Key Lessons From Founder Of YEO Magazine Saul Duffin’s Blick Academy Creative Talk
Due to an insanely busy period of work and travel this is a very belated event writeup of our last Blick Academy Creative Talk on 5th June with Saul Duffin founder of YEO Magazine!
Saul began the talk by speaking about his early influences of TV, video, music and perhaps most importantly graffiti. Saul explained how experimenting with graffiti gave him the opportunity to do something creative as a teenager but still fit in and not get bullied. He also learnt many important lessons from graffiti which have stuck with him throughout his creative journey including:
- Be unique and identifiable in your creative work – develop your own creative style.
- Be visible – make sure the world sees your creative work.
- Always strive to improve – everyone has to start somewhere, the important thing is to take that leap and start and then keep learning and improving.
- Typography skills and knowledge – graffiti was Saul’s first experience and insight into the world of typography.
- Balancing space and colour in good design – graffiti taught Saul about the importance of balancing space and colour in good design.
Saul also spoke of the value of travel and broadening your horizons for inspiration and knowledge. He went to Manchester to study graphic design and he talked about the inspiration he gained from the visuals of the city, its street art and colour as well as the music scene.
The covid pandemic brought him back to Belfast to finish his degree. During this period he saw a gap in the market for a platform to showcase creative things happening locally which led to him founding YEO Magazine.
YEO Magazine was born with the goal of injecting life into the Belfast music and art scenes and breaking down barriers to bring people together in sectors that Saul believed could be cliquey and intimidating to outsiders. He started with an instagram account and built a community by inviting people to get involved early on by asking them to submit ideas and back the project on Kickstarter to fund publishing the first 2 issues of the magazine. He needed to raise £800, through the Kickstarter campaign but in the end got over £1000. Overall he published 6 print magazines over a year and a bit before it got too expensive and the magazine turned to an online only format. When putting the magazine together he wanted to create a high quality curated experience so was selective about what he would cover.
Saul wears many different creative ‘hats’. As well as running the magazine, Saul is also a freelance designer and social media content creator, runs different music and comedy events including the monthly comedy night No Joke, has started his own radio show, started djing and set up his own podcast called Wise Up podcasts which are currently recorded once a year.
Here are some of the lessons Saul learnt during his experience starting YEO Magazine and through his other creative endeavors that we all could learn from:
- If you can’t find the book you want to read then write it. If what you want doesn’t exist it probably means other like-minded people will also want it. This can make it a good opportunity to create something there is demand for as well as something you personally have a passion for. Saul wanted a way to find out about the art and music scene in Belfast when he came back to live here after studying in Manchester. He couldn’t find anything so he decided to create it himself.
- Trust your taste and that if you like it others will too. Know what’s good to you and trust that if you like it others will too. Don’t doubt your ideas and taste. Even if what you are doing seems very different. Ask yourself questions such as:- What would I like to exist that doesn’t currently
– What am I watching on my own phone?
– What do I like?
– What am I interested in? - Ingrain yourself in the world you want to work within. For Saul that was music, art and comedy. Through the magazine and different events and activities he created opportunities for himself to produce the type of work he wanted to be known for. This gave him experience, improved his skills and gave him the opportunity to build his network and connections in these industries. Work out which sector you want to work in and find a way to get involved and get to know people in that sector.
- You have to try different things to learn. Saul talked about how trying different creative things when you are starting out can help you to work out what creative work you like and are good at, what there is a market for, as well as what skills you need to improve. For example through running events Saul learnt that he needed to improve his time management skills, it also showed him that the bit he liked most about running events was the design element.
- It’s ok to change direction. Saul printed 6 copies of the magazine in the first year and a bit before it became too expensive and the magazine changed to an online only format.
- Curate to create. Having the skills to put things together can be just as important as having the skills to create things. As Saul explained he didn’t think he could ever be the best designer, but he did believe that he could be the best curator. He knew was good at putting things together, at curating content. A vital skill for setting up YEO magazine.
- Look around before you look up. Network with other creatives and support each other.
- For good design keep it simple. It’s hard to go wrong with a nice font and good colours.
- Social media for most creatives is a necessary evil. Saul spoke about the challenges of social media, but how you can also learn how to use it to your advantage and as a way to generate income from sponsored posts with brands. He spoke about making it work for you, setting boundaries, not overthinking it and being kind to yourself. Post the things you would like to see and be confident if you would like them others will too.
- Money should be exchanged for goods and services, even creative ones. Don’t do anything for free unless it is something you are passionate about.
- Learn in public. Saul spoke of the benefits of what he called learning in public. Putting himself and his art out there to the world first through graffiti, then through the magazine. It gave him the opportunity to produce the type of work he wanted to create and be known for, gain feedback, build awareness to promote himself and improve his skills.
- Learn how to learn. Finishing university remotely forced Saul to learn in different ways, such as through Youtube. He believes this gave him a broader range of creative skills and knowledge, as well as mechanisms for continuously learning and improving his skills throughout his career.
- 36 days of type. Saul spoke of this instagram challenge which asks you to design a letter everyday as a small thing that improved his skills and ultimately he believes changed his life.
- Naivety can be a blessing when starting out. When Saul started YEO magazine he explained that he didn’t understand all the ins and outs of publishing a magazine. He just knew that he liked the idea and had a belief that Belfast needed it and he could do it. In hindsight he believes if he knew the reality he might not have had the courage to do it. Though of course he was more than capable and published 6 copies.
- It’s good to sometimes do creative things for fun and without expectation.Saul spoke of the benefits he found from doing creative things such as his podcast and radio show just for fun and without expectation. A reminder that you don’t need to follow any set rules or earn money from every creative activity. Your professional creative practice will usually benefit from improved skills, creativity and inspiration as well as giving you joy.
You can read the interview we did with Saul before the event here
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Applications are now open for our new creative incubation program offering 4 emerging creatives workspace and support to develop their creative idea over an 8-month period! for more info visit our website (link in profile)
Sep 6
We are very excited to announce a brand new project we have been working on called “Design Your Life”
An international collaboration between The Design Salon which we are a partner of alongside Karishma Kusurkar and Kylie Chan Illustration Design Your Life will feature an interactive installation at AIRSIDE Hong Kong and a series of design-led workshops to imagine, explore and create new habits and beliefs.
Design Your Life has been selected to be a part of the British Council’s SPARK 2024 Festival in Hong Kong which will take place this October.
More info coming soon!
Sep 5
NURTURE CREATIVE INCUBATION PROGRAM
An 8-month program to help 4 emerging creatives in Belfast establish their creative practice. Providing bespoke business support and free shared creative workspace in our new South Belfast studios. Each program participant will have 24/7 access to their own dedicated deskspace as well as use of shared communal facilities throughout the program. In addition they will benefit from the following support:
Monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions – for accountability with Blick founder Christine James
Monthly peer-mentoring group sessions with the other program participants – for peer support, learning, inspiration, community and accountability.
Quarterly finance mentoring sessions – to help with financial planning and advice with Blick and freelance finance manager Rosy James
Monthly industry specific skillshare training workshops for program participants – with current and past Blick residents and team members, sharing their skills and experiences with the program participants
Monthly online business resources, worksheets and exercises – to help you refine your idea, improve your skills and knowledge and for accountability and to establish your creative practice
Quarterly creative talks – by local creatives sharing their creative journey for inspiration and peer learning
Quarterly industry specific skillshare workshops – by local creatives sharing their expertise to improve skills and knowledge
Showcasing and promotional opportunities – on our website and social media and through presenting your work at a showcase event at the end of the project
Program dates:
1st October 2024 – 31st May 2025
For more info visit our website (link in profile) or get in touch!
Sep 4
NURTURE CREATIVE INCUBATION PROGRAM
An 8-month program starting this October providing bespoke meaningful business support within a nurturing creative environment to help 4 emerging freelance or self-employed creatives to successfully establish their creative practice.
Participants on the program with benefit from
- Free shared creative workspace in our new South Belfast studios. Each program participant will have 24/7 access to their own dedicated deskspace as well as use of shared communal facilities throughout the program.
- Monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions – for accountability with Blick founder Christine James
- Monthly peer-mentoring group sessions with the other program participants – for peer support, learning, inspiration, community and accountability.
- Quarterly finance mentoring sessions – to help with financial planning and advice with Blick and freelance finance manager Rosy James
- Monthly industry specific skillshare training workshops for program participants – with current and past Blick residents and team members, sharing their skills and experiences with the program participants
- Monthly online business resources, worksheets and exercises – to help you refine your idea, improve your skills and knowledge and for accountability and to establish your creative practice
- Quarterly creative talks – by local creatives sharing their creative journey for inspiration and peer learning
- Quarterly industry specific skillshare workshops – by local creatives sharing their expertise to improve skills and knowledge
- Showcasing and promotional opportunities – on our website and social media and through presenting your work at a showcase event at the end of the project
This program is aimed at emerging creatives who aren’t yet generating a full-time income from their creative practice. To be eligible to apply for the program you must have an idea for a creative business or be a self-employed creative, or creative freelancer established for less than 6 months.
Please note that due to the nature of the funding, screen and technology based businesses aren`t eligible to apply for more info visit our website or get in touch!
Aug 30
We have been a bit quiet on here for the last few weeks as we have been busy getting our new South Belfast space ready and working on a few new projects behind the scenes, one of which is a new program of support for emerging creatives in Belfast called Nurture, which is kindly part funded by Belfast City Council!
Nurture will feature an 8 month creative incubation program starting this October providing free workspace and bespoke business support including mentoring, peer mentoring, workshops, talks, training sessions and different exercises and resources to help 4 emerging creatives establish their creative practice.
There will also be an ongoing program of talks and workshops and online content to provide support and inspiration for self-employed and freelance creatives within the broader creative community in Belfast.
We will be sharing more info in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, you can find more information on our website (link in profile)
Aug 28
In this month’s Meet the Resident we get to know self-employed digital marketer Syed one of our newist creative residents in our Hill St studios
Aug 13
Some photos from the 3rd NI Creative Hubs Meetup, hosted this time in Bangor, where we visited the following Creative Hubs
- Boom Studios @boom.studios
- Seacourt Print Workshop @seacourtprints
- The Courthouse @courthousebangor
Aug 9
In our latest Meet the Resident we get to know self-employed digital marketer Syed M. Noman one of our newist creative residents in our Hill St studios.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative work?
My name is Syed M. Noman, and I am a self-employed digital marketer. I specialize in using a variety of platforms, including Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram, to effectively promote and sell my clients’ products. Through strategic and creative campaigns, I help businesses reach their target audiences, increase brand visibility, and drive sales. My expertise in digital marketing allows me to craft tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of each client, ensuring their success in the competitive online marketplace.
What was the biggest hurdle for you starting out and how did you overcome it?
The biggest hurdle for me when starting out was transitioning from being an employee at well-known companies like TRG, Axact, and IBEX Global to launching my own venture. Leaving a stable job to start my own business was daunting, but I was determined to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams. I took the risk and invested significant effort into building my business from the ground up. Through relentless hard work and dedication, I gradually overcame the initial challenges, and things became easier over time.
How do you stay inspired and motivated?
I stay inspired and motivated by my genuine passion for digital marketing. I love what I do, and this intrinsic enjoyment drives me to continuously improve and innovate in my work. This enthusiasm not only fuels my creativity but also keeps me motivated to tackle challenges and achieve my goals.
Where can people find you online?
Instagram @nomasays
Threads @nomasays
Aug 7
We finally got the keys for our new South Belfast space! Now, for the fun bit of transforming the space!
Aug 6
Creative Hubs Meetup #3 Bangor
This is the third meetup for creative hubs in Northern Ireland to come together, connect, share ideas and support each other. This time in sunny Bangor where we will be visiting:
-Boom Studios @boom.studios
-Seacourt Print Workshop @seacourtprints
-The Courthouse @courthousebangor
If you are involved with running or working in a creative hub in Northern Ireland, we would love for you to join us at this our third meetup.
Meetup Details
Date: August 6, 2024
Time: 2.30pm
Location: Boom Studios 80 Main Street Bangor BT20 5AE
Book your ticket on our website (link in profile) ✨️
Aug 5
Friday was our last day in our beautiful Malone studios. We have been there since 2007 and have had over 15 amazing years in the studios, but due to our landlord selling the building, we are now relocating!
We have a new property in South Belfast lined up and will be announcing details shortly. We have loved our time in Malone and are very grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy such a beautiful building over the years, but change is good and we are excited for the future and opening our new space and announcing some exciting new projects in coming weeks!
After a busy week of moving furniture and finishing things off, we are happy to be taking a well-deserved break for a few days before getting properly stuck in on all our exciting new projects!
Jul 28
Another chance to see some of the pics from our @womenfolk.co JUNIOR.SENIOR event we hosted last month!
Jul 23
Here we meet and get some advice and insights one of our newist creative residents at Blick video editor Ben O’Neil
Jul 22
Due to an insanely busy period of work and travel, this is a very belated post on some of the key lessons from our last Blick Academy Creative Talk on 5th June with Saul Duffin founder of @yeomagazine
We have a full event writeup on our blog with lots more tips and insights from Saul and lessons he has learned throughout his creative journey! (Link to blog in profile) ✨️
Jul 16
Here we meet and get some advice and insights one of our newist creative residents at Blick video editor Ben O’Neil.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative work?
I’m a video editor who predominantly works in non-scripted television. Currently working on a two part documentary series for Amazon Prime
What was the biggest hurdle for you starting out and how did you overcome it?
Getting in the door. I didn’t know anyone in tv so the biggest hurdle was getting my name about and then getting hired to work on something. I made lots of tea for years then convinced someone to let me edit a small thing.
How do you stay inspired and motivated?
Watching good stuff
What do you wish you had known before starting out?
Everyone is faking it a little bit.
What’s your top tip/piece of advice for anyone wanting to follow a creative path?
Be prepared to fail and then get back up and try again. Also practice your craft as much as humanly possible.
Do you have any regrets or anything you wish you had done differently on your creative journey?
Too many to list probably. Still working on that part.
Where can people find you online?
I’m thoroughly offline but my email is mebenoneil@gmail.com
Jul 8
NI CREATIVE HUBS MEETUP #3 BANGOR
This is the third meetup for creative hubs in Northern Ireland to come together, connect, share ideas, and support each other. This time in sunny Bangor, where we will be visiting:
Boom Studios @boom.studios
Seacourt Print Workshop @seacourtprints
The Courthouse @courthousebangor
If you are involved with running or working in a creative hub in Northern Ireland, we would love for you to join us at this our third meetup.
This series of events is a collaborative project between Blick Shared Studios and Boom Studios
�Book your ticket on our website (link in profile) ✨️
Jul 2
Some pics 📸 from our @womenfolk.co JUNIOR.SENIOR event on Saturday 15th June with @wee.nuls and @majukooo sharing their creative stories ✨️
Jul 1
Happy Friday! It`s almost the weekend... some lovely light in our Cotton Court Studios earlier this week! Let`s hope we see more of it over the weekend 🌞 ☀️ 🌤
Jun 28
Last week I was very lucky to get to attend this year’s Hubs Meet Up Bautopia 4 Metamorphosis organised by the European Creative Hubs Network with the support of STPLN , the hosting hub in Malmö, Sweden.
This year’s Hubs Meetup was exclusively for European Creative Hubs Network members and was a three day event focusing on creative hubs and their current topics of interest and challenges. This year, it was all about delving into the transformations of our communities, the built environment around us and the impact of creators on designing how we live where we live. As well as the amazing opportunities for peer learning from and connecting with other creative hubs here are a few of the things I found interesting from the meetup talks:
Collaboration - is key, but people need to learn how to collaborate as it`s not a skill that’s traditionally taught in schools, colleges or universities.
Unlearning - we need to unlearn old ways of working to relearn new ways of working.
Cross-sector collaboration - will have a role to play in green and social transformation and future innovation, bringing together artists, creatives and industry. Creatives have different ways of thinking, methods and processes and are capable of shaping something new in lots of different ways.
CITY ECOLOGY WALK
We also got to take part in a city walk organised by Feral a creative studio and research platform for ecology in urban spaces which was a lovely way to get some fresh air, find out a bit more about the city, it’s heritage and ecology.
Some of the places we visited on the walk:
1. Traditional Herring Shacks
2. Traditional Herring Fishing Boats
3. Turning Torso
4. Redeveloped Industrial Seafront Area
SOCIAL IMPACT WORKSHOP
I also took part in an amazing social impact workshop, which I will share more on in coming days. Giving me lots of new tools and methods for measuring our impact here at Blick. I especially loved the advice that it`s ok to include anecdotal evidence including stories and observations, to build a broader picture of the real human experience and impact of your organisation. I`m looking forward to going through the process properly for Blick in coming months!
Jun 27