Ambitious growth plans for visual storytelling agency

A Barnsley-based entrepreneur who helps academics condense hundreds of pages of research into interesting infographics has expanded her company.

Laura Evans-Hill, director of Nifty Fox Creative, has created three new jobs in the last eight months to double the size of her team; and moved into a larger workspace at Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre (DMC01).

She said her investment in growth is in response to increased demand for her creative agency’s visual storytelling expertise.

Her team helps academics and public service leaders communicate their research and ideas through illustration, animation and infographics – all designed to deliver facts, findings and key messages with impact.

Evans-Hill said: “I set up Nifty Fox Creative seven years ago because I’m passionate about getting research into the hands of people who need it most, through visuals.

“There’s no topic too complex, no problem too big, or no cause too important to be simplified into clear, accessible visuals.

“I’m motivated by the fact that 14,000 pieces of research are published globally every day, and it’s estimated that half of them are read by about 10 people and the other half are not read at all. That’s terrible.

“That work needs to get out there and be visible and not vanish in publications no one reads.”

Nifty Fox works with more than 2,000 individual researchers and more than 50 universities internationally.

Its clients include 80-plus public sector organisations, government departments, NHS trusts, Public Health England, Sport England and UK police forces.

Evans-Hill, who trained as a social researcher and formerly worked in higher education, founded Nifty Fox Creative in 2017. Working alone at first, she moved into her first office at Barnsley’s DMC01 in 2022 and now employs a team of six.

Nifty Fox has received business support from Enterprising Barnsley at DMC01.

Key accounts manager, Judy Sidebottom, said: “Nifty Fox Creative is our kind of success story at DMC01. Laura combines creativity and digital technology with a laser like focus on her personal mission to champion the role of visual storytelling in good communication.

“Drawing up plans for expansion, she has created jobs, taken on more workspace and been an active member of our tech community, collaborating with other small businesses in Barnsley. We look forward to seeing what Laura does next.”