GOAL SETTING RESOURCES

Our resources for emerging creatives this month are all about goal setting, starting with some basic information on what goals and in particular what SMART goals are. We put together these resources following a brilliant strategic goal setting workshop we hosted in collaboration with Stephanie Heckman earlier this year. The workshop really reminded me of the importance of having a vision for the future and regularly setting achievable goals to help you get there. This is especially important I think in the very early days when you don`t yet have a lot of regular clients and work and it can be hard to stay focused, �keep yourself moving forward and stay motivated.

We have added some initial goal setting resources on the `Creative Resources` section of our website, including a goal setting template and some tips on how to actually go about making the goals you set happen. Let us know what works for you and if there`s anything you think would help other creatives that we should add!

Link below and in profile

https://blickstudios.org/resources/goal-setting/

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NURTURE CREATIVE INCUBATION PARTICIPANT INTERVIEW: GRAINNE MULLAN

Our final Nurture creative incubation program participant interview. Today with Textile Designer and Maker and Co-founder of @kitschsistersbelfast Grainne Mullan @point_angel_
You can also read the full interview on our website blog (link in profile)

�All our program participants will be sharing their stories this evening in our Great Northern Street Studios in South Belfast studios at 7pm (booking link on website)

Some more bank holiday reading. Our second Nurture creative incubation program participant interview. Today with Illustrator and Artist @bethanysmillican

You can also read the full interview on the blog on our website (link in profile)

Some Sunday night reading!

NURTURE CREATIVE INCUBATION INTERVIEW: VERA HYLANDS

Nurture was an 8-month creative incubation program which ran from October 2024 to May 2025.

Nurture aimed to support emerging creatives to establish their creative practice through bespoke meaningful business support within the nurturing creative environment of Blick Shared Studios. 

Here we find out more about @verahylands
an artist and content creator who took part on the program.

You can also read the full interview on our website blog (link in profile)

Our Nurture Creative Talks next Wednesday in our new Great Northern Street studios in South Belfast will be showcasing the creatives who took part in our 8 month Nurture incubation programme!

Hear about their creative ideas and their journeys with their creative businesses so far, their experiences and insights of starting a creative business, their advice for other creatives starting out and their hopes and dreams for the future!

Booking link below and in profile!

https://blickstudios.org/events/nurture-creative-talks/

This week’s roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives

01. EIT Business Development Programmes supporting the growth of start-ups and scale-ups in the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI)

EIT Culture & Creativity launches its 2025 call for applications for two tailored business support programmes designed to accelerate the growth of promising start-ups and scale-ups in Europe’s cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI).

With a focus on five key sectors — fashion, architecture, cultural heritage, audio-visual media, and gaming — this call offers high-potential ventures the opportunity to scale their impact, compete for financial prizes, prepare to raise funds, and expand across international markets.

Deadline: 23rd May & 11th July

https://eit-culture-creativity.eu/open-call-acceleration-and-post-acceleration-programmes/

02. Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund

The Proof of Concept Grant Fund supports entrepreneurs at the earliest stage to get their business ideas off the ground. Deadline: Tuesday 3rd June 2025, 5pm

https://www.techstartgrants.com/

03. PS2 is Seeking Proposals for new Project Space PS3

PS³ is a new Public Shopfront: a ground-floor space right next to PS² on Rosemary Street suitable for screenings, workshops and other creative activities.

https://www.pssquared.org/projects/seeking-proposals-for-ps3

04. Stryve Catalyst

Stryve is for young people (16-25) who found that traditional education or career pathways weren’t the right fit and are looking for a new way forward. It’s a chance to gain real-world skills, build confidence, and explore new opportunities in innovation and entrepreneurship.

https://wearecatalyst.org/programmes/stryve/

05. British Council XR Travel Grant

Grants to help Short and Feature filmmakers, and XR creatives, travel to international events where their work is being screened.

https://film.britishcouncil.org/opportunities/short-film-travel-grant

Full listings including links on the blog on our website (link below and in profile)

https://blickstudios.org/blog/12652/

Some of our favourite bits from last month (April) at Blick

Our latest roundup of local and international funding, support & opportunities for NI creatives

01. Belfast City Council Street Art Mentorship Bursaries

Offering six bursaries of £2,000 Belfast street artists to learn new skills or techniques from a mentor of their choosing, in a one-to-one capacity.

Deadline:  12 noon Monday 12th May

https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/tourism-and-culture/culture/culture-funding#654-2

02. British Council Connections Through Culture

Applications for the latest round of grants are now open with grants of up to £5,000 or £10,000 to support new collaborative projects. 

Deadline: 23 June 2025, 15:00 BST

https://arts.britishcouncil.org/get-involved/opportunities/connections-through-culture-2025

03. Eidolan International Photography Grants

The Eidolon Centre for Everyday Photography invites artists, researchers, and enthusiasts to apply for the Eidolon Grant 2025, supporting projects that explore vernacular and everyday photographic practices. 

Deadline: 11.59pm August 31, 2025

https://everydayphotography.org/centre/grant-2025#about

04. CraftNI Gallery Call for Applications

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to promote and sell their work right in the heart of Belfast City Centre with an established craft audience with an ever increasing tourist footfall, whilst also benefiting from in-house marketing and promotion.

Deadline: Friday 16th May, 5pm

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3IrI_ELE16vZey_-TvtJpUOiOeFYIkYTSw2PGXs4M5RWWQw/viewform

05. Birmingham Design Festival

Birmingham Design Festival Conference is a celebration of design held in Birmingham across two days in June.

Deadline: 12th–13th June, Birmingham Town Hall

https://birminghamdesignfestival.org.uk/conference/

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

https://blickstudios.org/blog/creative-roundup-opportunities-for-creatives/

Thanks so much to @dannisimpsonart for a great creative talk last night and to everyone who joined us for the event!

It`s all change at Blick this month as we say goodbye to some of our current residents, allowing us also to welcome in new creatives as space becomes available!

We have the following dedicated deskspaces available in our shared creative coworking spaces.

HILL ST
2 adjacent desks available £165 for 1 or £285 for both desks per calendar month

COTTON COURT
2 adjacent desks available £125 for 1 desk or £225 for both desks per calendar month

GREAT NORTHERN STREET
1 desk available £150 per calendar month

ABOUT THE WORKSPACE:
– All prices are all inclusive (rent, rates, utilities, broadband)
– Minimum 3 months contract then on a rolling monthly contract
– 1 months rent required as a deposit

WORKSPACE BENEFITS:

– Networking and collaborative opportunities with other studio members

– Quiet environment for working creatively and productively away from home distractions

– Professional commercial address for customer confidence and to keep your home address private

– Better work-life balance. Keep your work and home-life separate

– Dedicated deskspace with storage you can leave equipment and know where you will be sitting each day!

– Opportunity to attend events and workshops in the studios and build your network and improve your skills

– All studios are in great locations in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter or South Belfast

– Flexible and affordable contracts (Minimum of 3 months then on a month by month basis)

– Blick is an independent social enterprise. Profits from our creative workspace services go back into supporting the creative community through our different events, workshops, residencies, programs and resources.

For more email or to arrange a viewing message us, email christine@blickstudios.org or visit our website www.blickstudios.org

LAST CHANCE TO BOOK!! Just a couple of tickets left for this tomorrow night!

- - CREATIVE TALK - ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR DANNI SIMPSON - -
Come join us tomorrow evening for our next creative talk with the talented artist and illustrator, Danni Simpson sharing her creative story!

Danni Simpson is an Australian Artist who specialises in Commercial murals and Illustrations. Her natural passion and talent for art has allowed her to complete a large number of projects and travel the globe to paint the world. Her style is an urban fusion of detailed floral illustrations where wildlife clashes with architecture and typography, sprinkled through with dashes of art deco and mandala patterns. Beyond her work commercially, Danni has been invited to appear at a number of events across the UK and Ireland such as Electric Picnic, Upfest Street Art Festival and Hit The North. Danni continues to travel the world leaving her mark wherever she goes and hopes to ignite a creative spark in everyone who sees her art.

You can find out more about Danni and her work on her Website: dannisimpsonart.com and on Instagram: @dannisimpsonart

EVENT DETAILS:
Event Date(s): May 7, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 8pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free

For more info and to book visit our website link below and in profile: https://blickstudios.org/events/creative-talk-with-artist-illustrator-danni-simpson/