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Audio Documentary The World Turned Upside Down: Episode 1 – The Great Disruption

Part 1 of our new Small Town Big Dreams 4-part audio documentary The World Turned Upside Down sharing stories of how the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has impacted upon the lives and livelihoods of people working in the creative industries in...

The World Turned Upside Down

Funded by Future Screens NI and Northern Ireland Screen as part of their ‘Rewriting the Narrative’ project, Small Town Big Dreams presents a 4-part audio documentary exploring personal stories of how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted on the work, communities, networks and health of...

#Meettheresident – Rory Quigg Illustration

What do you do at Rory Quigg Illustration? I own and run my small illustration business which I started a few years ago part-time after graduating from university! As of April this year, however, I am fully self-employed. I create...

DIG DEEP

Join us for our new 9-month free creative online enterprise support program for young women from NI & BAME backgrounds (18 - 30 years). This program will help you ‘Dig Deep’ and start and grow your own sustainable creative business....

#Meettheresidents – The First 47

What do you do at The First 47? I'm a graphic designer and occasional art director. Any projects you are currently working on? I recently collaborated with artist Phillip McCrilly on a poster for the DIY COVID-19 Pride Week event,...

The Power of Design Series – Chris McKenna

‘The Power of Design’ series is a project that was created by Creating A Space & Belfast Design Week with the aim to explore and interview different designers within Belfast. The aim of this series was to ask designers...

#Meettheresidents – Motive Peak

#Meettheresidents As you know, we love to promote the residents that we have in all of our Blick Studios. It is a great way to showcase the different creatives working and living here in our vibrant city and also to...

Jameson Design Competition for Emerging Designers

Have you entered yet? Belfast Design Week has teamed up with Jameson Whiskey NI on a t-shirt design competition for emerging creatives and those studying design (18+) to capture the 2020 Northern Ireland spirit on a Jameson t-shirt. With prizes...

Rewriting the Narrative

We’re excited to announce that we are creating a special 4-part audio documentary series exploring the experiences and personal stories of creatives during the Covid-19 crisis. We’ll be looking at how the last few months have impacted on the work,...

The Power of Design Series

What an interesting time the last few months have been. The world has shifted and we are now in the process of creating a new normal. During this time we have been reflecting on previous projects that we have created...

#MeetTheResident: Concrete Clouds

Can you tell us a bit about what you do? I am an architectural illustrator and concept artist. I help to tell the story of projects by providing drawings that are stylistically tailored for each design stage, from feasibility studies...

Great Creators Podcast

We are excited to announce a new project that we have been working on the last while. As part of our work with Belfast Design Week, we have been helping with their new podcast in collaboration with the team at...

SoCreative Summit Zimbabwe March 2020

Hard to believe now as so much has happened since, but at the start of March I was delighted to attend the SoCreative Summit in Harare Zimbabwe with the British Council Hubs as Hosts programme. The Hubs as Hosts programme...

Support Blick Resident Esther Mogada: All Nation Ministries

One of our Malone studio residents Creating A Space's Esther Mogadas parents are aiming to raise money for their charity All Nation Ministries to raise money for vulnerable refugees that are unable to get access to get food for their...

#MeetTheResident: Designer & Scupltor Gareth McCullagh

Can you tell us a bit about what you do? I design and sculpt miniature figures by hand. I mostly do subjects from history, though occasionally some fantasy or sci-fi subjects too. What is your background in? I trained...

Urban Design Challenge Exhibition – “Pocket Park Plus” The Future in a pocket

Belfast Design Week, in partnership with the Destination CQ Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District, Blick Shared Studios and coffeenosugar, ran an urban design challenge for local students and recent graduates. Emerging designers from across Northern Ireland were invited to develop...

#MeetTheResident – David Gray

#Meettheresident 2020! We have amazing residents in all of our studios and it is important to us to share what they do, to hear their story of who they are and how they got to where they are now. You...

Hubs As Hosts British Council Creative Hubs Tour

Last week I was fortunate to take part in a Creative Hub tour with the British Council that brought together different UK and Southern African Creative Hubs. To share skills, knowledge and learn from each other and a series of...

Let’s Build a Cardboard City Big Design Day Out Exhibition

During the Big Design Day Out event at Belfast Design Week on Saturday 9th November we hosted many different design workshops to get children and adults engaged with design. One of those was Let's Make A Cardboard City with Thread...

Belfast Design Week – Big Design Day Out Recap

It is crazy to think that a month has already passed by since Belfast Design Week. It was an amazing experience and it was so beautiful to see all of the preparation of all the 90+ events come into fruition....

Belfast Design Week – Closing Party 9.11.19

Belfast Design Week, Creating A Space & Matter Market came together to curate a special night for Belfast Design Week closing party. The aim of the event was to bring everyone together that had taken part over Design Week ,...

The Time is Now // Womenfolk 5.11.19

On the 5th of November, we had a fantastic event in collaboration with Womenfolk & Creating A Space where we had an interactive panel discussion with 4 women in the design industry in Belfast. Donna Collins from Dot Projects Roisin...

Share 6 – POWER 4.11.19

On the 4th November 2019, we were joined by 6 amazing speakers from different creative industries that spoke on the theme of 'POWER'. The theme for this year is ‘POWER’ and the word has its intricacies have so much sway...

Top Tips with The Bearded Candle Makers : Instagram for Your Creative Start-up 2019

On the 4th of November, ‘Blick Academy : Instagram for your creative start- up’ kicked off the first evening event for Belfast Design Week. The hour talk was given by Michael from the Bearded Candle Makers who is a local...

Blick Trip to Tbilisi Georgia

This blog is by Blick founder Christine I was delighted to be invited by the British Council to speak at the Creative Industries Youth Forum in Tbilisi Georgia in October. To share my experiences of starting and running a creative...

#MeetTheResident – Naomhán O’Connor

We caught up with one of our newest residents Naomhán O’Connor who has recently joined our Hill Street Blick Shared Studios. Tell us a bit about yourself and your business? I'm a freelance digital marketer, with a background in filmmaking....

#MeetTheResident – Francesca Biondi

We caught up with Blick Cotton Court resident Francesca Biondi about her business Gallery 545 and new pop-up exhibition in Sea Holly gallery which is on until 26th September Tell us a bit about yourself and your business? I am...

Ronan Lunney – Farewell Blog

We caught up with Ronan Lunney who has recently left being a Blick Resident after being with us for 5 Years. We interviewed him on his time at Blick, what he has learnt in business and how Blick has been...

#MeetTheResident – Joe Laverty

We got to catch up with our Hill Street resident Joe Laverty who is an Irish architectural & portrait photographer, based in Belfast. He told us about his current projects and tips on how to stay inspired! Tell us a...

SME’s Survival – Unlocking Your Potential

Image credit: Green Chamelon We caught up with Elizabeth Meehan from our Blick Cotton Court studios and founded coffeenosugar . They are a service designer whose work helps businesses identify the gap between the service they work hard to deliver...

A Tiny History – by Karishma Kusurkar

We caught up with Blick resident karishma Kusurkar to interview her about the launch of her new project titled 'A TINY HISTORY' which is launching on the 23rd of August. She will be having a launch at The Duncairn in...

11 years lessons blog 3

This Blog is by Blick founder Christine and is the third in the series of the biggest/most important lessons we have learnt over the last 11 years of being in business since Christine started Blick in 2008. Know Your Values...

#MeetTheResident – Gemma O’Neill

Gemma O'Neill is an Illustrator and Author based in Belfast and Blick Resident of Hill Street Studios. Tell us a bit about yourself and your business? My name is Gemma O’Neill and I’m an Illustrator/Author. I graduated from Falmouth University...

-- 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

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- - 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

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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

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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.

- - 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

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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.