Ella Britton

Ella is currently the Course Leader for the MA Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures at London College of Communication. In 2018/2019 Ella was also a research resident at the V&A looking at the strategic role of design thinking inside cultural and educational institutions. While at the V&A as a research resident Ella developed the Collective Design School where she is experimenting with models of collectivism inside formal and informal design learning. This was opened within the V&A over September 2019 and saw over a hundred people come together to un-design and re-design creative learning. Prior to this Ella worked with Tec de Monterrey in Mexico establishing a social innovation lab between communities in Querétaro and the local school of architecture and design. During her time in Mexico Ella supported students and community networks to develop two social enterprises in central Mexico: one looking to improve conditions for artisans living and working in rural Mexico; and one looking at democratising art and design education for people who could not afford a university education. In the UK Ella has led the Knee High Design Challenge with the Design Council, working in collaboration with Southwark and Lambeth Councils on system reform to tackle health inequalities for young children and their families. She was also a social design consultant with Thinkpublic where she led public service re-design programmes within local authorities, charities and the NHS. Ella has also worked to support young creative and cultural networks across the world with the support of the British Council.