10 Top Tips to Make Connections and Build Your Network with Blick Academy
On Tuesday night, Blick Academy hosted the event ‘How to Make Connections and Build Your Network’, with speakers Peter Edgar, Mark O’Donnell and Orla McGreevy. We wanted to take the opportunity to share with you the wonderful advice that they offered to our audience.
- Ask personal questions.
For example, ask someone about their hobbies instead of what they do for a living, you’ll stand out from everyone else asking the same questions and it helps you to build meaningful relationships. - Say yes to everything, within reason.
Join in on events and meeting people for coffee because you never know when or where you’re going to meet someone who is going to be a valuable connection. - What can I give? vs. What can I get?
Following on from the last point, you need to assess how valuable your time is and whether there will be something that you and you connection can offer to each other. - Try to intentionally fall in love with everyone.
This continues the point of making a meaningful connection. If you’re trying to find mutual interests or enjoyable qualities about someone, the likelihood is you’re going to be a much better conversationalist. - Holidays are your friend.
Throughout the holidays you’re going to receive a lot of ‘Out of Office’ replies, which will normally include more accessible contact information such as a mobile phone number. - Do a pro bono (favour!).
Statistically, someone cannot (or will find it a lot harder to!) dislike you if you do them a favour. Build more bridges. - Find people who inspire you.
Having connections or a network of people who inspire you will constantly motivate you and help you strive for higher goals. - Realise you don’t have limits.
You’re always growing and improving, something that you may not be able to do now may come completely naturally to you in six months time. Don’t be afraid to apply yourself for something that you can learn along the way. - Build your own narrative.
While everyone else is talking about their history, goals and acheivements, talk about the future and what you hope to acheive. Someone out there might be able to help you with that! - Build a network with people you can trust.
Find people that want to help you and your connections, and will do as much for as you would for them.
Share event:
We currently have 2 dedicated deskspaces available in our Cotton Court Studios £125 each per calendar month email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or to arrange a viewing or visit our website for more info!
Jan 29
As we approach the end of the first month of a new year here are some journal prompts to help you refine your creative idea by reflecting on your current creative practice over the past year.
Reflect on the area of your creative practice you have experienced the most growth this year. What have you learned, and how have you evolved in that part of your life?
What are you proud of or deeply grateful for this year in your creative practice? List everything that comes to mind big or small
You can also download the journal prompts as a PDF or Word document on the creative resources section of our website (link in profile)
Jan 28
What a miserable Sunday, but for anyone working on a new creative business idea, or looking to change their current creative business model or make some changes in their life it`s the perfect weather for staying indoors and doing some gentle reflection. We have put together some (hopefully) useful journal prompts to help you get started!
You can also download this exercise as a pdf or word document from the resources section on our website ✨️(link in profile)
Jan 26
Looking forward to our first creative talk of 2025 on Wednesday, 5th February with Ian Pitt, founder and Creative Director of the London - and Belfast-based design studio Me,Him&Her. @mehimandherdesign
With nearly 30 years of experience in design, Ian’s career began in the retail sector before co-founding his own studio in 2007. Over the past 18 years, Me,Him&Her has developed a reputation for its multidisciplinary approach, crafting brand identities that come to life across digital, print, and physical spaces.
Their client base spans multinational corporations (ASOS, Virgin), SME’s and startups, all with a focus on creating meaningful, engaging brand experiences. Across branding, graphics, signage, interiors, or exhibitions, the studio balances creativity with commercial impact.
In this talk, Ian will share insights from his creative journey, exploring key projects, lessons learned, and the realities of running an independent design studio — from the highs of creative freedom to the challenges he’s found running his own business.
Discover more about Ian and his work at mehimandher.com and follow the studio on Instagram at @mehimandherdesign
Event details:
Event Date(s): February 5, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 8pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free
Book your free ticket on our website ✨️ (link in profile)
Jan 22
Creative Skills Workshop – Branding Your Creative Business
Join us on Wednesday, 12th March, for this free creative skills workshop all about branding your creative business!
Event Date(s): March 12, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free
Full workshop details and facilitator info coming soon!
Sign up now for your free ticket! (Link in profile)
Event Date(s): March 12, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free
Jan 21
Blue skies & loads of light & amazing shadows in our Great Northern Street Studios on this lovely sunny Friday 💙 🌞 ☀️ 🌤
Jan 17
Great workshop yesterday in our Great Northern Street Studios on - ``creative purpose, values, vision and mission` with our Nurture Program participants @verahylands and @bethanysmillican . Many thanks to @itsaullovin founder of @yeomagazine for being our guest and sharing his thoughts and experiences!
Jan 16
We are super excited to have Ian Pitt, founder and Creative Director of the London – and Belfast-based design studio Me,Him&Her. sharing his creative story at our next Creative Talk on Wednesday 5th February!
With nearly 30 years of experience in design, Ian’s career began in the retail sector before co-founding his own studio in 2007. Over the past 18 years, Me,Him&Her has developed a reputation for its multidisciplinary approach, crafting brand identities that come to life across digital, print, and physical spaces.
Their client base spans multinational corporations (ASOS, Virgin), SME’s and startups, all with a focus on creating meaningful, engaging brand experiences. Across branding, graphics, signage, interiors, or exhibitions, the studio balances creativity with commercial impact.
In this talk, Ian will share insights from his creative journey, exploring key projects, lessons learned, and the realities of running an independent design studio — from the highs of creative freedom to the challenges he’s found running his own business.
Discover more about Ian and his work at mehimandher.com and follow the studio on Instagram at @mehimandherdesign
EVENT DETAILS
Event Date(s): February 5, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 8pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free
Sign up now for your free ticket on our website (link in profile) 🌟 🌟 🌟
Jan 14
Happy Monday from our cosy Cotton Court studios in the Cathedral Quarter where we have this lovely dedicated deskspace available immediately! £125 per calendar month all-inclusive and no VAT, email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or to arrange a viewing
Jan 13
Our next Creative Talk will be on Wednesday 5th February with a local creative sharing their story!
Speaker details coming soon!
Sign up now for your free ticket on our website (link in profile)!
Jan 10
2024 a year of change, travel, hard work and exciting new opportunities!
2024 really was a year of change for us at Blick, we left our first studios on the Malone Road after 15 years and moved to new premises on Great Northern Street just off the Lisburn Road in South Belfast. The move took up much of our time and energy, but looking back, ultimately2024 was a great year with the following being some of our best bits!
GREAT NORTHERN STREET STUDIOS
Moving from our Malone studios after 15 years was a physical and emotional challenge, but we love our new Great Northern Street Studios and are confident we will look back on the experience as a positive one in the future!
DESIGN YOUR LIFE PROJECT HONG KONG
Doing more international work to promote the creative industries in Northern Ireland to a global audience and to provide opportunities for local creatives was one of our goals for 2024. It was only a small project but in 2024 we were lucky to start that journey by getting the opportunity to work collaboratively with a Hong Kong illustrator to create a design installation for the British Council Hong Kong Spark Healthy Futures Festival in October called Design Your Life
CREATIVE TALKS
We had some amazing talks in 2024 with local creatives sharing their creative stories in our Blick Academy events i,cluding:
Alanna Mcdowell
Paul Boal
Saul Duffin
Stephanie Heckman
We also hosted a really lovely Womenfolk Junior Senior event in June with artist and creative Nuala Convery aka Wee Nuls and Maja Szotkiewicz the,founder of Majakoo both sharing their creative journeys.
NURTURE INCUBATION PROGRAM
We very gratefully received funding from Belfast City Council for Nurture an incubation program, providing free workspace, mentoring and business support for 4 emerging creatives.
TRAVEL
In 2024 we went to Malmo Sweden, Hong Kong and Bologna Italy for creative Hubs research and projects, met some amazing people and learnt a lot that we hope to take forward into 2025!
At the start of this new year we are grateful as always to do the work we do with the people we do and to have the hard bits to look back on and learn from as well as the good bits!
Jan 8
As you wind down for Christmas, read this interview with @verahylands, an artist with a passion for Northern Ireland`s woodlands and natural habitats. Vera is a participant on our Nurture programme and is hoping to build a creative brand that not only brings attention to the beauty of Northern Ireland’s nature but also actively advocates for its preservation.
We`re off now for a wee break for Christmas 🎄 until 6th Jan! Thanks as always for your support this year and happy holidays everyone!
Dec 20
Meet our next Nurture Program participant, artist @verahylands
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your creative work?
My name is Vera Hylands, and I’m a self-taught artist with a background in business and a lifelong passion for creative work. Although I grew up in the bustling city of Moscow, I have always felt most at home in nature, which fuels my artistic vision and drives the messages in my art. Over the years, I’ve worked in digital textile printing, which has given me a unique understanding of how to transform art into tangible items, but ultimately, my love for art and environmental advocacy led me down a new path. After moving to Northern Ireland, I was deeply struck by the country’s natural beauty, alongside a sense of loss due to environmental challenges. I’m now building a creative brand that celebrates Northern Ireland’s landscapes through abstract art, with the specific goal of drawing attention to the need for environmental preservation and restoration. Using mixed media, I aim to capture the spiritual and emotional essence of nature while telling a story about the region’s environmental past, present, and potential future.
Read the full interview on our website blog (link in profile) 🌟 🌳
Dec 18
Find out a bit about Grainne co-founder of @kitschsistersbelfast and one of the participants on our Nurture Creative Incubation Program!
Dec 17
Find out a bit about Grainne co-founder of @kitschsistersbelfast and one of the participants on our Nurture Creative Incubation Program!
Dec 17
Our next Nurture Program Participant interview is with Grainne Mullan a freelance textile design and co-founder of a CIC called Kitsch Sisters @kitschsistersbelfast which aims to create community connections by providing creative self-care and high-quality workshops to help peoples mental well-being.
Grainne is currently busy organising a Winter Solstice Supper Club for this Saturday night at Mornington Community Project on the Ormeau Road! Booking details on her Instagram ✨️
You can read the full blog on our website link in profile 🌟
Dec 13
Our cosy Cotton Court studios in the Cathedral Quarter, where we currently have this lovely dedicated deskspace under the lightwell
available for £125 per calendar month all-inclusive
Email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or visit the Cotton Court page on our website (link in profile)
Dec 11
Another chance to find out a bit about Bethany Millican @bethanysmillican artist, illustrator and participant in our Nurture Creative Incubation Program. Bethany is hosting an exhibition as part of late Late Night Art East this Thursday 12th December, where she will be exhibiting some of her work at Boundary Taproom and selling some of her beautiful water illustration 2025 calendars. The perfect Christmas present!
Read the full blog on our website blog ✨️ (link in profile)
Dec 10
In October we started an 8 month incubation program for 4 emerging creatives. Over the next couple of weeks we will be sharing a bit about each of the 4 participants. Starting with Bethany Millican an artist and illustrator
Full interview on our blog ✨️ (link in bio)
Dec 5
