Leading Hand

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Leading Hand

Leading Hand is a naturally curious and abundantly creative design and digital agency in Surry Hills, Sydney.

At Leading Hand, we love developing and communicating outstanding visual stories, on and offline. We take a strategic approach to every project in order to achieve optimal results. We offer a range of design and digital services including: graphic design, branding and visual identity, art direction and photography, environmental graphic design, digital and web, videos and animation, illustration,

copywriting and print management. Our strategic creative solutions are innovative, practical, results driven and great value. We have an open and collaborative working style and from this we nurture long-standing relationships with our clients. Our strategic, creative and technical solutions are innovative, practical, business results-driven and great value. Our open and collaborative working style supports our ability to nurture longstanding relationships. We have a strong reputation for creativity, reliability, personal service, accuracy in pricing, high standards and commitment to each of our clients. Some of our wonderful clients at Leading Hand include: ABC Radio, Austrade, Australia Council for the Arts, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, Australian Publishers Association, Australian Society of Authors, Daniel Boddam Architects, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, Legal Aid NSW, Lendlease, Musica Viva Australia, NBC Universal, NIDA, NSW National Parks & Wildlife, Minka Consulting, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Social Ventures Australia, St Vincent’s Curran Foundation, St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Writers’ Festival, Tanner Kibble Denton Architects, Working Management.

27/02/2026

On the eve of the 2026 Mardi Gras Parade, we thought we’d share a selection of the literally hundreds of jobs we’ve done for the LGBTQIA+ community over the years. From the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation to the Kirby Institute, we’ve worked with dozens of amazing clients on projects of grave importance and complete silliness — all as important as each other.

It’s well known that our Creative Director started working in the for-purpose sector when he took a job at Mardi Gras way back in the mid-90s. Since then, Leading Hand has forged a strong relationship with the q***r community, with Jamie and Brett at the helm. Leading Hand is a proudly LGBTQIA+ owned business that prioritises working with organisations that prioritise social impact, and it’s times like Mardi Gras that remind us why this is important.

One thing that’s less well known is that we were asked to create the 2009 campaign for what was, at the time, “New Mardi Gras.” The campaign for the 2009 Festival was based on the concept of United Nations, and we developed a strong graphic solution, as seen on the opening slide of this post. Unfortunately, during the latter stages of concept development, we were instructed to change the design to replicate the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. The heartbreaking decision was made to part ways, and the campaign was handed to another designer.

As part of our B Corp certification last year, we were asked to reflect not only on the good work we have done, but also on the work we have declined because it may not have aligned with our beliefs and principles. Although it was quite upsetting at the time to lose the opportunity to create a Mardi Gras campaign, I think history has been kind to us.

I know that the management and board of Mardi Gras today would agree with us 100% that the use of an image that celebrates war is probably not the best fit for one of the most important LGBTQIA+ events in the world — one that celebrates inclusion, progress, and joy.

So, happy Mardi Gras to the planners, the marchers, the watchers, the partiers, and the supporters. We’re very lucky to have this marvellous event in our magnificent city.

20/02/2026

We’re incredibly proud to have played a small part in a big moment for human rights in Victoria.

Yesterday, the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in S*x Characteristics Bill 2025 passed the Victorian Parliament upper house with a 24–15 vote.

Through our work with new client Equality Australia and long-standing partner InterAction for Health and Human Rights, we designed The Missing Voice Report – a powerful document centring the lived experiences of people born with variations in s*x characteristics. This report was presented to Victorian Parliament to drive the conversation and subsequent legislation.

The timeline was tight. With the details still being finely tuned until hours before the delivery of final artwork, we turned the report around at pace to meet a critical deadline of Friday 28 November for presentation to Victorian Parliament on the following Tuesday.

From a first reading in the Victorian Legislative Assembly on 2 December, the bill was passed through the House of Representatives on 5 February. The proposed legislation was introduced to the Upper House immediately and passed in just two weeks.

We understand that design doesn’t pass legislation. People, communities and advocates do. But thoughtful, strategic communication can help ensure stories are heard clearly, respectfully, and with the weight they deserve.

At Leading Hand, we believe design has the power to support tangible change – especially for underrepresented communities whose experiences have too often been overlooked. Being trusted to help shape and deliver this work is exactly why we do what we do: purpose-driven work, real-world outcomes, and meaningful impact.

Congratulations to everyone who worked tirelessly to make this happen. 💜💛

06/02/2026

In Our Words is the fifth round of the Writing Themselves In youth survey, run out of the Australian Research Centre in S*x, Health and Society since 1994 – Australia’s longest running LGBTIQA+ survey.

We developed a refreshed brand that incorporated a cast of diverse characters and illustrations that can be used throughout social media
engagments and a variety of printed materials. A major part of the survey’s launch was the production of two animated shorts, each
targeting the LGBTIQA+ and First Nations demographics. These videos included complex character animations with accompanying voicework provided by a number of young members from the community.

With over 30 years’ experience in the community sector, largely within the LGBTIQA+ space, our Creative Director, Jamie Carroll, has developed a nuanced eye for pinkwashing and stereotypical depictions of q***r people. Working closely with the Leading Hand team, the campaign rises above the visual tropes that can often inhabit this kind of work.

We look forward to seeing the impact of this latest iteration of Writing Themselves, and we thank our client, La Trobe University, for entrusting us with this important work.

02/02/2026

The TKDA website is a digital showcase for a multi-disciplinary design practice spanning architecture, interior design, urban design and strategic planning. Designed for prospective clients and collaborators, the site responds to the challenge of presenting over 45 years of award-winning work across a broad range of sectors.

Building on a long-standing relationship that began with TKDA’s rebrand in 2013, Leading Hand refreshed the website four years ago and it is still fresh 4 years on; a contemporary user experience principles and an image-centric approach to clearly communicate the breadth of the practice. Clean layouts, strong photography and intuitive categories and filters make it easy for visitors to explore a large and diverse portfolio, transforming a complex body of work into an engaging and accessible online experience.

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27/01/2026

It is always an honour to work with the wonderful team at the Kirby Institute, a world-leading research institute located at UNSW.

Since 2018 we have been fortunate enough to be involved with a range of projects that amplify the efficacy and impact of studies and strategies that focus on health solutions for the most at-risk communities. Originally established as the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Kirby’s scope has evolved to address a broader range of health issues, including the well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.

Count Us In is national campaign developed on behalf of a team of LGBTQ+ researchers led by the Kirby institute. The focus of the campaign is recruiting Australian LGBTQ+ community members to participate in a study around the inclusion of questions regarding s*xuality and gender in the 2026 Census.

The visual identity features an abacus, utilising the world’s earliest counting device to symbolise the collection of data. Through use of coloured gradient, each counting bead can be seen to represent a part of the LGBTQ+ community, emphasising the importance of counting everyone and recognising their distinctiveness. This coloured gradient became a key visual thread and was carried through to the photoshoot through the use of coloured lighting.

Leading Hand were entrusted with the naming process, campaign branding, art direction of photo/video shoot and development of collateral across a range of media.

Count Us In is a perfect example of our capacity for full service creative of premium quality within a reasonable budget and realistic timeline. This wonderful project is also a product of our fantastic team and trusted collaborators, all of whom should be extremely proud of their input to an important and timely study.

23/01/2026

One of the highlights from 2025 was working on a host of design projects with the Sydney Theatre Company (STC).

Our re-engagement in 2024 to help design and roll-out the STC annual report has established an ongoing, consistent and wide-ranging relationship that has opened up some surprising creative opportunities.

In our initial partnership, dating back to 2007, Leading Hand supported STC’s internal designer with the roll-out of deliverables ranging from annual reports and brochures to show collateral and promotional material as well as concept development and campaign design for special events.

Since then, we’ve designed programs and advertising collateral for many company productions. One notable example is a large-scale decal journalling the Stolen Generation as a mural installation in the company’s Hickson Road offices.

First established in 1978, STC is committed to ‘sharing stories that inspire, stimulate, entertain, connect and transcend’. Through regional, national and international tours, partnerships and outreach, the company’s diverse program challenges audiences with ‘reflection, revelation and joy’.

Leading Hand are thrilled to be once again supporting this leading arts organisation through eye-catching, fresh and innovative designs and concepts.

20/01/2026

In mid 2022, Noble Ambition engaged us to redesign its website which led to a complete rebrand. Since that first project, we’ve been fortunate to continue working with Noble Ambition across a range of initiatives — including its sub-brand, She Gives.

Following the website redesign and subsequent rebrand, Noble Ambition’s charter became more focused. This led to a decision to realign their online presence to better reflect their activities and intended outcomes.

The development of a series of bespoke illustrations — using organic linework, simple forms, and a muted colour palette — provided the foundation for a more natural and intuitive user experience. This visual approach also clearly communicated their three core areas of work and the services they offer.

Feedback from Noble Ambition has been extremely positive. The project stands as a brilliant example of honest, productive, and valuable collaboration — improving on something delivered to brief, while recognising that the thinking behind it could be reimagined.

We take great pride in our longstanding relationships and are thrilled with the ongoing spirit of collaboration we share with Noble Ambition — from our first project together through to refining their brand and its intentions.

It’s always paramount to us that our work helps our clients achieve their goals in the most effective and impactful ways. Noble Ambition continues to embody that shared commitment.

11/12/2025

Leading Hand has achieved B Corp Certification! After nine months of interrogating our business, making significant procedural changes and documenting our work and its outcomes, we achieved a score of 107.6. That’s 27 more than the required total of 80 points.

The reason for this encouraging result was that we qualified for four Impact Business Model (IBM) bonuses. The description of IBMs by BCorp states “it is difficult to earn credit in an IBM, and extremely rare that a company has 3 or more IBMs that are applicable”, so we are incredibly proud of this achievement.

A huge thanks goes out to the LHD team – Luke, Jake, Jasmine, Imogen and Sofia – who leaned into this undertaking with gusto and gumption. It’s wonderful to see our little studio gain such an important qualification.

Finally to our clients. They are what we are all about and how we earned this recognition. Many of our clients have been very generous with their time completing surveys and providing data to complete our BCorp assessment. It is an honour working with organisations who also believe that going to work is about more than just doing a job, it’s getting things done. Good things.

For a full rundown of our BCorp Impact Score check our public profile at https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/leading-hand-design/

08/12/2025

We were honoured to work with Equality Australia on The Missing Voice report, released last week.

The report offers rare insight into the medical interventions currently being performed on inters*x children in Australia, and the rationales driving these decisions.

This groundbreaking report was developed in collaboration with InterAction for Health and Human Rights and is the result of a three-year investigation led by Equality Australia.

Thanks in particular to the amazing Imogen here at Leading Hand for putting in some hard yards to help Equality Australia get the document pitch perfect in time for the launch on 1 December.

An accompanying article from Broede Carmody in The Age helped raise the profile of unnecessary surgeries performed on inters*x children because of outdated medical advice and pressure from distressed parents https://lnkd.in/gTPp_7Zc

See the full report here https://lnkd.in/gkepjhaW and sign the petition to pass laws that defer unnecessary medical interventions on inters*x children until they are old enough to consent for themselves at https://lnkd.in/gUUAFfYU

23/10/2025

We're pleased to advise that Leading Hand is now in the initial evaluation stage of our B Corp certification. This means we have submitted our B Impact Assessment (BIA) – a tool used to evaluate a company’s social and environmental impact across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.

We have since received confirmation from B Lab that we will be moving to the next stage, which involves providing documentation to support and verify our responses within the assessment.

In the Designed to Give section – an Impact Business Model in the BIA that allows organisations to earn additional points toward the minimum certification score of 80 – we were asked: “Are any of the following true regarding your charitable giving structure?” To this, we responded: “We are formally committed to donate the equivalent of 5% or more of our time through pro bono services.”

At Leading Hand, we have always been dedicated to supporting not-for-profits, for-purpose organisations, arts companies, and others who make a positive contribution to the community and the environment. Equally important to us is ensuring that the organisations we work with are fair to their workers and treat our own team with respect and dignity.

As a formal recognition of these commitments, we have prepared a Letter of Commitment, which also marks the beginning of our formal impact reporting program, FOR PURPOSE ON PURPOSE. Our first report will be completed by the end of November and made available for download on our website.
We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress and sharing the next steps of our B Corp journey.

14/10/2025

Just over three years ago, Noble Ambition engaged us to redesign its website. Since that first project, we’ve been fortunate to continue working with Noble Ambition across a range of initiatives — including its sub-brand, She Gives.

Following the website redesign and subsequent rebrand, Noble Ambition’s charter became more focused. This led to a decision to realign their online presence to better reflect their activities and intended outcomes.

The development of a series of bespoke illustrations — using organic linework, simple forms, and a muted colour palette — provided the foundation for a more natural and intuitive user experience. This visual approach also clearly communicated their three core areas of work and the services they offer.

Feedback from Noble Ambition has been extremely positive. The project stands as a brilliant example of honest, productive, and valuable collaboration — improving on something delivered to brief, while recognising that the thinking behind it could be reimagined.

We take great pride in our longstanding relationships and are thrilled with the ongoing spirit of collaboration we share with Noble Ambition — from our first project together through to refining their brand and its intentions.

It’s always paramount to us that our work helps our clients achieve their goals in the most effective and impactful ways. Noble Ambition continues to embody that shared commitment.

11/09/2025

Our new website is live! www.leadinghand.com.au

Congrats to all of the team for a wonderful job. It's been a labour of love and... we love it. Hope you all do, too.

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https://www.leadinghand.com.au/

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