Harry Trinh

As an experiential designer, Harry Trinh’s eye has been shaped by a childhood between neon-lit LA Chinatown and Disneyland, and his wider Chinese-American experience. Today, he works as Head of Creative and Cultural Programs at Welcome to Chinatown, a nonprofit focused on supporting Manhattan Chinatown's small businesses and preserving its cultural identity. Whether he’s designing a traditional Cantonese opera theatre or a Gaysian Night Market, his role is all about reviving, reinterpreting and restoring cultural heritage.

About my work

My creative practice
My role as Head of Creative and Cultural Programs is part art director, part culture and heritage specialist. On the one hand, my job is a classic design role, understanding visual language as a tool to communicate. On the other, it’s about deeply understanding Chinese American culture and thinking about how to reinterpret it.

Influences and inspiration
I am lucky enough to have people in my family who have inspired me to be creative since day one: my Aunt Linh, Aunt Abigail and Cousin Angie Dita, to name a few. My childhood growing up visiting LA Chinatown, specifically its very whimsical neon flourishes and vintage Hollywood vision of China; Disneyland; and Hong Kong, both past and present.

My training
I am privileged to have attended an art magnet school, Center for the Arts at Henrico High School, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. My cultural background and deep understanding of Cantonese American culture and language play a huge part in my role. Lived experience is always what I take with me.

Favorite recent project
Hungry Ghost Festival Theater: a modest yet impactful theater production effort to bring the Hungry Ghost Festival theater traditions from Southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to the heart of Manhattan Chinatown.

A day in the life
No day is ever the same. Our organization operates on a lean yet mighty team, which means we all wear many hats. My days are usually a juggling act of research, design execution and coordination. Every day is a fun challenge, constantly thinking about and putting into action how design can elevate the work of the organization.

How I got here

Landing my first few jobs, clients and/or commissions
My first job was via a connection from my RA at MICA. I was hired as an assistant graphic designer for a CPG (consumer packaged goods) brand. I found a lot of success by using market and trend research to back up my design instincts. Knowing that companies need outside factors to understand creative vision was my golden rule.

I was young, very green and willing to get my ideas out in the world. I went through art school to ultimately have fun, so why not stick with that mentality?

Biggest challenges along the way
Being okay with constant changes in technology and how to apply my design skills. I’ve learned to lean into my instinct to value human, in-person experiences. Technology is an aid, but what makes designing human experiences valuable and worthwhile is human intervention.

Everyday skills I’ve found helpful for my creative work:
Being open. Anything can be an inspiration and inspiration can be found in both high-brow and low-brow environments. 

My social media and self-promotion vibe is…
As designers, your social media will always reflect your personal taste and design perspective. Let it be a lens onto how you see the world. 

Three things I've found useful in my career:
Leaning into what I gravitated towards when I was little. Growing up, I loved Chinatowns and Disneyland – I always look back to that when I want to feel inspired. Also, books: my favorite read is Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (And Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland. Lastly, going to as many museums and art spaces as possible. I love visiting immersive art installations: the first one that really drew me in was Filthy Lucre by Darry Waterston, which utilized all five senses.

My greatest learnings when it comes to making money and supporting myself as a creative:
For me, especially in my earlier days, I took on lots of oddball design jobs and non-design jobs. One of my first professional experiences was as an intern for Disney's retail design team. I learned a lot, but I craved working with more creatives, so I also put on my own creative showcase spotlighting the talent of Disney employees in a local gallery. My rule of thumb is to take the job if there is an element you can learn from.

Read the room: if you think a low-bono or pro bono project fulfills something creatively, balance it out with another higher-paying project that pays the bills, but maybe isn’t something you love.

Advice

My most useful career tips
Dream big and ask friends to support you (and support them). Be willing to rock the boat.

Don’t gatekeep your thoughts and creative process. Welcoming people into your design world will pay you back in many ways. People love knowing how creativity happens – make them feel seen in the process of designing for or with them. Also, present your work with research to back it up.

Where I go to feel connected as a creative
Friends who are in a similar creative process. I love talking shop with them and creating opportunities to work with them professionally and personally.

What I'd say to someone looking to get into a similar role
Being open to being a truly collaborative person can go a long way. It might lead to lifelong friendships with designers, where you refer each other for projects, roles, etc.

The types of projects people get to know you for are the ones you do the most. If you can find the lane that you love, keep on investing in that niche. You might need to take on a few low-paying projects here and there, but it will repay you in the future.