Creative Practice Reflection Journal Prompts - Blick Shared Studios

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Reflect on the area of your creative practice you have experienced the most growth this year. What have you learned, and how have you evolved in that part of your life?
What are you proud of or deeply grateful for this year in your creative practice? List everything that comes to mind big or small

You can also download the journal prompts as a PDF or Word document below

Refining Your Idea: Creative Practice Reflection Journal Prompts

Downloadable PDF and Word versions of the ‘Creative Practice Reflection Journal Prompts’

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Refining Your Creative Idea Journal Prompts: Creative Practice Reflection Word Document

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Our latest roundup of funding and opportunities for NI Creatives.

01. The East Light Prototype: Designing Sustainable Residencies
Over the course of one year, the selected Producer will engage with NAARCA partners, learn how each institution operates, and receive support to establish a new sustainability-centred pilot residency programme on Rathlin Island.
Closing date: 19th October 5pm

02. Propositions for Design Beyond Growth
They invite designers, researchers, makers, repair practitioners, architects, economists, activists, policy makers and manufacturers and anyone curious about how design and degrowth intersect, to share tactics and strategies for moving design beyond growth-driven production and consumption, towards sufficient, durable, repairable and equitable material practices.
Closing date: 22nd October

03. No Harm in Waiting
The RSUA/JP Corry Design Competition for 2026 challenges Early Career Architects to propose creative ideas for a specific bus shelter that explores the potential of gender equity and inclusivity within public realm design.
Closing date: Sunday 11th October 11.59pm.

04. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Cultural Grant Aid and Bursary Programme
Are you an individual or a constituted group based in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough with a cultural project or creative idea?

05. Groundwork NI Freelance Tutors and Facilitators

06. Belfast City Council End Violence Against Women & Girls 2026-2027 Local Change Fund
Closing date: Friday 9th October 12pm

07. The DAS Home Residency
Closing date: Wednesday 14th October

08. Anthology Creative Competitions 2026
Offering a variety of competitions established to encourage and promote visual artists and writers, the Anthology Creative Awards provide a platform for emerging creatives to publish their work.

09. Artists Now Bursaries
Artist members you can apply for £500 to £1,500 to support the development of your practice, from building skills and knowledge to growing networks and creating new professional opportunities.
Closing date: Thursday 15th October 12pm

Full listings including links on our blog ✨️
https://blickstudios.org/blog/14521/

Oct 6

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18020474783930239

Our latest roundup of funding and opportunities for NI Creatives.

01. The East Light Prototype: Designing Sustainable Residencies
Over the course of one year, the selected Producer will engage with NAARCA partners, learn how each institution operates, and receive support to establish a new sustainability-centred pilot residency programme on Rathlin Island.
Closing date: 19th October 5pm

02. Propositions for Design Beyond Growth
They invite designers, researchers, makers, repair practitioners, architects, economists, activists, policy makers and manufacturers and anyone curious about how design and degrowth intersect, to share tactics and strategies for moving design beyond growth-driven production and consumption, towards sufficient, durable, repairable and equitable material practices.
Closing date: 22nd October

03. No Harm in Waiting
The RSUA/JP Corry Design Competition for 2026 challenges Early Career Architects to propose creative ideas for a specific bus shelter that explores the potential of gender equity and inclusivity within public realm design.
Closing date: Sunday 11th October 11.59pm.

04. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Cultural Grant Aid and Bursary Programme
Are you an individual or a constituted group based in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough with a cultural project or creative idea?

05. Groundwork NI Freelance Tutors and Facilitators

06. Belfast City Council End Violence Against Women & Girls 2026-2027 Local Change Fund
Closing date: Friday 9th October 12pm

07. The DAS Home Residency
Closing date: Wednesday 14th October

08. Anthology Creative Competitions 2026
Offering a variety of competitions established to encourage and promote visual artists and writers, the Anthology Creative Awards provide a platform for emerging creatives to publish their work.

09. Artists Now Bursaries
Artist members you can apply for £500 to £1,500 to support the development of your practice, from building skills and knowledge to growing networks and creating new professional opportunities.
Closing date: Thursday 15th October 12pm

Full listings including links on our blog ✨️
https://blickstudios.org/blog/14521/

What`s Happening at Blick This Month

- Blick Creative Fieldtrip – Pricing Your Creative Work - Tuesday 6th October

- Seaside Books Intermediate Poetry Workshop - Tuesday 13th October

- Womenfolk Peer Mentoring - Tuesday 27th October

Visit the events page of our website for more info:

https://blickstudios.org/events/

Oct 5

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18437195467194497

What's Happening at Blick This Month

- Blick Creative Fieldtrip – Pricing Your Creative Work - Tuesday 6th October

- Seaside Books Intermediate Poetry Workshop - Tuesday 13th October

- Womenfolk Peer Mentoring - Tuesday 27th October

Visit the events page of our website for more info:

https://blickstudios.org/events/

Blick Creative Fieldtrip – Pricing Your Creative Work

In this Creative Fieldtrip, designed specifically for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year students, we’ll tackle one of the biggest challenges facing creatives starting out: How to Price Your Creative Work, whether you’re selling products or services.

Pricing your creative work isn’t easy, and there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. It’s about finding a balance between your costs and time, what other creatives charge, your level of experience and what people are willing to pay. It can also depend on how much you want to take on a particular project and the opportunities it might offer you to learn, develop your skills or build your portfolio.

Ultimately, pricing is a personal process, and one you’ll need to regularly review and revisit as your creative practice grows and evolves.

This is a closed event for Ulster University students

https://blickstudios.org/events/blick-creative-fieldtrip-pricing-your-creative-work/

Oct 5

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18106213526106199

Blick Creative Fieldtrip – Pricing Your Creative Work

In this Creative Fieldtrip, designed specifically for Ulster University Enterprise Placement Year students, we’ll tackle one of the biggest challenges facing creatives starting out: How to Price Your Creative Work, whether you’re selling products or services.

Pricing your creative work isn’t easy, and there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. It’s about finding a balance between your costs and time, what other creatives charge, your level of experience and what people are willing to pay. It can also depend on how much you want to take on a particular project and the opportunities it might offer you to learn, develop your skills or build your portfolio.

Ultimately, pricing is a personal process, and one you’ll need to regularly review and revisit as your creative practice grows and evolves.

This is a closed event for Ulster University students

https://blickstudios.org/events/blick-creative-fieldtrip-pricing-your-creative-work/

Some weekend reading our final plant stories for this iteration of Belfast Community Plant Library, this time with the amazing Lauren McFarland from The Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland - @tcv_ni where she tells us about their brillianf work on Green Gyms and community gardens, conservation, native trees and more.

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

Oct 4

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Belfast Plant Stories - Hardest plant to keep alive

Oct 4

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Belfast Plant Stories - Hardest plant to keep alive

Belfast Plant Stories - We asked the people of Belfast about their favourite plants

Oct 3

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Belfast Plant Stories - We asked the people of Belfast about their favourite plants

We are almost finished our Community Plant Library project, just a couple of Plant Stories left to share, today we are asking the people of Belfast how can humans work better with plants to fix environmental problems?

Oct 2

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We are almost finished our Community Plant Library project, just a couple of Plant Stories left to share, today we are asking the people of Belfast how can humans work better with plants to fix environmental problems?

Our final Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories today sharing my own. I`m not a great gardener, but I love plants (as anyone who has been in our studios will know - they are filled with plants). We have loads of plants in Blick, because I belive they really contribute to a good productive, creative and calm working environment. It wasn’t a conscious design decision when we started the studios to have so many plants. It was only when we started adding them that we realised the value they had to the atmosphere and ambience of the space. Taking care of the plants in the studio is also an added benefit and one of the nicest parts of the job. It always makes you feel better and gets you away from staring at a screen.

Being closer to nature is also a large part of why I moved back to NI (we have so much beautiful countryside here and so close to the city) and I consider myself very fortunate to get to work in the city, but live in the countryside and benefit from that nature everyday. But working in the City Centre and having studios in both the Cathedral Quarter and leafy South Belfast has really highlighted to me the disparity in the access to green spaces for people living in Belfast, with the City Centre having such a shortage of green spaces and plants and trees.

Oct 1

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Our final Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories today sharing my own. I'm not a great gardener, but I love plants (as anyone who has been in our studios will know - they are filled with plants). We have loads of plants in Blick, because I belive they really contribute to a good productive, creative and calm working environment. It wasn’t a conscious design decision when we started the studios to have so many plants. It was only when we started adding them that we realised the value they had to the atmosphere and ambience of the space. Taking care of the plants in the studio is also an added benefit and one of the nicest parts of the job. It always makes you feel better and gets you away from staring at a screen.

Being closer to nature is also a large part of why I moved back to NI (we have so much beautiful countryside here and so close to the city) and I consider myself very fortunate to get to work in the city, but live in the countryside and benefit from that nature everyday. But working in the City Centre and having studios in both the Cathedral Quarter and leafy South Belfast has really highlighted to me the disparity in the access to green spaces for people living in Belfast, with the City Centre having such a shortage of green spaces and plants and trees.

As part of our plant stories from the plant library project we also got some tips from local people on how to take care of plants 🪴

Sep 29

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18136155253730487

As part of our plant stories from the plant library project we also got some tips from local people on how to take care of plants 🪴

Belfast Community Plant Library 🪴 event at Bankmore Square for Culture Night 🌙

Sep 28

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Belfast Community Plant Library 🪴 event at Bankmore Square for Culture Night 🌙

Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - today with Rosy James the person who does all the important financial work for Blick and Belfast Design Week so these kind of projects can happen, she is also largely responsible for most of the plants in Blick!

Here you can read a bit about Rosy and her interest in plants.

Sep 28

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Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - today with Rosy James the person who does all the important financial work for Blick and Belfast Design Week so these kind of projects can happen, she is also largely responsible for most of the plants in Blick!

Here you can read a bit about Rosy and her interest in plants.

Belfast Plant Stories - First plant to make you fall in love with taking care of plants

We asked the people of Belfast what was the first plant to make them fall in love with taking care of plants

Sep 26

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Belfast Plant Stories - First plant to make you fall in love with taking care of plants

We asked the people of Belfast what was the first plant to make them fall in love with taking care of plants

Our first Belfast Community Plant Library event was completed last Friday at Culture Night, but we still have some plant stories to share including from the main team, starting with Karishma Kusurkar @karishmasworld who shares with us here a bit about her love for plants!

Sep 25

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Our first Belfast Community Plant Library event was completed last Friday at Culture Night, but we still have some plant stories to share including from the main team, starting with Karishma Kusurkar @karishmasworld who shares with us here a bit about her love for plants!

Last Friday we had the best time hosting Belfast Community Plant Library at Bankmore Square for Culture Night 2026!

Belfast Community Plant Library was a collaborative project all about connecting people, place, plants and creativity and had lots of parts including:

- Plant Furniture Installation created by @d.keyssustainablewoodworking and the @greenremakehub

- Plant Clinic with @jillydougan

- Co-design workshop, Zine and Flax Seed Kits with @onebite.design

- Exhibition and origami plant pot making with our Design Hothouse Residents @rachelcowie_graphics and @beth__schmidt

- Belfast Plant Map of plants found growing naturally in Belfast and places to pause in Belfast City Centre illustrated by @thomasbannondraws

- Leaf rubbing and interactive information gathering posters

Event funded by Belfast City Council and venue provided by @linenquarter

Photos kindly taken by @creativedavephotography

Sep 23

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18070774010743597

Last Friday we had the best time hosting Belfast Community Plant Library at Bankmore Square for Culture Night 2026!

Belfast Community Plant Library was a collaborative project all about connecting people, place, plants and creativity and had lots of parts including:

- Plant Furniture Installation created by @d.keyssustainablewoodworking and the @greenremakehub

- Plant Clinic with @jillydougan

- Co-design workshop, Zine and Flax Seed Kits with @onebite.design

- Exhibition and origami plant pot making with our Design Hothouse Residents @rachelcowie_graphics and @beth__schmidt

- Belfast Plant Map of plants found growing naturally in Belfast and places to pause in Belfast City Centre illustrated by @thomasbannondraws

- Leaf rubbing and interactive information gathering posters

Event funded by Belfast City Council and venue provided by @linenquarter

Photos kindly taken by @creativedavephotography

Beautiful light in our Hill Street studios this evening ✨️ 💛 ✨️

Sep 22

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Beautiful light in our Hill Street studios this evening ✨️ 💛 ✨️

BELFAST COMMUNITY PLANT LIBRARY AT CULTURE NIGHT

- Interactive plant installation - add and take away plants

- Plant clinic hosted by Jilly Dougan - learn all about growing and caring for edible plants

- Co-design workshop - contribute your ideas for plants in Belfast

- Free Belfast Plant Map designed by Belfast illustrator Thomas Bannon

- Free Flax Seed Planting Kits

- Free Interactive Plant Zine

- Interactive activities

And more

Date: Culture Night - Friday 18th September

Time: From 4pm

Location: Bankmore Square

Everyone is welcome and no booking is required, pop by and say hello!

Sep 18

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18114307682091935

BELFAST COMMUNITY PLANT LIBRARY AT CULTURE NIGHT

- Interactive plant installation - add and take away plants

- Plant clinic hosted by Jilly Dougan - learn all about growing and caring for edible plants

- Co-design workshop - contribute your ideas for plants in Belfast

- Free Belfast Plant Map designed by Belfast illustrator Thomas Bannon

- Free Flax Seed Planting Kits

- Free Interactive Plant Zine

- Interactive activities

And more

Date: Culture Night - Friday 18th September

Time: From 4pm

Location: Bankmore Square

Everyone is welcome and no booking is required, pop by and say hello!

Fingers crossed it will stay dry for @culturenightbelfast this Friday! but just in case the weather is not kind to us our Design Hothouse Residents have been busy designing and making their own shelter for their exhibition as part of the Community Plant Library using sustainable materials!

This will protect their interactive exhibition about plants, design and Belfast which also includes the cutest origami plant pots they have designed that you can pop along and make and take home with you on the night!

About the exhibition:

During the Design Hot House residency our residents @bethschmidt and @rachelcowie_graphics worked collaboratively, exploring how plants are incorporated into Belfast, this included exploring what grows in Belfast, the city’s decorative features in buildings and their part in history and the benefits growing plants has on us and our surroundings. This led them down a few routes of experimentation through cyanotype, collage and creating shapes inspired by features across the city’s buildings and homes which were also melded into the branding of this year’s Design After Dark.

Pop along to Bankmore Square on Friday from 4pm to see their work, learn a bit about plants, design and Belfast and get yourself a mini origami plant pot to take home with you!

Sep 16

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18278656540291006

Fingers crossed it will stay dry for @culturenightbelfast this Friday! but just in case the weather is not kind to us our Design Hothouse Residents have been busy designing and making their own shelter for their exhibition as part of the Community Plant Library using sustainable materials!

This will protect their interactive exhibition about plants, design and Belfast which also includes the cutest origami plant pots they have designed that you can pop along and make and take home with you on the night!

About the exhibition:

During the Design Hot House residency our residents @bethschmidt and @rachelcowie_graphics worked collaboratively, exploring how plants are incorporated into Belfast, this included exploring what grows in Belfast, the city’s decorative features in buildings and their part in history and the benefits growing plants has on us and our surroundings. This led them down a few routes of experimentation through cyanotype, collage and creating shapes inspired by features across the city’s buildings and homes which were also melded into the branding of this year’s Design After Dark.

Pop along to Bankmore Square on Friday from 4pm to see their work, learn a bit about plants, design and Belfast and get yourself a mini origami plant pot to take home with you!

Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - @rachelcowie_graphics Multidisciplinary Designer and Design Hothouse Resident.

As part of our Design Hothouse Residency Rachel along with @beth__schmidt created the beautiful artwork for the Community Plant Library, they have also been working hard to create an exhibition for the Community Plant Library event, in Bankmore Square on Culture Night (this Friday from 4pm)

Come along to see their beautiful and enlightening exhibition about plants and Belfast and plants and design.

Here you can read a bit about Rachel and her genuine passion and enthusiasm for plants

Sep 16

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18206588992369444

Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - @rachelcowie_graphics Multidisciplinary Designer and Design Hothouse Resident.

As part of our Design Hothouse Residency Rachel along with @beth__schmidt created the beautiful artwork for the Community Plant Library, they have also been working hard to create an exhibition for the Community Plant Library event, in Bankmore Square on Culture Night (this Friday from 4pm)

Come along to see their beautiful and enlightening exhibition about plants and Belfast and plants and design.

Here you can read a bit about Rachel and her genuine passion and enthusiasm for plants

One of my favourite elements of our Community Plant Library project. This beautiful Belfast Plant Map which has been thoughtfully illustrated by Blick resident and talented local illustrator @thomasbannondraws

The Belfast Plant Map shows some of the plants and trees we found (often in unexpected places) growing naturally throughout the city centre. It tells some of the stories of these plants and highlights some of their benefits.

The map also shows some of the places in Belfast City Centre (with varying amounts of plants and nature) where you can pause, sit and enjoy a moment of nature and the benefits it brings to your wellbeing.

Most of these places don`t have as many plants as they could have. Whilst in many ways overall Belfast is a pretty green city with around 2,390 hectares of open space across the city the city centre isn`t as green with some inner-city areas having just 1–7% tree cover, while some outer areas have as much as 43–49%. So, while Belfast is already green in places, there’s a real opportunity to bring more trees, plants and green space into the inner city areas and communities that arguably need them most.�

Call in to see us at Bankmore Square on Culture Night from 4pm to pick up your free Belfast Plant Map

Sep 16

Open post by blickstudios with ID 17961034704238544

One of my favourite elements of our Community Plant Library project. This beautiful Belfast Plant Map which has been thoughtfully illustrated by Blick resident and talented local illustrator @thomasbannondraws

The Belfast Plant Map shows some of the plants and trees we found (often in unexpected places) growing naturally throughout the city centre. It tells some of the stories of these plants and highlights some of their benefits.

The map also shows some of the places in Belfast City Centre (with varying amounts of plants and nature) where you can pause, sit and enjoy a moment of nature and the benefits it brings to your wellbeing.

Most of these places don't have as many plants as they could have. Whilst in many ways overall Belfast is a pretty green city with around 2,390 hectares of open space across the city the city centre isn't as green with some inner-city areas having just 1–7% tree cover, while some outer areas have as much as 43–49%. So, while Belfast is already green in places, there’s a real opportunity to bring more trees, plants and green space into the inner city areas and communities that arguably need them most.�

Call in to see us at Bankmore Square on Culture Night from 4pm to pick up your free Belfast Plant Map

Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - David Keys Woodworker

Here we get to meet some of the team behind the project and find out about their love of plants and why they wanted to get involved. Today hearing from @d.keyssustainablewoodworking woodworker and creator of the interactive plant installation that will feature in Friday`s Community Plant Library event at Culture Night. The installation has been thoughtfully designed as a living evolving space, using sustainable materials so passersby can interact with the installation adding and taking away plants throughout the event

Sep 14

Open post by blickstudios with ID 18100013258629136

Belfast Community Plant Library Team Plant Stories - David Keys Woodworker

Here we get to meet some of the team behind the project and find out about their love of plants and why they wanted to get involved. Today hearing from @d.keyssustainablewoodworking woodworker and creator of the interactive plant installation that will feature in Friday's Community Plant Library event at Culture Night. The installation has been thoughtfully designed as a living evolving space, using sustainable materials so passersby can interact with the installation adding and taking away plants throughout the event