Forging a new genre of Pop Punk art, multi-faceted creative Rich Simmons uses his work to shift mindsets and promote positivity. He weaves fine art theory and detailed narratives into each piece he creates, hoping to inspire the next generation. The artist From humble beginnings drawing friends as Simpsons characters to earn pocket money, Simmons had a creative impulse from a young age. Showing his work in exhibitions across the globe since 2010, Simmons rose to fame following his recognisable portrait of a soon-to-be-married Kate and Will dressed as Sid and Nancy of the Sex Pistols. Gaining international attention within a few hours of completion, he has since gained avid collectors from around the world and has won countless awards for his work in various countries. His distinctive pop art style draws inspiration from comic books, Banksy and even Leonardo Da Vinci. Designing and hand-cutting his stencils in his Brighton studio, Simmons is an engineer at heart, always striving to perfect his technique. Working with over 50 types of spray caps and an even wider array of backgrounds, his process is meticulous. Seamlessly combining the precision of fine art with the rebellious nature of graffiti, Simmons’ art is one-of-a-kind. “People are able to look at a piece of artwork and it’ll change their entire reality.” The activist Creating provocative artworks in public spaces, Simmons always hopes to start important conversations with his art. Building narratives into his work, there is more to each piece than meets the eye. His stoic determination to speak out on causes that promote progression and positive change has enabled him to break boundaries, providing space for cultural critiques and questions about identity, society and sanity. Struggling with his mental health in his youth, he turned to art to express his emotions using a positive outlet, self-prescribing art therapy before he even knew it was a concept. At age 19, grappling with depression and unable to find work, Simmons began designing and selling t-shirts. Surprised by his success, he approached The Prince’s Trust with a business plan and was awarded a loan to set up his art therapy business. Now a globally renowned movement, Art is the Cure hosts workshops to provide information for young people to start their own journey of creative healing. “I want to inspire people with my art, my story and my philosophy that art is the cure.” The entrepreneur Living and breathing creativity, Simmons was determined to extend the sense of community and outreach of Art is the Cure into the wider creative space. Collaborating with a friend over the course of a decade, he founded CreateScene - a radical social platform built for creatives of all kinds from all over the world. Carving out a space online to inspire imagination, CreateScene redefines what a creative community looks like in the digital age. “I want to be the person who makes the next generation excited about art.”