As a graphic designer with mental health lived experience, it meant a lot to be asked to design the logo for Lived Experience Awareness Day.
The inspiration comes from the common humanity we all share. We are all human; we are all unique and beautiful. We are represented through different colours, but there is also commonality and overlap between our experiences.
The overlapping areas of text represent this, and rather than simply having the text forms of one experience block the experience behind it, there is opacity and transparency. This creates space for the layers to meet and interact. When we are truly seen, something magical can happen: the things we bring with us don’t disappear, but when they meet the experiences of others, something new can emerge. New colours, new experiences and shared experiences are created.For me, this is also part of the magic of co-production and community. When different people, perspectives and experiences are given space to come together, we can create something that none of us could have created alone. The transparency within the design represents that possibility — not one experience being placed over or given priority to another, but different experiences being seen, held and allowed to influence each other.
There are grunge textures applied throughout to highlight that our lived experience can be born of suffering, but also that these textures and qualities can provide meaning and depth to our personalities. They are not something to be smoothed away or hidden. They become part of who we are and can contribute to the richness, complexity and individuality of our stories. The texture also gives the design a sense of being human and imperfect, rather than something overly polished or uniform.The non-uniformity of the arrangement speaks to the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all experience.
Our journeys are different, our perspectives are different, and we don’t all need to look or move in the same way. Yet there can still be a place for all of us. We can make space for difference, show compassion and allow individuality to exist, while still creating something that feels cohesive and connected.For me, this is important because lived experience is a tribe and a community, but it is not exclusive; it is inclusive. It isn’t a group that some people belong to and others don’t. We all have lived experience. We all carry stories, experiences, challenges, joys and perspectives that have shaped us. So we can all be part of this community in whatever way feels meaningful to us.Ultimately, the design is about difference and connection, individuality and belonging, complexity and compassion. It is about what can happen when we allow all of those things to exist together — and the magic that can emerge when we see one another.
Tasha Lanigan
15 October 2026 | National Lived Experience Awareness Day
#LivedExperience #LivedExperienceAwarenessDay