Rory O'Connor and Anita Murphy: The Creativity Hub

Nominated for The Extraordinaires Design Studio

Belfast-based husband and wife team Rory O’Connor and Anita Murphy first met in art college, quickly developing a deep mutual respect while collaborating on various creative projects. In 2008, life took a twist when their creative thinking tool, Rory's Story Cubes®, took off as both a game and educational resource. Over the years, they worked tirelessly to grow the brand and product range while also building an enviable network of international distributors. This resulted in global sales of seven million copies worldwide. They recently sold the IP to Asmodee, shifting focus to developing new games. Meanwhile, The Extraordinaires Design Studio® continues to garner praise from educators worldwide for its playful approach to design thinking. Combining evocative characters with practical design challenges, it helps foster empathy among students, transforming their approach to real-world problem solving.