Many of you following us on social media will already have spotted it: the bold, expressive graphic style sewn through every announcement, every teaser and every corner of our 2026 design work.

It has become part of our visual identity this year, a thread running through everything we share as we gather to immerse in history and gather to make history together.

At the centre of that visual world is designer and illustrator Matt Garrett, known in the illustration community as Kadero. Working with Matt has been one of the most rewarding parts of shaping this year’s festival identity, not only because of his skill but because of the way he talks about creativity itself.

He describes his career with a kind of honesty and humour that immediately explains why his work feels so alive, reflecting on a path that has taken him through book covers, brand design, animation, video production, zines and more.

His range is exactly what makes his work so adaptable, and why he understands how to build a world visually, whether it is for a global brand or a hand‑drawn personal project. What guides him is clarity of message.

As he puts it, “my goal is to convey a single message by capturing a feel which resonates and excites its audience.”

He believes beauty emerges naturally when the message is right, even if the artwork itself is not traditionally polished.

When Matt shifts into illustration, he becomes Kadero, a persona shaped by instinct, emotion and a desire to create something that transports him elsewhere.

He told us that illustration is his way of making things that look cool and take him to another world, and that over time he has realised how much of what he creates reflects how he feels about the world.

His personal themes revolve around awkwardness, social interactions, neurodivergence and the feeling of being not quite normal in the most energetic way possible.

Even though the Gathering artwork is stylistically different, that sense of character and humanity still pulses through it. Every figure feels like it has a story.

Matt’s journey into art began with cartoons and a pencil. As a child he drew characters and creatures whenever he could, then scanned them into early digital tools to clean them up and colour them.

That early discovery shaped everything that followed, and he still remembers the thrill of realising that “a blank sheet of paper could turn into anything you wanted.” That sense of possibility shaped the 2026 festival artwork.

Despite his digital skillset, Matt still loves the simplicity of drawing. He often returns to thick crayons and ink brushes because of the immediacy they offer, the way ideas move straight from brain to hand without friction. That tactile, instinctive quality is part of why this year’s artwork feels so grounded and handmade.

The Artistic Process Behind Kadero’s Design

When he began developing the Gathering design, Matt built a moodboard full of block prints, naive illustration styles, Norse references, hand‑carved patterns and older aesthetic traditions.

He wanted the artwork to feel immersive and historical, something that echoed the tactile quality of traditional printmaking. Choosing a less refined style was intentional, a way to mimic older aesthetics and give the piece a sense of age and texture.

As he explained, “creating a design which was less refined and more naive was a choice to mimic older aesthetic styles.”

For the final composition, he focused on the elements visitors are most excited by: archers, sword fighters, Viking warriors with shields and a jouster, all arranged on a hillside threaded through the twisting branches of an ancient oak.

“The oak tree ties everything together, its gnarly branches linking each scene into a single world. And yes, there is a hidden easter egg for those who know the local scene well.”

One of the things Matt is most proud of is the sense of depth created by the oak tree and its sprawling canopy. He credits the collaborative process, saying:

“collaboration in creativity can make an outcome better than an individual’s singular input.”

Seeing the artwork taken into new mediums such as 3D sculpture and social graphics has been another highlight for him, and he loves seeing its versatility.

What’s Next for Kadero?

Looking ahead, Matt is excited to see the artwork come to life onsite at the festival.

He is also exploring zines as a creative direction, drawn to the way they combine illustration, typography and storytelling into something intimate and community‑driven.

As he puts it, “they are a really cool vehicle to display illustration.”

For those who want to follow more of his work, he can be found as @Kadero on Instagram, and his design, animation and video portfolio is available on LinkedIn at garrettdefinecreative.