Celebrating Creativity Inspired by Community: Adobe's Creative Residents Go On Display at the V&A

Adobe is committed to empowering creators with the opportunity to pursue their dreams and share the stories that are shaped by their unique backgrounds. Through the Adobe Creative Residency programme, a collaboration between the Adobe Foundation and the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London, we have co-created a unique pathway to build bridges between a globally revered cultural institution and the next generation of creators who are focused on community and connection.

Over the last year, three Adobe Creative Residents have been embedded within the V&A, its collections, and communities, and we are delighted to celebrate the vibrant showcase of their creativity with the opening of Adobe Creative Residents: On Display.

This free display is the culmination of a transformative year of artistry, collaboration, and community impact from the residents who are: Jess Starns, a multi-disciplinary artist interested in inclusive design and disability history and rights; Ciara Neufeldt, a ceramic artist and educator whose work brings playfulness and joy into public spaces; and Michael Akuagwu, a multimedia artist blending photography and photo-manipulation with a surreal approach to explore themes of self, identity, and culture.

Showcasing a Year of Collaborative Creativity

The display spotlights the works of Jess, Ciara, and Michael whilst posing visitors a series of important questions:  What does creativity look like? How can artists help museums welcome new audiences? And how does art strengthen the connections between us?

The Creative Residents found some answers through their deep engagements with the V&A, its collections, and audiences. Throughout the year, they led workshops, collaborated with young people, schools, and families, and supported programmes designed to welcome new and historically underrepresented audiences into the museum.

“Jess, Ciara, and Michael have inspired audiences and opened new conversations about what creativity can look like,” said Simon Morris, VP International Marketing at Adobe. “Through the Adobe Creative Residency programme we’re not only supporting talented artists to hone their craft, we’re also helping make creativity more accessible to communities that have been historically underserved.”

The Stories Behind What’s ‘On Display’

Ciara Neufeldt — Mosaics and Ceramic Tilework Resident | Focus: Families

Ciara’s work intends to promote inclusion and accessibility to art within people’s daily lives. During her residency, she created a stunning ceramic wishing well that explores themes of community, care, and shared creativity.

In delivering her centrepiece, she drew inspiration from the V&A’s extensive ceramics collections, the museum’s own architectural mosaics, and its collection of quilts, paying particular attention to the links between collective artistry and community.

Her colourful, vibrant, large-scale ceramic works reflect the liveliness and joyful spirit of collective making. Ciara shared:

“Joy lies at the core of my practice, acting as a catalyst for what I make and teach. This residency was transformative…you’re just in this space where everything is possible.”

Michael Akuagwu — Photography Resident | Focus: Young People

Michael’s work asks of us to question ourselves and the world around us. During his residency, he drew inspiration from Black photographers within the V&A’s photography collections, using these works to frame a powerful exploration of present-day culture and self-expression.

His array of photographs captures Black British life, drawing from his research of the museum’s documentary photograph collection. He also experimented with new forms of photography and analogue photo-manipulation to reimagine the Black British experience for the modern day.

“I was inspired to create my own collective of ‘Old Masters’ using the works of Black photographers within the V&A collection as a foundation,” Michael shared. “To go through the collections and see so many works of people that look like me…learning about stories from generations before us, I think is really special.”

Jess Starns — Inclusive Design Resident | Focus: Schools

Jess is neurodivergent and, due to her dexterity, she believes in making art that is accessible. Her residency explored adaptive design, objects created by disabled people, and the role of occupational therapy. She also developed a supportive studio environment for children and their support networks, inviting them to co-design tools and artworks that engage with disability, mental health, and neurodivergence.

For her final display, Jess presented a collection of objects created by disabled people for disabled people, highlighting how disability can expand and enrich our understanding of design.

“I’m always looking for new, innovative ways to create art that is accessible to myself and others,” Jess explained. “It was important to reach a point where the students felt they could be at the same level as the adults in the room, and then look at how we can all work together as a collective.”

Impact Beyond the Gallery

Throughout their residencies, each artist had access to on-site studios at the V&A, mentorship from museum staff and industry professionals, and opportunities to research the museum’s world-leading collections.

Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, emphasised that the V&A’s collections are not static relics but ongoing sources of inspiration for today’s artists and designers.

“Art is not just about what we see; it’s about what we feel and how it connects us to the world. The Adobe Creative Residency Programme is a testament to the dynamic relationship between artists and museums. By allowing artists to engage deeply with our collections, we foster creativity and bridge the gap between the past, present, and future of design.”

The Adobe Creative Residency is part of our Adobe x Museums programme, which aims to reach ten million young creators and students globally by 2028. The mission is to make creative expression and education accessible to all young people and to inspire them to explore their own creative potential.

The Residents’ work at the V&A continues to expand access to the arts for schools, young people, and families and is driven by the shared belief that creativity lives everywhere – in communities, relationships, and the stories we share.

The residents have already connected with thousands of people, many of whom may not ordinarily have engaged with the V&A, and they are set to inspire hundreds of thousands more through their new display which remains open to the public for free until November 2026.

Find out more and plan your visit to Adobe Creative Residents: On Display

All images © Victoria and Albert Museum 2025