisations. His work has been featured in publications including Face, Drapers Record and Elle Magazine and more recently contributed articles in The Observer, Financial Times and other regional and national titles. In his current role as programme lead at Creative Lancashire he's working with Nesta and partners to develop a new creative enterprise support programme (Creative Step), and curates the National Festival of Making Conference and British Textiles Biennial talks programme. Ed is also the strategic lead for numerous creative and cultural programmes for Lancashire County Council including overseeing the development of the Cultural Strategy for Lancashire and part of the team developing Lancashire's bid to host UK City of Culture in 2025.