Gill Hicks AM

Gill is a powerful and thought-provoking communicator, challenging us to think deeply about the relationship we have with the world around us, with each other and importantly hold with ourselves.

Her vital work, particularly in countering violent extremism, became her focus after she was left severely and permanently injured from the actions of a suicide bomber in the co-ordinated terrorist attack on London’s transport network in July 2005.

Prior to the bombings, Gill was a respected figure within the fields of Architecture, Design and the Arts in London.  As Publisher of Blueprint, the contemporary culture magazine, she established herself within the world renown British design scene. She later went on to be Founding Director of The Dangerous Minds Design consultancy and then Head Curator at the Design Council.

‘Designing a sustainable peace’ has become the core focus to Gill’s body of work. Under the acronym for Making a Difference ‘M.A.D.’, Gill has founded both a ‘think’ and ‘do’ tank, M.A.D. Minds, and a creative, collaborative agency, Music Art Discussion, where she brings performance and visual art together to communicate beyond spoken word.

Receiving several Honorary Doctorates within Philosophy from London Metropolitan University, Kingston University and University South Australia, Gill is also an Adjunct Lecturer with Edith Cowan University. Working within Education, she develops critical thinking modules for primary and secondary school age children.

Gill has also been Awarded an MBE and an AM in recognition for her work within the Charity sector. Gill is an active Board Director for The Women’s Playhouse Trust in the UK and Europe and of SALA (South Australian Living Artists).

After living and working in London for over two decades, Gill returned to Australia where she continues to grow her Arts practice. A recipient of the prestigious Ed Tweddell Residency at Central Studios, Adelaide, she runs a commercial studio within this consortium of acclaimed artists.

Her 2021 Adelaide Fringe debut performance, Still Alive and Kicking, played to sold out audiences, received five-star reviews and won multiple awards, including the coveted Edinburgh Fringe award.

More about Gill

A published author, musician, artist and mother, Gill’s appreciation and gratitude for life is present throughout all her creative works.

Originally from Adelaide, Gill had lived in London since 1992. She returned to her native Australia after 25 years in London, continuing her passion for communicating the importance of recognising our shared Humanity by launching a new practice exploring Music, Art and Narrative as powerful forms of universal communication.

Gill is the former Publishing Director of the architecture, design and contemporary culture magazine, Blueprint, Director of Dangerous Minds multi-disciplinary design and publishing group, and latterly Head of Curation at the UK’s Design Council. Gill Hicks is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Trustee of the Women’s Playhouse Trust and an Advisor to Psychology Beyond Borders.

Gill left her career within architecture, design and the arts, notably a respected curator and publisher in London, to devote her life to deterring anyone from following a path of violent extremism and the destructive ideologies that seek to divide our global societies.

In 2006 Gill was appointed Ambassador for Peace Direct (Best New Charity 2005), in 2007 an Advocate for Leonard Cheshire Disability and has founded M.A.D. for Peace, a not-for profit organization which communicates the importance of our individual responsibility in creating a world in which extreme conflict is ended.

Gill’s first book, One Unknown, is published by Rodale, part of Pan Macmillan and was short-listed for the Mind Book of the Year, 2007.

Gill continues to be recognised and highly awarded for her work within the Arts, Community and Healthcare. She was been honoured with an MBE for her services to charity in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, and an AM for her ongoing devotion to making a positive difference through her own adversity. Gill became both Australian of the Year in the UK and Australian Woman of the Year in the UK.