Issue 79: A Bulletin for Big Ideas and Better Business

An apology

OPINION/ CREATIVITY

💬 Sir John Hegarty

Frank Delaney was a superb author. He penned a New York Times best-seller entitled Ireland, and was once declared to be ‘the most eloquent man in the world’. When we met years ago, he posed a confronting question to me: “So, John, when are you going to write your book?”

Somehow, it completely reframed the problem in my mind

I was flattered that he thought I had one in me. But I’d always avoided writing (I spent more time at work erasing words than adding them). As an art director, you tend to think in concepts and images, rather than in snappy sentences or memorable turns of phrase.

“I’m an art director,” I replied. “I do the pictures.”

“But John, writing is just describing pictures.”

“Oh.”

I’d always had a block when it came to the notion of sitting down and turning out a large mass of words. But somehow, Mr. Delaney’s angle on it completely reframed the problem in my mind. Shortly after (well, quite a while after) I managed to find 60,000 or so words to put into my first book. Why am I telling you this?

Because if you’re struggling with something this week, there’s a method to get out of your own way: reframe the job. The distance between you and something you never imagined for yourself can be a quick shift in perspective.

THE AGENDA

🗓️ Diarise this: your agenda for the coming week

1.
Dancers from across Ireland will be tightening their ghillies in preparation for this year’s Fleadh Cheoil, the world’s largest festival of traditional Irish culture.
31st July – 10th August

2.
With an estimated 52,000 performances, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the world’s largest arts festival. Known for launching the careers of some of the UK’s biggest comedians, there’ll be shows from a wide range of emerging talent alongside big-name acts such as Rosie O’Donnell and Bill Bailey.
1st – 25th August

3.
Philadelphia’s BlackStar Film Festival opens on Wednesday, showcasing work by and about people of colour. Across four days, it will feature independent films, panel discussions, and events championing diverse voices in cinema.
31st July – 3rd August

4.
Switzerland celebrates National Day. Towns and villages will be bursting into celebration with yodelling, bonfires and fireworks as the country comes together to toast its heritage in true Swiss style.
1st August

5.
Dekmantel Festival returns to the Netherlands this week, bringing electronic musicians from around the world to Amsterdam’s clubs. With a line-up of cutting-edge DJs and live acts, it’s a hedonistic showcase of what’s next in the world of dance music.
30th July – 3rd August

UK / EDUCATION

Source: UK Parliament / Contributor: TBOC

Campus crunch

With rising costs, years of frozen tuition fees, and a sharp drop in international student numbers, the financial health of UK universities is reaching breaking point. The Commons Education Committee has launched an inquiry into the crisis, with a deadline for evidence set for 31 July. A recent report from the Office for Students warned that the sector can no longer rely on overseas recruitment to prop up its finances, a concern intensified by recent changes to immigration policy. The stakes are high: universities are not only economic engines but also the UK’s creative and intellectual backbone. Without urgent action and bold thinking, the country risks eroding a system that fuels innovation, research, and cultural vitality. This inquiry could prove pivotal in shaping the future of higher education.

ON CREATIVITY /

Contributor: Sir John Hegarty

MEXICO / CITIES

At risk of displacement from gentrification: Rentals in Mexico City
Source: Ciudad de México

Rent check

Mexico City is taking aim at the gentrification crisis reshaping its neighbourhoods. Earlier this month, thousands took to the streets to protest soaring rents and displacement, prompting mayor Clara Brugada to unveil a preliminary plan to regulate the city’s housing market. The proposal seeks to curb runaway pricing by preventing landlords from setting extortionate rents and publishing a transparent list of rental benchmarks to stabilise the market. The debate comes as Mexico City cements its reputation as an international creative hub, drawing artists, designers and digital nomads with its cultural vibrancy and (relative) affordability. But as seen in Berlin and New York before it, the very influx that fuels artistic energy can also drive out longstanding residents. Brugada’s plan is an attempt to strike a balance – keeping the city’s creative spirit alive without sacrificing its communities.

LA / CULTURE

Ma Yansong’s vision for the shape of the Lucas Museum
Source: Lucas Museum

A gallery far, far away

George Lucas has offered a first look inside the hotly anticipated Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles in 2026. Described by Lucas as “a temple to artists,” the museum will explore how storytelling through art has shaped culture and society, from communicating values to sparking collective imagination. Its collection spans centuries, featuring works by Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, Kadir Nelson, and comic art legends like Winsor McCay and Frank Frazetta. Alongside this, the Lucas Archives will showcase props, costumes, and concept art from Lucas’s own cinematic universe. Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the sweeping 300,000-square-foot building will house galleries, theatres, and community spaces. The museum promises to celebrate the power of narrative as a way to connect and transform communities.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.

/Voltaire