Artist interview: Stacey Olika
"My work enables young people that look like me find their place in the creative sector."
Stacey Olika is a graphic designer, creative producer and a BBC production assistant.
Follow her work @stxce.olika / @amakadesigns
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO?
I’m a multidisciplinary creative. By daytime I am a production management assistant at the BBC. At night-time I’m everything in-between: a graphic designer, creative producer and curator.
I am a digital artist first and foremost and my work is story of representation and narratives. My focus is to elevate black men and women throughout my work by taking control of our own stories by putting us in the forefront. I also own a multidisciplinary creative business called AmakaDesigns where I provide graphic design, photography and videography services. This has been completely freelance and probably one of the scariest ventures I’ve ever sought out to do.
So that’s one side of me. On the other side I am a creative producer and curator. I’m the founder of Agents of Change which is a multidisciplinary platform used to curate events that showcase the talents of emerging and underrepresented creatives. This side of my work still falls under representation and I curate and produce work that enables young people that look like me to feel like they have a place in the creative sector. Focusing on putting them in the forefront and letting them tell their stories to the world.
I also just started presenting and have started hosting a new radio show on Ujima.
Digital Illustration / Think It’s For Real
WHAT’S ON YOUR DESK ATM?
I’ve got an Adobe notebook where I have a lot of my future plans and aspirations in there. My laptop, nailvarnish because I’m painting my nails during my work breaks. Some fruit and a cup of coffee.
WHAT HAS IMPACTED YOUR WORK?
A lot of black women have impacted my work: Rihanna, Julie Adenuga, Kei Maye and my peers. But honestly it all started because Dr Shawn Sobers from UWE gave me my first opportunity to have a solo exhibition and that definitely gave me a stepping stone into seeing myself as an artist in this city.
WHAT PIECE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WHY?
I’m most proud of building Agents of Change as a platform to elevate creatives and going from one day having this grand idea that seemed unimaginable to curating it, creating all the branding, receiving funding for it and building a team to make it come to fruition. Thats definitely one of my biggest achievements because it came straight from me.
HOW DO YOU SEEK OUT OPPORTUNITIES?
I seek out opportunities through so many different ways. One is by creating content via social media to showcase what I do and what my brand is. This allows people who follow me to see what I offer and why working with me is a good thing for them. I also have a website showcasing my portfolio and use sites such as The Dots, Bristol Media, Eric festival.
The best thing is to get an online presence and put your work out there. The biggest thing I’ve learnt and has been successful is being consistent and be passionate.
Rising has been a major agency in the opportunities I’ve had. So use the opportunities given and make the most out of them, whether thats networking and meeting more people, finding opportunities to collaborate and getting involved in different programmes.