Designing human connection through uncensored storytelling, for a disconnected world

A mini version of What Does Not ® 's uncensored storytelling night, RAW, is popping up at LDF - where the creativity of UAL's design students is being showcased in the Atterbury Flat alongside our approach to human connection design. Expect stories, music, DJs, hangs.

What is What Does Not and RAW?

It all started with a human need to discover we're not alone. This was the drive behind What Does Not founder, Christine's, talking to strangers at bus stops, park benches, and lock-ins at bars she used to run. This quest for connection evolved throughout her career in PR, creative direction, culture consulting, and as a C-suite marketeer, into a philosophy for living that became What Does Not ®.  Named after the saying 'what does not kill you makes you stronger', What Does Not ®  today is a storytelling collective and culture agency designing human connection-based experiences and initiatives for humans and brands as a way of creating pockets of a different future.

RAW is a monthly gathering and uncensored storytelling night where a curated line-up of everyday humans share true, personal stories, paired with live music and art. RAWs are the concentrated version of this philosophy of living. A space created with the intention to change the world by asking the question: 'what if we have more in common with people we thought we had nothing in common with?'

For London Design Festival, a mini version of RAW is taking over The Atterbury Flat, the university's space to host dignitaries and important visitors – to help ask the question, 'can commercial work be bought, collected, archived, and valued with the same intention and reverence as fine art? And what role does human connection play in this process?'

See you there.

Note: this takeover is part of London Design Festival 2026

You can learn more about What Does Not at www.whatdoesnot.com

Description supplied by the event organiser.