(Online) – Designers Mind, an online community first established in 2019 that aims to promote mental health awareness in the design sphere, has announced that after a hiatus, it will be returning.

Founded by interior designer Kaye Preston, with support from lighting designers Kael Gillam and Martina Frattura, Designers Mind was formed with a mission of helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of designers at work. Its ambitions were to change mindsets around mental health, breaking down the stigma surrounding it, while promoting a message of openness and acceptance.

Primarily an online community, Designers Mind regularly held meetings both virtually and in person, offering support and tips on how to incorporate wellbeing practices into daily routines, while also sharing health and wellbeing resources. Alongside this, Designers Mind produced a regular column in arc magazine, discussing topics such as overwhelm and imposter syndrome, until its organisers announced in October 2023 that it would be taking a break.

However, after a nearly two-year absence, Designers Mind has announced that it will be returning. In a statement, the group said:

“We’re excited to share some good news: we’re back!

“Over the past few months – maybe even longer – each of us felt the quiet urge to reach out and ask one another, ‘Do you think we’re still relevant?’

“At one point, we thought about starting with that question publicly, throwing it out into the world to see if anyone missed us as much as we missed each other.

“But then we paused. Because what we were really missing wasn’t just the spotlight. It was the space to speak, to listen, to get feedback, share ideas, and rethink how we approach the topics that matter to us.

“That’s why we’re starting again: not with a big announcement, but with an open invitation. We’d like to host a series of online gatherings, open to anyone who wants to join the conversation. If you’re interested, sign up here: https://forms.office.com/r/9d7TaAyvfp.”

Dates for the online meetings will be announced in the coming weeks.