The creative community is intrinsic to what we do. All of my freelance work and design commissions came from networking, collaboration and recommendation. It is a special community and we must protect it at all costs (lol but I am 100% serious). Working with the team at Northern Design Festival on the All in a Day’s Work editorial campaign, and recently during the launch of the F37 font, Lancer, we really felt the strength of the creative collective.
Networking; you either hate it or love it. Personally, I love it. I find it uplifting and reassuring because people are honest and human, we’re not just presented with some polished final design, photo, or project. Understanding the person and the story behind a project is what reassures me that everyone is more alike than we actually think. It inspires me to design. All of my freelance design projects have come from Networking and word of mouth through the creative community.
When I moved to Brighton in 2024 for a new job in print production, I didn’t know anyone and I wasn’t sure where to start in finding the creative community. I was quite lucky because back in Newcastle the Ladies, Wine & Design community was very strong and welcoming. Having also worked at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and NewBridge Project, I was aware of many of the opportunities those organisations were creating in the North East.
Eventually in Brighton, I came across The Design Kids, a designers network group run the Brighton group is run by illustrator Ulrike Mieke. As The Design Kids is a worldwide community, it was initially hard to pinpoint the local events and it felt a little daunting. That being said, I eventually became a co-host for The Design Kids Brighton and was invited to give a talk to Graphic Design students at the University of Brighton. After all the unfamiliarity of Brighton and not knowing anyone - it was quite a rewarding feeling, maybe because I felt I had nothing to lose. It just goes to show that the results of networking often go far beyond that initial first meeting. It would have been an aboslute dream to have this platform in Brighton and I am really in awe of what the Pencil it in, team have created as it is so important for connection and to celebrate our creative work with a group of likeminded people.
When Toni and Niamh (NDF Co-Founders) introduced me to Ellen and Eve, I was really excited to interview them about Pencil it in. As they mention in the interview, there are so many opportunities in the North, but often I only discover the creative/networking/ design event after it’s happened through Instagram stories. The algorithm doesn’t exactly favour posts that are trying to sell tickets to these kind of events. That’s why this platform feels like the perfect solution!!
When I assisted on the Outside Directory with Alice Fraser and Craig Oldham, during my internship in 2021 (eeeekkk that is a long time ago!) , the project highlighted just how many design studios are based across Manchester, Leeds, and the wider North. It revealed just how active and interconnected the northern creative scene really is, in fact there are over 1,100 listings on Outside Directory proving how much creativity exists outside of London.
Pencil it in, is live, current, and exactly what the creative community needs in 2026. It's easy to use, not daunting, no faff, and makes the creative community feel as inviting as it is. I was so pleased for the chance to interview Eve and Ellen all about it!
Pencil it in, Manchester
Please introduce yourself, your creative practice and where are you are based:
Eve - Hiya! I am Eve, I am currently in a hybrid role in growth and creative strategy for KISS Branding in Leeds, I make micro-sites as a hobby! I feel really lucky, KISS gives time to creative play, and from that, the site was born!
Ellen - Hey, I’m Ellen, a Freelance Creative Copywriter from Manchester. I love ideas that solve problems, whether they’re for brands or in my own personal projects - much like this one!
Image: Left to right Jess, Ellen and Eve at Process Events Manchester March 2026.
Please introduce Pencil it in, Manchester & what it entails (p.s I love the name):
Eve - Pencil it in, Manchester is a community-sourced professional creative events calendar, stewarded and launched by the wonderful Ellen. It’s so you never miss an event, and can genuinely connect to the local community!
Ellen - Eve has developed such an intuitive, frictionless platform. I felt really lucky she shared it with me!
Was there a lightbulb moment that resulted in creating Pencil it in? Or had it been on your mind for a while? What do you aim to overcome?
Eve - I founded Pencil It In, Leeds, about 9 months ago out of frustration with Eventbrite, terrible filtering, irrelevant results, no curation for creative/networking events. At the same time, while networking, I noticed the same faces at the same events, but people weren't cross-pollinating across events. And finally, I kept hearing about things after the fact. Missing the All In Leeds summer party was the final trigger.
So, I built Pencil it in, Leeds as a community-sourced calendar with a focus on making it as frictionless as possible to add events. I think the key ingredient is having a locally embedded person who can pull events from a wide variety of sources
Now expanding to Manchester - Ellen came to me wanting to replicate the model, which felt like a huge validation!
Ellen - For me, it was a moment at the Creative Boom IRL Manchester event. I met the lovely Max and Jack from Process Manchester. I never knew Process ran events here, let alone that it was actually founded in our city.
Max was talking about being part of a WhatsApp group of event organisers - so they didn’t all promote talks on the same day. We got in a conversation about how useful a calendar would be not only for the organisers, but to raise awareness of all the great stuff happening in our city. I reached out to Eve for advice on starting a platform similar to hers. She suggested we work together instead, and Pencil it in, Manchester was a thing!
This seems like such a useful and crucial tool to bring people together, much like a community notice board back in the day! It feels like Pencil it in is a digital tool to bring about physical in person connection, how important do you think that is, especially in 2026?
Eve - I think we're experiencing a very real digital fatigue right now, and there's a very real desire for in-person connection and IRL events, and that's a driver. I'm a passionate connector and networker, so I'm always keen to facilitate that for others too.
It's really important for creatives to connect with their peers regularly, partly because it helps with imposter syndrome, but also for troubleshooting creative problems or just getting an outside perspective.
I genuinely think you become a better creative if you get into the habit of listening to people and really hearing their opinions. And selfishly, I am much better in person than I am online!
Ellen - A lot of things changed post-Covid. It goes without saying that there’s been a real shift to remote roles - or at least working from home a lot more. Sometimes it’s great, but it can also be a little isolating - I feel this more now I’m freelance. So, IRL events where you can meet people are really needed.
People I’ve spoken to at these kinds of events love the opportunity to get out and socialise, but they don’t always see what’s going on or know where to look. This gives a central place that means you don’t necessarily have to follow the right people to be in the know.
Image: Illustrated Eve & Ellen!
The amount of information and variety of events is so impressive, how many people are inputting the events and was there a particular creative audience this was aimed for?
Eve - That’s a real testament to Ellen's brilliant network! I can’t tell you exactly how many people are inputting, but I can say over the first month since launch it has had 2K returning visitors in just two weeks. I’d say the audience is really just creative professionals who are looking to connect to people outside of their bubble.
Ellen - Ah thanks, Eve. It’s definitely down to the fact the tool is super intuitive too. It makes it easy for anyone to add an event and see what’s going on.
As far as targeting an audience goes, I’d already spoken to the guys at Process and they were really supportive of a public calendar as a tool for them to use. So when I came to launch it, they were the first people I tagged along with others I knew like them. It’s been amazing to see just how many event organisers have jumped on it - as they’re really the ones most in the know.
Why is it important for you that Pencil It In is in the North as opposed to London?
Eve - As someone who's had to defend their choice to live up north as a creative, this is a little bit of a chip on my shoulder!
I was honestly just a bit bored of travelling to London for creative events, and I knew there was more happening locally than we realised. I just didn't realise HOW MUCH more. The North has this incredible creative scene stretching from Newcastle to Liverpool, Sheffield, York, Leeds and Manchester, and historically it has been overlooked. Highlighting the amazing events and creatives that live and work here is really important to me. Especially because I really don't want anyone else to be asked why they haven't moved to London as a creative "because there's more opportunities there". There's opportunities here.
Ellen - There’s so much going on in Manchester that I don’t know if it was even a consideration for me. As Eve says, you don’t realise just how much is happening in your city until you see it in one place. We’ve had as many as six events in one night on the calendar - all without the need for an expensive train ticket. That being said, I don’t see why this platform wouldn’t work for cities down south too.
Image: Eve MacDonald
What issues have you found with community and connection in the creative communities recently? / Has this added to the driving force behind Pencil It In?
Eve - I think I can see two issues arising at events currently, the first is that companies are still dissuading juniors from attending daytime networking, which is a real missed opportunity. Coffee mornings tend to be filled with brilliant, very senior or freelance creatives, and those senior creatives, especially women, often have family responsibilities that make evening events harder to attend.
But when juniors are in those rooms, it can lead to amazing mentorship and brilliant connections.
Secondly, I think there's also a ‘willingness to talk to a stranger’ issue; interpersonal skills are built through practice, and with the proliferation of WFH, they just aren't being built in the same way
So I think practice makes perfect, getting juniors and recent grads in the room, with a reason to chat, is a great thing, and they can only do that if they know what is happening in their own cities.
Ellen - I’d add that the big conferences in our city are fantastic. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to MAD// North last year and Eve attended Motion North this year. The problem for grads, juniors and freelancers is that they're sometimes out of our financial reach.
This calendar showcases great events like Copywriters Unite, Ladies, Wine and Design - No Agenda, and Creative Boom IRL which are all free to attend and full of great industry folk to chat with.
Are there any organisations you have built strong relationships with through Pencil it in?
Eve - Not yet! Obviously, we have the support of some great organisations like Process, who kindly offered us free tickets to their next Manchester event. And all the great people who are actively adding to the calendar. We’d love to partner with more organisations to spread the word.
Ellen - I’ve had a few messages from people like yourselves who want to support us with advertising and raising awareness of the platform. This interview is a fantastic start, so thanks so much for doing it. And to anyone else reading who’d like to help, feel free to reach out.
Do you find working on this rewarding? I find it so inspiring to see how many creative events are happening through the week - (it really makes me want to get out more! )
Eve - Ah 100%! I want to see more, and I am loving hearing the feedback from those who use it, it just makes me feel like I am part of a bigger community. And one I can see in person too. It’s so rewarding. For people who want to have connections, to grow skills, and expand their network, these things are really needed!
Ellen - Yes, of course. In my 20s, I moved to Leeds and knew no-one. Industry events were a good way to meet people outside my office who had similar interests to me. They made me feel connected to the advertising scene, helped me upskill and grow a network. I hope this does the same for anyone new to Manchester.
Image: Eve Jackson
What are your values and do you hope to achieve in 2026 with Pencil it In? Do you see this extending to different cities, where do you see the future of Pencil It in?
Eve - I’d really like to find more ‘boots on the ground’ stewards for the other northern cities like Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle. I think the more we can connect the better it will be. But, I think there's a real need to pick carefully, with people who really care about their communities, and are plugged into the scene. They really are like a plant, tools like this grow slowly, and embed over time - they need looking after.
We are looking into creating an event ticketing platform to live alongside the calendars - considering how awful eventbrite is to use! Finally, It would be awesome to run our own events through Pencil it in that are so sorely needed, from portfolio reviews, to mentoring, or charity design sprints. My first one is in Leeds on the 12th March and is listed on the Pencil it in, Leeds calendar.
Ellen - My hope with Pencil it in, Manchester is that it becomes a given. Somewhere that’s a bit of a no-brainer to visit and add or explore events in our city. I mean, 2k returning users in two weeks is a pretty good start!
I think what Eve has created is super easy to use - it’s a big part of why it’s taken off so seamlessly. It’d be fab to see it grow to more cities. I don’t see why it wouldn’t!
Image: Pencil It In, Manchester Calendar- Northern Design Festival May 2026
Platforms like Pencil It In highlight something many creatives already know: the North’s design scene is thriving. Sometimes it just needs better visibility to help with discoverability, Eve mentioned the idea of “cross-pollination” between events, something this platform will hopefully help encourage, by spreading the word about the huge variety of events happening across the region.
If the early response is anything to go by, with thousands of already returning users already, it’s clear the appetite for connection is there. The calendar is quickly becoming a staple for creatives looking to stay in the loop, and as Eve points out, listening to other creatives ultimately makes you a better creative. The best opportunities often start with a simple conversation at an event, you just need to know where to be.
Thanks for reading. Article by Millie Jobson.
