Written by Matt Walton

At the heart of Hull’s creative community, collaboration often begins with a conversation. Our partnership with GF Smith, one of the city’s most iconic creative businesses, has been built on exactly that principle. Together, we’ve developed Cultural Conversations, a new series of bi-monthly events at Humber Street Gallery that invite artists, makers, thinkers and innovators to come together to share ideas, exchange perspectives and spark new ways of thinking.

The idea began, fittingly, over a chat. Ben Watkinson, GF Smith’s Global Brand Director, approached us with a question: what if we created a regular event that brought together Hull’s cultural community and the city’s wider creative industries? A place where artists could meet architects, writers could connect with brand designers, and conversations could flow between sectors that rarely share space. We knew immediately that this was something special, and something that made sense in partnership with GF Smith.

As a company that has championed design, craft and innovation for over 135 years, GF Smith understands the power of creativity to bring people together. Their belief in the value of dialogue and creative exchange mirrors our own, and Cultural Conversations grew from that shared ethos. The result is a programme of thought-provoking, engaging events that reflect the diversity and ambition of Hull’s creative scene.

Each session explores a new theme or provocation (Hidden Stories, Cities Reimagined, Making It Work) drawing on speakers from the worlds of art, business, academia and beyond. Upcoming events include The Future is Handmade, which looks at craft and sustainability in a digital age, and Reinventing the Rules, an exploration of boundary-pushing creativity.

No two evenings are the same, but they all share a common thread: connection. These events create space for genuine exchange between disciplines, for big ideas to meet practical insight, and for artists and creative professionals to learn from one another.

Cultural Conversations has already become a highlight of our public programme and an evening where the room buzzes with curiosity, collaboration and the energy of possibility. For us and GF Smith, it’s proof that when creative minds come together, even the simplest idea, a conversation, can lead to something extraordinary.

Visit the What’s On page to find the next event.