Factory International

adidas Originals Creator Network North – the cohort

Meet the first ever cohort of Originals Creator Network (OCN) North – a six-month development programme for emerging creatives

Polaroids of 20 creatives from the adidas Originals Creator Network North programme

The project

Established in 2024 by adidas Originals and Factory International, Originals Creator Network (OCN) North brings together 20 emerging creatives from across Manchester and the North.

Based at Aviva Studios, OCN North has provided a platform for young creatives to develop their skills, build networks and explore new opportunities in the creative industries. Since September 2024, the cohort has received mentorship from adidas and Factory International, masterclasses, and hands-on experience.

Now, the cohort present the culmination of their work – an exhibition built around speed at Aviva Studios from 25 to 26 April 2025. Responding to a creative brief inspired by Manchester's running culture, Running in Motion features four major works developed by the cohort: PULSE, Do Not Go Gentle, Unsung Heroes, and Three Stories, Three Stripes.

Meet the talented cohort below.

Explore Running in Motion →

Supported by

"Manchester has always been a city that moves fast, and this cohort has captured that spirit, bringing fresh perspectives and bold ideas to the table. The work they’ve created doesn’t just reflect where we are now, but where the creative industries are heading - diverse, dynamic, and driven by new voices."

Scott McVittie, Executive Commercial Director, Factory International

The cohort

Photo of Amy Parton on a white background wearing a zipped up light blue Adidas tracksuit top

Amy Parton

Amy is a trainer and fashion enthusiast with a passion for art, magazines, and youth culture. She works full-time in the client services department of a retail and motion design agency, collaborating with some of the world’s leading fashion and footwear brands. In her spare time, she creates Renaissance-inspired art on clothing, drawing inspiration from local communities, historic art styles, and creative approaches to mindful consumption.

Instagram

Angelica Giles wearing a green Adidas tracksuit top zipped up, on a white background

Angelica Giles

Angelica Giles is a versatile fashion stylist and creative with extensive experience in the industry. She consistently delivers standout projects across leading streetwear, commercial, music, celebrity, and cultural platforms. Her expertise spans styling for top brands, publications, and high-profile clients, seamlessly blending creativity with industry trends.

Instagram / Website

Anthony Namba wearing a black Adidas tracksuit top on a white background

Anthony Namba

Anthony Namba’s work explores memory—blending nostalgia and daydreams. Inspired by rap, cartoons, film, and poetry, his creative vision is shaped by the culture that defined his upbringing. He examines how personal narratives unfold within their environments, applying this perspective to both artistic and commercial work to create deeper, more resonant storytelling.

Instagram / Website

Areesha Ali wearing a black Adidas sweatshirt and silver earrings on a white background

Areesha Ali

AREESHA is a British-Pakistani jeweller based in Manchester, who draws deep inspiration from the natural world. Her work explores the intricate relationship between shapes, layers, and textures, transforming them into miniature, wearable works of art. Each design is handcrafted, unique and personal. After the sculpting process, the pieces are cast in high-quality sterling silver then finished in her studio, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.

Instagram

Arif True wearing a fluffy grey adidas fleece on a white background

Arif True

Arif True is a producer, music composer and events curator. With a background in psychology and sociology, many of the themes that appear in True’s work are focused on nature, culture and human reactions to sound and spaces. Arif has worked with Tyneside Cinema, delivers lectures on sound and digital culture at MMU Digital Arts, and runs a local Manchester collective OverRhythm, which focuses on creating interactive multi-disciplinary art spaces.

Instagram / Website

Ayman Chaudhry wearing a white t-shirt and zipped up black adidas jacket, on a white background

Ayman Chaudhry

Ayman is a director and writer with a passion for film, music and Muay Thai. As the creator of ATLAS, an award-winning sci-fi series screened internationally, Ayman has showcased a talent for compelling storytelling. With an extensive background in narrative filmmaking and music videos, he brings a unique vision to every project, creating visually striking, thought-provoking, and emotionally engaging content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Instagram / Website

Beni De Makoso wearing a bright turquoise and white Adidas football shirt, on a white background

Beni De Makoso

Beni De Makoso is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Aaspire Recs, an independent talent management brand in Manchester. He produces music, directs films, and works as a Creative at Ear to the Ground, blending music and storytelling. Half Congolese and half Angolan, he speaks five languages, fueling his passion for global creativity and collaboration.

Instagram / Website

Brit Seaton wearing a white jumper on a white background

Brit Seaton

Brit Seaton is a Creative Producer specialising in community-driven arts projects, often exploring nature, dreams and queer identities. Her love for experimental music and sonic arts intersects with her work producing exhibitions and her background in socially engaged practice. Brit works freelance with artists, organisations and brands to bring bold ideas to life with a collaborative spirit. She has worked with the Barbican, Vans, HVW8 Gallery, The Turnpike, RVNG Intl, Rewire Festival, dBs Institute and Factory International.

Instagram

Brody Salmon turned to the side, wearing a white Adidas jumper with a black collar, on a white background

Brody Salmon

Lancashire filmmaker Brody Salmon first gained recognition for his short film Dog Factory which received praise from the BFI and was awarded Best Northern Drama by the Royal Television Society. Since then his use of surreal and bold aesthetics cut with street cast stories of misfit youth cut have seen him direct music videos, documentary and fashion film.

Instagram

Elizabeth Bisuga wearing a green and white Adidas top, on a white background

Elizabeth Bisuga

Elizabeth is a British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist from Manchester. Her work explores identity, heritage, and everyday narratives through a fusion of visual arts, performance, and collaboration. Blending traditional and contemporary techniques, she crafts immersive experiences that spark dialogue and amplify voices, using art as a bridge between personal and collective histories.

Instagram / Substack

Ella Mayamothi Sommeil wearing a light grey Adidas zipped hoodie and a red flower in her hair, on a white background

Ella Mayamothi Sommeil

Ella Mayamothi Sommeil is a British based photographer and director, whose work explores themes of comfort and identity. The foundations of her practice are informed by her Bangladeshi and Guadeloupean heritage and themes of displacement and longing are firmly rooted in her work. Using archives, cameras and textiles, her work is an ode to the resistance of her community.

Instagram / Website

Ella Murray wearing a white Adidas top on a white background

Ella Murray

Ella Murray is a graphic designer and creative director whose work blends dynamic visual communication with cultural storytelling. With a strong connection to music culture, she designs assets for brands and events within the industry, while her creative direction explores technology, digital communities, and human experience. Through her magazine, Inner Net, she fosters community, engages in cultural criticism, and explores personal narratives within an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Instagram

Honor Rowlands wearing a white top, looking to the side, on a white background

Honor Orange

Letting her passion resonate through artistic facilitation, Honor endeavors as a creative producer to bring visions to life while maintaining artistic integrity. Translating personal emotions and experiences, Honor finds her art resting in the form of print publication. Taking an unorthodox approach to print, Honor's independent and self-published magazine ONSETT reflects real, lived experiences in a physical media form; made by the youth, for the youth.

Instagram / Website

Hriday Das wearing a black Adidas zipped jumper on a white background

Hriday Das

Hriday Das is a filmmaker, video editor, and 3D animator with 4+ years of experience crafting compelling visuals. Skilled in Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve and Blender, he transforms ideas into stunning visuals that captivate audiences. From branded content to cinematic storytelling, he brings creativity, efficiency and attention to detail to every project, ensuring high-quality results on time and within budget.

Instagram / Website

Jack Jameson wearing a silver velvet Adidas hoodie and a black hat, on a white background

Jack Jameson

Jack is a mixed-media artist, art director and creative producer exploring identity, transformation and storytelling. Blending design, motion, character and performance, they create otherworldly narratives that challenge norms and imagine new futures. Rooted in hope and innovation, Jack’s work builds spaces for reflection, play and possibility – reimagining gender, community, and culture in a changing world.

Instagram

Kymara Akinpelumi wearing a patterned denim Adidas jacket on a white background

Kymara Akinpelumi

Kymara Akinpelumi is an award-winning artist and curator of photography, championing northern and emerging talent. She is passionate about creating third spaces and pioneering regional equity within centralised institutions. Recognised by the Prince and Princess of Wales, she has exhibited internationally, with the National Portrait Gallery, featured in The Guardian and Dazed, and has used her artworks to fund arts schools in Ohio.

Instagram

Oscar Cloud wearing a back hoodie and brown Adidas jacket, on a white background

Oscar Cloud

Oscar Cloud is a filmmaker and photographer living in the heart of the Northern Quarter in Manchester. From music videos to commercial projects, he works with a wide array of clients ranging from local under-represented musicians to big influencers and TV presenters. Embracing a DIY ethos, his goal is to create the most engaging stories possible, regardless of the limitations at hand.

Instagram / Website

Rakhel Ojinnaka wearing a black Adidas puffer jacket on a white background

Rakhel Ojinnaka

Rakhel Oji’ (Ojinnaka) is an Irish born illustrator and visual designer currently working between Manchester and London. Rakhel enjoys exploring themes of identity, sustainability and technology's ever evolving role in shaping our world. Blending traditional printmaking techniques with digital illustration, her work seeks to spark conversation, inspire curiosity and bring art into everyday spaces through thoughtful, functional and commercial approaches.

Instagram

Rosa Fryer wearing a yellow and blue Adidas top on a white background

Rosa Fryer

Rosa is a Manchester-based creative director known for her visually vibrant projects. From directing sell-out cabarets and award-winning theatre productions to orchestrating community-driven fundraisers and short films, she brings a blend of artistry and heart to every project. From stop-motion animation to abstract cinematography, Rosa has a keen eye for the colourful and eccentric, always seeking to champion the beauty in the everyday. Through community workshops and accessible creative spaces, Rosa's work continues to centre a sense of place and belonging in everything she does.

Instagram

Sujanhariharan Ragunathan wearing an off-white Adidas hoodie on a white background

Sujanhariharan Ragunathan

Sujanhariharan is a filmmaker passionate about visual storytelling. Starting with photography and self-taught videography, he developed his craft through event coverage and mini-documentaries. A cinephile drawn to cinematic imagery, he aspires to work as a Director of Photography on narrative, documentary and commercial projects, continuously refining his skills in the art of making moving images.

Instagram / Website

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