Spotlight on Studio Lutalica
This Pride Month, we’re celebrating our members who are working to improve the lives and rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in Scotland and beyond. In our newest member spotlight, we’re happy to be joined by Cecilia Righini (they/them), Founder and Creative Director of Studio Lutalica.
What does your social enterprise do?
Studio Lutalica is a non-profit design agency dedicated to empowering women and LGBTQ+ founders through graphic design and web development. Our mission is to champion social justice and inclusivity, ensuring that under-served voices are amplified and represented in impactful and accessible design solutions.
How do you do it?
We collaborate with women and LGBTQ+ founders and non-profits organisations. Guided by our values of intersectional feminism, people over profit, and radical collaboration, we offer branding, web, and strategy services. Our manifesto ensures all the work we do aligns with our mission for meaningful and accessible design.
What makes your organisation unique, and why should someone choose your services?
Our services are rooted in lived experiences, offering empathetic and impactful design solutions. We ensure cost-effectiveness and adaptability across all our offerings, supported by a strong ethical framework that prioritises social justice.
What is your personal motivation?
My personal motivation stems from experiencing discrimination in previous roles, which fuelled my desire to make a change in the design industry and within my communities. I am passionate about creating safe spaces through design, ensuring inclusivity and representation for under-served voices. I aim to empower others to do the same, fostering a ripple effect of positive impact.
What is the current focus for your social enterprise?
Our current focus is on increasing the pro bono support we offer. In the past year, we’ve provided over £30k in pro bono services, and we aim to build a sustainable framework for change. We want to develop a fundraising strategy based on brand sponsorships to enhance the support we can provide to under-served founders and small charities.
What exciting things do you have coming up?
Soon, we’ll start pitching to social investors, a step that’s both a little scary and super exciting, as it opens up the possibility to expand our team and amplify our impact. But also, we’re always looking forward to the next project, as we’re eager to push boundaries and create impactful designs!
Who do you want to work with more?
We want to collaborate with more female and queer founders who have ideas to change the world for good. In these challenging times, we’re particularly eager to support campaigns for abortion rights, trans rights, feminist climate justice, and against domestic violence.
What’s your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge is securing funding, as it’s difficult to demonstrate direct impact and quantify indirect impact as a primarily B2B organisation. Unlike B2C organisations working in crisis situations, our impact is often less immediately visible, which can complicate funding efforts.
Where do you see your organisation in 5 years?
In five years, we envision Studio Lutalica as a leading design agency, championing design that empowers under-served communities globally. We aim to grow our team to provide a safe space for female and LGBTQ+ creatives, supporting them in thriving within the industry and amplifying their voices.
What top tips would you give to other social enterprises?
Stay true to your values, prioritise sustainability, and ensure accessibility in all aspects of your work. Embrace an abundance mindset, supporting each other rather than viewing peers as competition. Collaborate with like-minded organisations and continuously adapt to meet the needs of your community.
For more information about Studio Lutalica, please visit their website and make sure to follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Want to read more Member Spotlights? Visit our blog. If you’d like to be featured, please email membership@socialenterprise.scot.