Hello, I’m Andrew Gavin Hicks and I’ve often been a central point of connection between Toronto’s music and art institutions and the many diverse, multi-cultural, communities in Toronto. The foundation for my work is born from my lived experiences as a self-proclaimed lifer in the music, arts, and nightlife industries. I have often played the role of DJ, historian, educator, exhibition curator, cultural programmer, stage manager, and even bartender. Being so heavily involved in the these communities has been beneficial for me, not least in the fact that it's created some brilliant working relationships that has fostered a creative practise at the intersection of event coordination and design.
Nightclubs, public exhibition spaces, galleries, and empty warehouse spaces are the scaffolding of the music scene and what completes it is the people and communities housed within. But what do these spaces really have to offer us besides all the lovely late night noise? They are cultural preserves, hotbeds of musical innovation and springboards for the advancement of fashion, dance and social change. A night out often helps create our sense of identity, our place in the world, and it is often where connections and memories are formed. Aside from the improvement of mental well-being, they contribute billions to the night-time economy and the churn of cities is part of what makes them exciting places to live.
Collaborating with like-minded independents on passion projects has produced a wide range of events. Whether it be large scale festivals, or multi-media exhibitions, underground “grottos”, or late night afters, we bring together both the leading and most important talents of all fields and people from all walks of life to meet, listen, watch, and dance. By committing to diverse programming that is forward thinking, we reflect many of the ways in great cities like Toronto thrive on variation and inclusion.
Within this setting is where graphic design has played an integral role in world-building for our participating audiences. Great design often holds the power to make or break an event’s attendance. A music poster has to entice audiences and listeners alike, by making the audible visual while communicating a language that speaks to community. Beyond the physical and digital realms, these documents provide an extended window into the underground movements, dance groups, emerging performers, and long trusted promoters whose extraordinary creative spirit, contributes to the growth and atmosphere of a city.
As a multi-disciplinary creative with influences rooted in the visual culture of music, I produce bold and innovative work that reflects current and historical perspectives. While creating work, I pull ideas form all kinds of styles and cultures and spend hours going through what I’ve collected over the years, finding new ways to incorporate them into my designs. The various flyers, posters, short videos, and mixes peppered throughout this site were used for promotional purposes, placed in record and clothing stores, wheat pasted on street walls, handed out on the streets at closing time and uploaded across multiple social media campaigns. Every object has story and nothing is created by accident. It’s an expression of how I see the world and the space of the community.
Featured on the website are some of his defining projects of my career in event and design and also serves as an archive for current and past collaborations. Above all else, what I love to do is make connections and I can’t do anything without the community of people that are part of a highly collaborative process.
CONTACT:
416-333-5413
andrewgavinhicks@gmail.com