About the author
Roy Sharples is the Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer of Unknown Origins on a mission to unlock everyones creative potential.
Manifesto
Manifesto
The Manifesto of Now
Once, long before the world was carved into systems and symmetry, before rules were written in stone, there was only instinct—raw, restless, relentless. The first artist didn’t ask for permission. The first storyteller didn’t wait for an audience. The first innovator didn’t seek approval. They created because they had to. Because something inside them refused to stay silent.
That spirit still burns.
Creativity is not a trend. It is not an industry. It is not a marketing tool or a means to an end. Creativity is survival. It is rebellion. It is the refusal to be ordinary in a world that demands sameness. It is the fire in the belly of those who cannot sit still, who will not settle, who would rather break and rebuild than fade into the background. It is not polite. It is not measured. It does not conform.
This is not about aesthetics. This is about identity. This is about voice. This is about carving something so unmistakably yours into the fabric of time that the world has no choice but to remember.
The defining question is a stalemate: should you be acceptable to others or yourself?
A Declaration of Creative Bravery
1
Ridicule Is Nothing To Be Scared Of
The world will always have an opinion. Let it. The boldest ideas—the ones that move, shake, and unsettle—are rarely welcomed with open arms. First, they are laughed at. Then, they are feared. Then, they change everything. Keep going.
2
Never Be "Another Brick in the Wall"
Sameness is an easy road, paved with mediocrity and lined with comfort. But comfort never made history. Stand out, not because it’s fashionable, but because you must. Be irreplaceable. Be unmistakable. Be the note in the melody that lingers long after the song has ended.
3
Lead Without Frontiers
The greatest creators, the ones whose names are whispered long after they are gone, did not wait to be understood. They built, wrote, painted, played, and disrupted. And the world eventually caught up. Forge ahead. They’ll follow later.
4
Provoke Actions That Change Minds
Apathy is the enemy. Create work that makes the heart pound, the mind race, the pulse quicken. Whether it is art, technology, music, movement, or business—if it does not stir something deep within, start again. The only failure is to be forgettable.
5
Keep True to the Dreams of Your Youth
Remember what it was like to create before you knew what was expected of you. Before the algorithms, the market research, the formulas. Before you were told what works and what doesn’t. That untamed part of you is the source. Guard it. Return to it often.
Where Creativity Leads and Movements Begin
Unknown Origins helps businesses build standout brands, design innovative products, and tell unforgettable stories—powered by creativity and technology.
We’re not chasing relevance.
We’re here to define the now and shape what comes next.
Creativity, for us, isn’t a skill—it’s a mindset. A way of seeing.
A refusal to let the world settle for less.
We create not because it’s easy—but because we must.
Because ideas demand life.
Because imagination is the only antidote to stagnation.
Because the future belongs not to those who wait—but to those who make.
We are not an agency.
We are not an institution.
We are a movement.
A movement of dreamers, makers, and doers—
working at the intersection of art, technology, and commerce.
If you've ever felt out of place, good.
That means you're meant to make something that doesn't exist yet.
Something only you can create.
This isn't a brand statement.
This is a manifesto.
A love letter to those who refuse to be ordinary.
A call to the ones who won’t be tamed.
A declaration that originality is worth the risk.
So go.
Make what no one’s made.
Shake the world awake.
And never look back.
Roy Sharples CEO Unknown Origins
Roy Sharples works at the intersection of art and algorithm—where imagination fuels innovation and strategy becomes storytelling. With over two decades of experience leading high-growth startups and global enterprises, he blends creativity, technology, and commerce to turn bold ideas into real-world impact. Founder of Unknown Origins, former Microsoft executive, author of "Creativity Without Frontiers", and Adjunct Professor at Central Saint Martins, Roy helps misfits, makers, and markets reimagine what’s possible—and bring it to life.