Changing the Story Design Festival Returns

HACHETTE UK’S AWARD-WINNING CHANGING THE STORY DESIGN FESTIVAL RETURNS

Hachette UK announces the return of its award-winning and free-to-attend Design Festival. Taking place on 24 November 2026, it is created to demystify the publishing industry for designers from Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minority Ethnic communities.

Following the success of its inaugural festival, which earned creator, Charlotte Abrams-Simpson recognition in the Publishers Association’s People of Publishing and the staff-voted Hachette Hero of the Year award, the festival returns to Hachette’s London office, Carmelite House.

This year’s attendees will gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of what employers are looking for in design applicants and how design teams collaborate across departments to bring books to life. The day also features hands—on creative workshops and exclusive networking opportunities with industry peers and Hachette UK’s designers.

Charlotte Abrams-Simpson, Art Director, Commercial Fiction at Orion, said: “It’s an honour to offer this festival for underrepresented creative talent. The design festival showcases ways we can support and guide designers and illustrators, giving them a genuine taste of what is expected, and how to reach a career goal in design for publishing. I feel it’s imperative to host events of this kind and make it more accessible for all to form a career in the publishing industry.”

An attendee of CTS Design festival 2024, said: “It was great to get first-hand experience from those actively in the industry as well as being able to ask questions to each of those people. This helped me to learn knowledge on areas I was unsure about, improving my confidence in my ability to have a career in the industry.”

Yutong Liu – attendee of CTS Design festival 2024, said I remain truly grateful for the opportunity the festival gave me at the end of 2024. I deeply appreciate the trust in my work and I’m thankful for the role the support played in this stage of my practice.”

This will be the second running of the festival and 2026 aims to continue creating pathways, inspiring, informing, and engaging new talent to enter publishing design departments. Feedback from last year’s attendees was unanimously positive with 100% of attendees agreeing that they had improved confidence having learned more about careers and the skills needed to succeed in the creative economy.

The Hachette Design Festival is part of Hachette’s wider commitment to Changing the Story (CtS) and their commitment to ensuring that all voices, perspectives, and ideas are included in their partnerships, people, and publishing. The festival welcomes designers and illustrators with a passion for book cover design and publishing products across varied genres.

The event is free to attend and HUK will cover travel expenses and providing lunch on the day. Entrants must be aged 18 or over and resident in the UK and from a Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minority Ethnic communities background.

Applications to attend open on Friday 25th September 2026 until 16th October. More details can be found here.