As well as managing the Festival, Evans initiates, commissions and curates projects[9] for the event including an annual residency in the V&A museum;[10] along with directing Global Design Forum.
Evans has been a governor of the University of the Arts London,[13] a board member of the Roundhouse,[citation needed] and a trustee of Artangel.
In 2010 Evans was awarded an honorary degree from the Royal College of Art,[16] having lectured there for a number of years, and graduated from in 1989 with a MA in History Of Design.
[citation needed] In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Evans was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the creative industries.
He developed a keen interest in architecture and design upon attending a lecture delivered by Richard Rogers at the age of 15.