The Outrunners + Nike
Role. Creative Producer. Designer. Event Manager.
The Outrunners is a charity dedicated to getting young people and underrepresented communities into running. I was brought on to lead creative production across their flagship events, the brief was to deliver experiences that felt authentic to the community - accessible, energetic and genuinely celebratory.
Working directly with the CEO, creative direction spans everything from initial concept and moodboarding through to on-site delivery. Events have included a post-Hackney Half afterparty for 500 guests and a graduation ceremony for the youth and women's academies - each produced end-to-end, from venue sourcing and supplier negotiation to branding, decor and event management.
Both events are delivered in partnership with Nike, adding a layer of brand management that requires creative alignment across two distinct identities without either compromising the other.
Hackney Half Afterparty
The Brief.
The Outrunners are a major presence at the Hackney Half Marathon, and the afterparty is a key moment for runners and fundraisers to celebrate together. The previous year, the event had been handed to an agency - the result was underwhelming and most attendees had left by early evening.
This year, the brief was simple: make it feel like a proper party.
Taking on full creative production and art direction, the approach was to build something with real energy and a strong sense of identity. All event branding was designed by myself - wristbands, DJ booth facade, banners, mirror vinyls and flags - giving the space a cohesive visual language from the moment guests arrived. A curated selection of photography from the youth academy was printed and placed throughout the venue, giving it the feel of a gallery as much as a party.
Every supplier was sourced and managed directly - printing, food vendors, seating, decor, event staff, performers and DJs. Product partnerships were secured with Jubel, Vita Coco and Moju, with drinks placed in esky containers throughout the venue for attendees to help themselves. Working alongside Hyperice, Nike's product partner, a dedicated recovery zone was also created for runners arriving straight from the course.
Attendance was the highest the event had ever seen. The Nike team, who were present on the day, left particularly impressed with a commitment to sponsor future events.
Graduation Ceremony
The Brief.
The Outrunners hold a graduation ceremony each year to mark the completion of their academy programmes - bringing together young people and women who have trained for and completed a half or full marathon. The brief was to create something genuinely celebratory and elevated - an event that honoured the scale of what the attendees had achieved - without the budget to match.
The venue was sourced and secured at no hire cost, negotiated in exchange for a minimum F&B spend - freeing up budget to be invested directly into the experience. All food and drink was pre-selected and ordered, and every touchpoint was designed in-house: graduation hats, certificates and custom printed decor, each produced through suppliers sourced and managed directly.
The centrepiece of the ceremony was a video edited by myself which was compiled from footage submitted by the runners - training sessions, race day moments, personal milestones. Edited into a single round-up film, it played as the opening to the ceremony and went on to be used across The Outrunners' socials and fundraising materials.
The result was an event that gave everyone the opportunity to share their stories, celebrate themselves and each other.
