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Retail Ready Insights for Creatives from Emma Jackson founder of Hunter Paper Co

Our second blog sharing insights from the Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students we hosted in October 2025. We started the day in our Hill Street studios before visiting Born and Bred, Hunter Paper Co and...

Event Management Course – Rural Community Network

Throughout the month of March on behalf of the Rural Community Network, in the beautiful Hill of The O'Neill & Ranfurly House Dungannon we had the best time facilitating a series of 4 training sessions to support participants to have...

Meet The Resident: Lorna McFall User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX) Designer within the Video Games Industry

In our latest Meet The Resident we get to know one of our new residents at our Hill Street Studios, Lorna McFall Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative work? My name is Lorna McFall, born and raised...

Belfast Design Week 01 – 07 May – Fringe Contributors Open Call

“Season” marks a new chapter for Belfast Design Week: a time of renewal, growth and transformation. After years of gathering in November, we’re shifting our festival into a brighter moment of the year, when spring edges toward summer and inspiration...

“Season” marks a new chapter for Belfast Design Week: a time of renewal, growth and transformation.

After years of gathering in November, we’re shifting our festival into a brighter moment of the year, when spring edges toward summer and inspiration feels fresh in the air. This is a season of emergence: of ideas, of people and...

Blick Creative Roundup

Our latest roundup of funding and opportunities for NI Creatives 01. Belfast Stories Community Grants A new fund has been launched to support cultural heritage projects across Belfast. It is anticipated that the fund will provide ten small grants...

Retail Ready Insights for Creatives from Linzi Rooney founder of Born and Bred

Way back in October last year we organised a Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students. We started the day in our Hill Street studios before visiting Born and Bred, Hunter Paper Co and Story Box NI...

Basic Event Management For All

A DIY guide to Basic Events Management

Next month we are delighted to be delivering a series of 4 training sessions to support participants to have more confidence when organising rural heritage events for the Rural Community Network. Focus will be on encouraging the participants to build...

February Creative Roundup – Funding and Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of opportunities for NI creatives 01. Techstart Regional Innovation Challenge Techstart Ventures invites entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas to apply to the Regional Innovation Challenge, a Northern Ireland–wide grant competition designed to support founders at the...

Belfast Stories – Belfast School of Art Year 2 Graphic Design Students X Belfast Design Week Collab Site Visit

As part of our work for Belfast Design Week which is happening this May we have been working with Belfast School of Art Year 2 Graphic Design students on a project that will be showcased in the Belfast Stories building...

6 Key Lessons From Illustrator Lauren Kelso’s Creative Talk

Illustrator Lauren Kelso shared her creative story with us back in May. Here are 6 Key Lessons from her creative talk. 1. Find something that makes you unique Find something in your creative work or idea that is unique to...

January Creative Roundup – Funding and Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of opportunities for creatives in Northern Ireland 01. Four Nations International Fund Arts and culture thrive on international collaboration and exchange. The Four Nations International Fund helps artists and creative practitioners from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and...

6 Key Lessons From Juliette El Fouly Founder of Le Contour Contemporary Candle Company’s Creative Talk Last March

Juliette El Fouly founder of Le Contour Contemporary Candle Company shared her creative story with us back in March last year. Here are 6 Key Lessons from her creative talk. 1. You are not your business To cope with...

2025 – Some of Our Favourite Bits

Some of our favourite bits from 2025! 01. Nurture Programme One of our favourite bits of 2025 was our Nurture Programme where thanks to the kind support of Belfast City Council we were able to support 4 emerging artists to...

Christmas Creative Roundup: 12 Shops & Markets you still have time to visit to support local creatives this Christmas

For anyone who hasn’t finished (or started) their Christmas shopping our latest Creative Roundup features 12 markets and shops you still have time to visit to support local creatives this Christmas 01. Portview Christmas Market Portview Christmas Market is a...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. Illustrators North Smile Please Exhibition Illustrators North are super excited to announce that they are doing their very first Illustrators North Annual exhibition celebrating...

Last Month at Blick – November!

November was another busy month for us at Blick. We started the month by facilitating a Finance Fair for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland on Friday 7th November in the MAC. On Wednesday evenings we hosted Homewerk Project for...

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland- Self-Care Workshops for Individual Artists

We are delighted to be taking part in this exciting series of free Self-Care Workshops for Individual Artists being organised by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Taking place on the 7th November we will be delivering one-to-one 30 minute...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. Individual Artists Digital Evolution Awards Programme Objectives Upskilling NI artists in the use of new, emerging and immersive technology Creation of excellent Digital Art...

Ciaran Crudden Founder of The Last Brand Creative Talk Pics

Some pics from our last creative talk with Ciaran Crudden founder of The Last Brand sharing his creative story!

Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Retail Ready Fieldtrip Pics

Some photos from our Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year students that we led on Friday 10th October, starting in our Hill Street studios before visiting Born and Bred, Hunter Paper Co and Story Box NI With...

Creative Brunch with Innovate UK Pics

Some pics from our 'Creative Brunch With Innovate UK Business Growth' earlier this month!

An Interview with Owen McFadden from WhyFi Productions

Owen will be Facilitating our next Digital Brunch event on the 25th October - Creative audio for Beginners Can you give us a brief overview of your career in creating radio and audio to date (including your music career!)? I...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre Artist / Creative Call Out – Digital Exhibition The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre are looking...

An Interview with Ciaran Crudden Creative Director and Founder of The Last Brand

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business? Hi, I’m Ciaran Crudden. I run The Last Brand, a small branding and digital design studio in Belfast. It’s mainly me, and my wife recently joined part-time to...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. Future Screens - Future Foundation Call For Mentors and Mentees Mentors Future Foundation is now seeking experienced professionals to join the mentoring bank. If you...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. RAD Fund BFI Doc Society Research & Development Fund BFI Doc Society Funds support and nurture independent non-fiction films and immersive projects by UK...

10 Key Lessons From Ian Pitt Founder and Creative Director of Me,Him&Her Design Studio’s February Creative Talk

Ian Pitt, founder and creative director of Me,Him&Her design studio did a wonderful talk for us back in February! He began by talking about his early experiences working as a designer for Marks and Spencer before working for FCUK where...

Meet The Resident: Portrait Artist Rachael Armstrong

In our latest Meet the Resident we get to know portrait artist Rachael Armstrong, our newest Great Northern Street creative resident! Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative work? I'm Rachael, a portrait artist specialising in wedding...

Blick Resident Gallery 545 – ‘Re-imagined Places’ Group Exhibition

Dates: 20 -24 August 2025 Location: Gallery 545 at La Roche House, Belfast & online Cost: Free Blick resident Gallery 545 presents ‘Re-imagined Places’, an exhibition of original artworks inspired by landscapes created by accomplished artists based in Northern Ireland....

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

01. Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund The Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund is a pre-commercial grant awarding fund. On a competitive basis, the fund supports entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland with grants to explore the viability and commercial potential...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. Cathedral Quarter Art Market Applications are now open for the Cathedral Quarter Art Market – a new Sunday market celebrating handmade and independently designed work,...

Creative Roundup – Opportunities for Creatives

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives 01. £550,000 in funding available to support 5G-driven innovation in local industries A new funding competition is supporting local businesses and industries in the Belfast region...

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-- OUR IMPACT--

Blick is a social enterprise, we put profits made from our services into supporting creatives in NI, we are currently busy working on Belfast Design Week but here is a summary of some of our social impact from 2024 -2025. You can also find more info on our past impact on our website

https://blickstudios.org/the-team/our-impact/

Apr 16

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-- OUR IMPACT--

Blick is a social enterprise, we put profits made from our services into supporting creatives in NI, we are currently busy working on Belfast Design Week but here is a summary of some of our social impact from 2024 -2025. You can also find more info on our past impact on our website

https://blickstudios.org/the-team/our-impact/

- - BELFAST WRITERS GROUP – Creative Writing Workshop - -

Saturday 25th April

12.00 - 4pm

Cost: £12

Join Belfast Writers Group for a Saturday afternoon creative writing workshop at Blick Studios on April 25th from 12.00-16.00. Tickets are £12 per person.

Belfast Writers Group is focused on providing high quality writing feedback while building community for writers across genres and levels of experience. During the workshop we will work through several curated writing prompts, and the main part of the workshop will be a guided feedback session based on a structured model. Bring along your stories, poetry, songs or anything in between – all forms and genres are welcome. You might also like to think beforehand about any areas of the work you would like specific guidance on, e.g. a particular scene or character. DM any questions to @belfastwritersgroup on Instagram or email at writersgroupbelfast@gmail.com

https://blickstudios.org/events/belfast-writers-group-creative-writing-workshop-2/

Apr 15

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- - BELFAST WRITERS GROUP – Creative Writing Workshop - -

Saturday 25th April

12.00 - 4pm

Cost: £12

Join Belfast Writers Group for a Saturday afternoon creative writing workshop at Blick Studios on April 25th from 12.00-16.00. Tickets are £12 per person.

Belfast Writers Group is focused on providing high quality writing feedback while building community for writers across genres and levels of experience. During the workshop we will work through several curated writing prompts, and the main part of the workshop will be a guided feedback session based on a structured model. Bring along your stories, poetry, songs or anything in between – all forms and genres are welcome. You might also like to think beforehand about any areas of the work you would like specific guidance on, e.g. a particular scene or character. DM any questions to @belfastwritersgroup on Instagram or email at writersgroupbelfast@gmail.com

https://blickstudios.org/events/belfast-writers-group-creative-writing-workshop-2/

-- OUR STUDIOS--

When we started Blick back in 2008, our ambition was to create beautiful but affordable spaces in great locations in Belfast for creatives to work in productively and creatively alongside other like-minded creatives.

We started with just one building, our Malone Studios in South Belfast, then took on two others in the Cathedral Quarter, our Hill Street studios and Cotton Court studios. In 2024 we had to leave our beautiful Malone studios, but were super fortunate to find our gorgeous new Great Northern Street studios instead. All our studios provide a mix of private studio spaces and shared workspace with dedicated desks and storage.

- - HILL ST - -

Our Hill St studios are our biggest providing workspace to over 25 creatives within an open plan loft space with high ceilings and original features close to Belfast School of Art right in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter. Our Hill St studios can also be used as a virtual office for creatives who want a professional city centre address for their business.

- - COTTON COURT - -

Our Cotton Court studios are our most affordable studios providing both shared and private workspace to over 10 creatives in a building full of different creatives in the Cathedral Quarter.

- - GREAT NORTHERN STREET - -

Our Great Northern Street studios provide shared and private workspace to over 15 creatives and are located just off the Lisburn Road in a modern glass fronted building nestled between traditional red brick Belfast terrace houses.

Our spaces all offer dedicated desks with storage or private studio space with prices from £130 per month. All our prices include rent, rates, utilities and broadband. Our spaces are all designed to be professional, but welcoming creative environments.

Taking a space at Blick is more than just a physical space; it`s about meeting and working alongside like-minded people, collaborating, learning, and sharing experiences. Our Cotton Court and Great Northern Street Studios are both fully occupied at the moment, but we do have a couple of spaces available in our Hill St studios, get in touch if you would like more info

https://blickstudios.org/contact/

Apr 14

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-- OUR STUDIOS--

When we started Blick back in 2008, our ambition was to create beautiful but affordable spaces in great locations in Belfast for creatives to work in productively and creatively alongside other like-minded creatives.

We started with just one building, our Malone Studios in South Belfast, then took on two others in the Cathedral Quarter, our Hill Street studios and Cotton Court studios. In 2024 we had to leave our beautiful Malone studios, but were super fortunate to find our gorgeous new Great Northern Street studios instead. All our studios provide a mix of private studio spaces and shared workspace with dedicated desks and storage.

- - HILL ST - -

Our Hill St studios are our biggest providing workspace to over 25 creatives within an open plan loft space with high ceilings and original features close to Belfast School of Art right in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter. Our Hill St studios can also be used as a virtual office for creatives who want a professional city centre address for their business.

- - COTTON COURT - -

Our Cotton Court studios are our most affordable studios providing both shared and private workspace to over 10 creatives in a building full of different creatives in the Cathedral Quarter.

- - GREAT NORTHERN STREET - -

Our Great Northern Street studios provide shared and private workspace to over 15 creatives and are located just off the Lisburn Road in a modern glass fronted building nestled between traditional red brick Belfast terrace houses.

Our spaces all offer dedicated desks with storage or private studio space with prices from £130 per month. All our prices include rent, rates, utilities and broadband. Our spaces are all designed to be professional, but welcoming creative environments.

Taking a space at Blick is more than just a physical space; it's about meeting and working alongside like-minded people, collaborating, learning, and sharing experiences. Our Cotton Court and Great Northern Street Studios are both fully occupied at the moment, but we do have a couple of spaces available in our Hill St studios, get in touch if you would like more info

https://blickstudios.org/contact/

- - CREATIVE ADVENTURE CLUB - -
- Wed 15th April
- 6.30 - 8pm
- Blick, Hill St studios

Would you like to squeeze a bit more creativity into your daily life?

This Wednesday @homewerk.project`s Creative Adventure Club returns to help shake up your routine. Every fortnight they meet in person where you’ll be given a mystery creative assignment.

They will share the results of their tasks with the group at their fortnightly meet-ups.

Between meet-ups, they have online check-ins, chats with creatives, and other inspiration boosters.

No matter what your creative tendencies – writing, doodling, drawing,

painting, playing with video or audio – Creative Adventure Club is for everyone.

https://blickstudios.org/events/creative-adventure-club-2/

Apr 13

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- - CREATIVE ADVENTURE CLUB - -
- Wed 15th April
- 6.30 - 8pm
- Blick, Hill St studios

Would you like to squeeze a bit more creativity into your daily life?

This Wednesday @homewerk.project's Creative Adventure Club returns to help shake up your routine. Every fortnight they meet in person where you’ll be given a mystery creative assignment.

They will share the results of their tasks with the group at their fortnightly meet-ups.

Between meet-ups, they have online check-ins, chats with creatives, and other inspiration boosters.

No matter what your creative tendencies – writing, doodling, drawing,

painting, playing with video or audio – Creative Adventure Club is for everyone.

https://blickstudios.org/events/creative-adventure-club-2/

- - BLICK CREATIVE TALK: Maureen Laverty Product and Fashion Designer - -

Join us on 5th May for our next Creative Talk with Blick Resident @maureenselinalaverty as part of @belfastdesignwk

ABOUT MAUREEN:

Maureen is a product and fashion designer, and inclusive design researcher. She works on a variety of design meets disability projects. At the heart of her practice is the relationships that she builds with people’s diverse lived experiences. She believes in co-creating knowledge collaboratively to empower people to have ownership over how design can improve their quality of life. She carries this ethos into product development through embodied ethnography and participatory prototyping with those who resonate with the design solutions in their everyday life.

In the last year Maureen has relocated back to Belfast after almost a decade working with inclusive participatory design methods in Norway. Currently she lectures part-time at NCAD in Dublin within their Department of Design for Body & Environment. She guides students through human-centred design practices and speculative future fashion systems that care for each other and our environment.

ABOUT HER TALK:

Maureen will talk about her practice-based PhD research that explored the sensory experience of clothing with neurodivergent communities. Clothing is traditionally conceived as a two-dimensional static visual statement; a conception that is at odds with the dynamic actions it mediates in our everyday lives. The outputs of such a practice are garments that restrict and fight against the body, causing sensory overload and discomfort. This is a universal experience, but particularly heightened for neurodivergent individuals. Maureen will share the results of an extensive ethnographic study on how clothing sensations are experienced by her research participants. She will then discuss alternative design processes that prioritise the tactile, sonic, and kinaesthetic senses.

EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Tues 5th May
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Blick Hill St

Book through the events page of our website or www.belfastdesignweek.com

Apr 12

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18375389638162543

- - BLICK CREATIVE TALK: Maureen Laverty Product and Fashion Designer - -

Join us on 5th May for our next Creative Talk with Blick Resident @maureenselinalaverty as part of @belfastdesignwk

ABOUT MAUREEN:

Maureen is a product and fashion designer, and inclusive design researcher. She works on a variety of design meets disability projects. At the heart of her practice is the relationships that she builds with people’s diverse lived experiences. She believes in co-creating knowledge collaboratively to empower people to have ownership over how design can improve their quality of life. She carries this ethos into product development through embodied ethnography and participatory prototyping with those who resonate with the design solutions in their everyday life.

In the last year Maureen has relocated back to Belfast after almost a decade working with inclusive participatory design methods in Norway. Currently she lectures part-time at NCAD in Dublin within their Department of Design for Body & Environment. She guides students through human-centred design practices and speculative future fashion systems that care for each other and our environment.

ABOUT HER TALK:

Maureen will talk about her practice-based PhD research that explored the sensory experience of clothing with neurodivergent communities. Clothing is traditionally conceived as a two-dimensional static visual statement; a conception that is at odds with the dynamic actions it mediates in our everyday lives. The outputs of such a practice are garments that restrict and fight against the body, causing sensory overload and discomfort. This is a universal experience, but particularly heightened for neurodivergent individuals. Maureen will share the results of an extensive ethnographic study on how clothing sensations are experienced by her research participants. She will then discuss alternative design processes that prioritise the tactile, sonic, and kinaesthetic senses.

EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Tues 5th May
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Blick Hill St

Book through the events page of our website or www.belfastdesignweek.com

Throughout the month of March on behalf of the Rural Community Network, in the beautiful Hill of The O`Neill & Ranfurly House Dungannon we had the best time facilitating a series of 4 training sessions to support participants to have more confidence when organising rural heritage events.

Big thanks to Emma Mc Aleer from Rural Community Network for inviting us to facilitate this course and to all the great participants for coming along.

It was such a lovely and welcoming group of people and very inspiring for us to find out about some of the amazing things happening in rural areas of NI.

We came away with lots of ideas and inspiration for the future for work projects and day trips to explore places such as Lough Neagh, Coalisland, the Sperrins and Portadown.

Apr 8

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18109049164858150

Throughout the month of March on behalf of the Rural Community Network, in the beautiful Hill of The O'Neill & Ranfurly House Dungannon we had the best time facilitating a series of 4 training sessions to support participants to have more confidence when organising rural heritage events.

Big thanks to Emma Mc Aleer from Rural Community Network for inviting us to facilitate this course and to all the great participants for coming along.

It was such a lovely and welcoming group of people and very inspiring for us to find out about some of the amazing things happening in rural areas of NI.

We came away with lots of ideas and inspiration for the future for work projects and day trips to explore places such as Lough Neagh, Coalisland, the Sperrins and Portadown.

Happy Easter! For anyone else working a bit over the holidays here are some great tips from Emma Jackson founder of Hunter Paper Co for creatives interested in selling their work through shops. From a visit we did to see Emma in Hunter Paper Co back in October with Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students

Emma is the designer for @hunterpaperco a letterpress stationery brand as well as owner of their own stationery store in Belfast, so she had some great insights from both designer and retailers perspective.

01. Create products with a function. Emma suggested creating products that have a function to increase your sales and stockists

02. Focus on your packaging. Emma echoed Linzi’s thoughts on our last retail ready blog the value of packaging when creating a successful product for retail

03. Visit tradeshows for merchandising tips to set your products apart from others

04. Consider sending physical samples to potential retailers so they can properly experience your product and your commitment to your creative business

05. Emma suggested Faire was a great resource for researching competitors pricing

https://blickstudios.org/blog/retail-ready-insights-for-creatives-from-emma-jackson-founder-of-hunter-paper-co/

Apr 7

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Our second blog sharing insights from the Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students we hosted in October 2025. We previously shared some of our best insights from the day from Linzi Rooney, here we are sharing those from Emma Johnston founder of @hunterpaperco a letterpress stationery brand and stationery store located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

01. Create products with a function. Emma suggested creating products that have a function to increase your sales and stockists.

02. Focus on your packaging. Emma echoed Linzi’s thoughts on our last retail ready blog about the value of packaging when creating a successful product for retail.

03. Visit tradeshows for merchandising tips to set your products apart from others.

04. Consider sending physical samples to potential retailers so they can properly experience your product and your commitment to your creative business.

05. Emma suggested Faire https://www.faire.com/en-gb/ was a great resource for researching competitors pricing.

You can read the full blog on our website link below and in profile
https://blickstudios.org/blog/retail-ready-insights-for-creatives-from-emma-jackson-founder-of-hunter-paper-co/

Apr 1

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- CREATIVE ADVENTURE CLUB -

- Tomorrow - Wed 1st April
- 6.30 - 8pm
- Blick Hill St

Would you like to squeeze a bit more creativity into your daily life?

Returning this April (our first session starts on 1st April 2026), @homewerk.project`s Creative Adventure Club returns to help shake up your routine.

Every fortnight we’ll meet in person where you’ll be given a mystery creative assignment.

We’ll share the results of our tasks with the group at our fortnightly meet-ups.

Between meet-ups, we’ll have online check-ins, chats with creatives, and other inspiration boosters.

No matter what your creative tendencies – writing, doodling, drawing, painting, playing with video or audio – Creative Adventure Club is for everyone.

Link below or on events page of our website (link in profile)

https://blickstudios.org/events/creative-adventure-club/

Mar 31

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This is such a hard post to write. One of our longest standing studio members Benji Connell sadly passed away earlier this week. Benji was a big part of our community here at Blick, starting out in our Malone studios then moving to Cotton Court, where he made many good friends and will be dearly missed by all.

He was an incredible creative talent and kind and generous person. He gave a lot of his time over the years to support Blick and Belfast’s design and creative community, speaking at events, helping organise exhibitions, supporting and advising other studio members and more.

But most importantly he was a lovely person and over his time in Blick became a good friend and I will dearly miss our chats in the studio, which were almost always about his son Ollie who was so clearly loved by Benji.

Mar 28

Open post by blickstudios with ID 17880531936514744

This is such a hard post to write. One of our longest standing studio members Benji Connell sadly passed away earlier this week. Benji was a big part of our community here at Blick, starting out in our Malone studios then moving to Cotton Court, where he made many good friends and will be dearly missed by all.

He was an incredible creative talent and kind and generous person. He gave a lot of his time over the years to support Blick and Belfast’s design and creative community, speaking at events, helping organise exhibitions, supporting and advising other studio members and more.

But most importantly he was a lovely person and over his time in Blick became a good friend and I will dearly miss our chats in the studio, which were almost always about his son Ollie who was so clearly loved by Benji.

- - BLICK CREATIVE RESOURCES - -

Some weekend reading - ‘Rebuild - How To Thrive In The New Kindness Economy’ by Mary Portas is our second book recommendation by Linzi Rooney founder of Born and Bred during our Retail Ready Fieldtrip visit to Born and Bred October last year. Born and Bred sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland.

About: Rebuild - How To Thrive In The New Kindness Economy

Retail and brand expert Mary Portas argues that over the past thirty years the business of what we buy has been dominated by the biggest, fastest and cheapest. But those values no longer resonate. We’ve come to realize that more doesn’t equal better. How we live, buy and sell is changing. We are all ready to put people and planet before profit. The post-pandemic era is all about care, respect and understanding the implications of what we’re doing. This ‘Kindness Economy’ is a new value system where in order to thrive businesses must understand the fundamental role they play in the fabric of our lives. They need to add, not just grow, balancing commerce with social progress. Because we don’t just want to buy from brands – we want to buy into them. Full of expert insight and invaluable advice, Rebuild is about resetting the dial. It gives business people pause for thought about how to make money, as well as the practical tools to build back post-pandemic. And it speaks to anyone who votes with the pound in their pocket – all of us who, with social progress in mind, want to spend our money differently and better.

https://blickstudios.org/resources/book-inspiration-rebuild-how-to-thrive-in-the-new-kindness-economy-by-mary-portas/

Mar 27

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- - BLICK CREATIVE RESOURCES - -

`Work Like A Woman` was recommended as a source of book inspiration for creatives by Linzi Rooney founder of Born and Bredwhich sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland during our 2025 Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students.

About How To Work Like A Woman

Are you ready to be your best self at work? Packed with advice, tips and decades of business experience from Mary Portas, this is a book for every one of us: whatever level you are, wherever you work. It’s about calling time on alpha culture and helping every one of us to be happier, more productive and collaborative.

Visit the resources section of our website for more info

Mar 26

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- - BLICK CREATIVE RESOURCES - -

'Work Like A Woman' was recommended as a source of book inspiration for creatives by Linzi Rooney founder of Born and Bredwhich sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland during our 2025 Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students.

About How To Work Like A Woman

Are you ready to be your best self at work? Packed with advice, tips and decades of business experience from Mary Portas, this is a book for every one of us: whatever level you are, wherever you work. It’s about calling time on alpha culture and helping every one of us to be happier, more productive and collaborative.

Visit the resources section of our website for more info

Some great insights for creatives wanted to sell through retailers from Linzi Rooney owner of Born and Bred which sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland through their Belfast City Centre and online shop

https://blickstudios.org/blog/retail-ready-insights-for-creatives-from-linzi-rooney-founder-of-born-and-bred/

Mar 23

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18048827891527263

Some great insights for creatives wanted to sell through retailers from Linzi Rooney owner of Born and Bred which sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland through their Belfast City Centre and online shop

https://blickstudios.org/blog/retail-ready-insights-for-creatives-from-linzi-rooney-founder-of-born-and-bred/

Some lovely comments from some of our current and past creative residents!

Mar 20

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Some lovely comments from some of our current and past creative residents!

- - SHARED CREATIVE WORKSPACE AVAILABLE - -

We have dedicated deskspaces available in our beautiful Hill St studios

– £165 per calendar month

– All inclusive prices (rent, rates, utilities, broadband) no VAT

– Minimum 3 months contract then on a rolling monthly contract

– 1 months rent required as a deposit

– Cathedral Quarter location

Email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or to arrange a viewing or visit our website for more info link below and in profile

https://blickstudios.org/locations/hill-street-belfast/

Mar 18

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Happy St Patrick`s Day here`s our latest roundup of funding and opportunities for NI Creatives

01. Belfast Stories Community Grants
Closing date: 14th April

02. Heritage Crafts – Fashion Textile Maker of the Year Award 2026

03. Open call for applications for the 2026 RDS Craft Awards
Deadline: 13th April

04. Bank of Ideas Funding
Closing date: 23rd March

05. Garden Show Ireland Craft NI Craft Village Call-Out

06. The Ampersand Foundation – Annual Grant Applications Open

07. The UK Artist Touring Fund is now open for Phase One applications.
Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday 20th March

08. Rowntree’s `Free the Fund` Community Grant Programme

09. Alleyway Transformation Fund

10. Belfast Design Week - Get Involved

Full listings including links on our website link below and in profile

https://blickstudios.org/blog/blick-creative-roundup/

Mar 17

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Way back in October last year we organised a Retail Ready Fieldtrip for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year Students.

With the students all learning about how to get their creative products ready for retail from Linzi Rooney founder of Born and Bred, Emma Johnston founder of Hunter Paper Co and Rachel McIlgorm founder of Story Box NI.

It has taken us a while but we took lots of notes on the day and have written up some of our best insights from the day, that we thought might be useful for other creatives on a similar journey. Starting with Linzi Rooney founder of @wearebornandbred_ which sells unique gifts and accessories, created by artisans and craftspeople in Northern Ireland.

01. Create a strong brand and social media presence.

Linzi really emphasised the value of creating a strong brand and social media presence for your creative business to make you more attractive as a potential supplier for retailers. For her shop she said brand is quite often more important than the product itself.

02. Streamline your production processes.

To ensure you can create your products at the volumes required for your chosen retailer.

03. Work out your pricing to take into account retailers margins.

Try and charge the same price directly to clients as shops are. Don’t undercut retailers by charging wholesale costs directly to customers or if you want to charge more make sure you have a reason for it.

04. Focus on your packaging.

Packaging is as important to many customers as the product itself.

05. Tell your story.

Through both your branding, packaging and social media to set your creative business apart from high street alternatives.

06. Linzi also really recommended the following books for inspiration.

Mary Portas Rebuild and Work Like A Woman.

Mar 16

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For @irish_designweek 17th – 21st November 2025 with @belfastdesignwk we collaborated with @futureislandisland on an event an exhibition on the theme Islands of Design. The exhibition was showcased in @belfastschoolofart

Mar 12

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For @irish_designweek 17th – 21st November 2025 with @belfastdesignwk we collaborated with @futureislandisland on an event an exhibition on the theme Islands of Design. The exhibition was showcased in @belfastschoolofart

Some lovely colourful pics of our collaborative workshop in @kitschsistersbelfast as part of Irish Design Week last Nov with @belfastdesignwk @onebite.design and @futureislandisland for both Belfast School of Art and Queen`s University of Belfast Architecture students!

https://blickstudios.org/projects/onebite-student-design-workshop-irish-design-week/

Mar 11

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Some lovely colourful pics of our collaborative workshop in @kitschsistersbelfast as part of Irish Design Week last Nov with @belfastdesignwk @onebite.design and @futureislandisland for both Belfast School of Art and Queen's University of Belfast Architecture students!

https://blickstudios.org/projects/onebite-student-design-workshop-irish-design-week/

Some lovely pics of the RSUA Design Box featuring work by Regenerative Designer Kristen Robb @worthyearthapparel for our @belfastdesignwk Collab for Irish Design Week back in November!

Kristen`s "Dye Box` full of plants, dyes, textiles, books & secret recipes brought her studio environment from her shed in Newtownards to Belfast city centre and celebrated Regenerative Design and learning about our flora and fauna.

Mar 10

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Some lovely pics of the RSUA Design Box featuring work by Regenerative Designer Kristen Robb @worthyearthapparel for our @belfastdesignwk Collab for Irish Design Week back in November!

Kristen's "Dye Box' full of plants, dyes, textiles, books & secret recipes brought her studio environment from her shed in Newtownards to Belfast city centre and celebrated Regenerative Design and learning about our flora and fauna.