Blick Shared Studios - Workspace for Creatives in Belfast

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Behind the team of Small Town Big Dreams - Dr Brian Dixon

Dr. Brian Dixon was our academic partner for Small Town Big Dreams, he worked with ...

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Oct 29

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Behind the team of Small Town Big Dreams - Dr Brian Dixon

Dr. Brian Dixon was our academic partner for Small Town Big Dreams, he worked with us throughout the series to shape the direction and select participants and to use the evidence gathered to create a Creative Enterprise Toolkit which we are launching next week as part of Belfast Design Week.

We asked Brian to tell us a bit about himself and share his experiences of the pandemic and its impact on University education as well as what he learned from the interviews for this project.

To read the full article, visit https://www.blickstudios.org/small-town-big-dreams/meet-the-team-small-town-big-dreams-dr-brian-dixon/

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The World Turned Upside Down is a 4-part audio documentary sharing stories of how the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the lives and livelihoods of...

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Oct 23

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The World Turned Upside Down is a 4-part audio documentary sharing stories of how the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the lives and livelihoods of people working in the creative industries in Northern Ireland.

In Part 4, we find out how creative entrepreneurs have attempted to maintain mental health and wellbeing during this very unusual time.

With the world having been turned upside down, many people have struggled to make sense of the new normal. With so much uncertainty and when what’s at risk is as serious as people potentially dying, it’s no wonder that it has been so difficult to stay mentally well at this time, no matter how hard we try.

But 2020 has also offered a pause for thought. It has forced us to re-evaluate how we live and work. Whether we really need to go to all of those in-person work meetings, or even have as many. Whether we need to buy fast fashion or whether we can do with consuming less.

Whether we should finally do that thing we have been putting off, whether that is learning to cook or proposing to a partner.

But has 2020 fundamentally changed us as a society? Has it permanently altered the way in which we work in the creative industries? Or is it a glitch in time before we simply move on and Covid-19 eventually becomes just a distant memory?

In our season finale, you’ll hear from creative entrepreneurs Tessa Ann of the Sound Healing Spa, Matt & Abby Bonner from Forever Social - Film + Photo, and comedian Paddy Raff.

Thanks also to Alex McMillian, Katie Ireland, Chris Thompson, Dara Flanagan, and Meadhbh McIlgorm for their call-in contributions, reflecting on their experiences during 2020.

Presented by Karishma Kusurkar and Graeme Watson.

Produced in association with Blick Shared Studios, with support from Future Screens NI, Northern Ireland Screen, and Ulster University.

Supporting Academic Research by Dr. Brian Dixon.

Full Episode Details: https://www.blickstudios.org/small-town-big-dreams/audio-documentary-the-world-turned-upside-down-episode-4-staying-sane/

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The restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic have escalated the adoption of digital communication technologies into almost everyone’s work and personal...

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Oct 22

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The restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic have escalated the adoption of digital communication technologies into almost everyone’s work and personal lives in a way that was unthinkable just a year ago.

In Part 3 of the World Turned Upside Down, we hear stories of how creatives have adapted to a life lived (and worked) almost exclusively online – the successes and challenges, disappointments and surprises. We’ll meet Shannon Dolores O'Neill from punk band @sister_ghost_ , stationary designer Emma Johnston, Newry-based American artist Lauren Taylor, and marketing expert Andi Jarvis.

The World Turned Upside Down was supported by FutureScreens NI, Northern Ireland Screen and Ulster University and it was recorded remotely.

Project management and additional support was from Blick Shared Studios. The podcast was produced, written, recorded and edited by Graeme Watson and Karishma Kusurkar. Academic research supporting the project is from Dr. Brian Dixon at Ulster University.

Episode 3 Guests: Shannon Delores O’Neill (@sister_ghost_ , GRSNI), Emma Johnston (@hunterpaperco @huntandgatherbelfast ), Andi Jarvis (@eximomarketing ) & @laurentaylorcreates )

The World Turned Upside Down is a Small Town Big Dreams Production

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Behind the team of Small Town Big Dreams - Introducing Karishma Kusurkar who is one of the co-founders of Small Town Big Dreams, Co-Director of ...

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Oct 16

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Behind the team of Small Town Big Dreams - Introducing Karishma Kusurkar who is one of the co-founders of Small Town Big Dreams, Co-Director of Belfast Design Week, and is a multidisciplinary designer based in Belfast.⁠
⁠
We asked her to share her experience of how lockdown was for her, what impact the pandemic caused for her business and how she was able to get through the experience. ⁠
⁠
Karishma's key takeaway from the guests she had on the series, was how resilient everyone has been.⁠
⁠
This seems to be the key theme in all creative businesses in the current client. Learning how to adapt to the uncertainty and learning how to move forward despite the chaos of the world. ⁠
⁠
To read the full interview, visit our website at https://www.blickstudios.org/small-town-big-dreams/the-team-behind-small-town-big-dreams-karishma-kusurkar/⁠
⁠
⁠

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We love to share the new residents that join Blick Studios. We are passionate about the creative industry here in Belfast because we get to learn and ...

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Oct 15

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We are reminiscing about our Belfast Design Week Big Design Day Out 2019, where we had created an array of different events last year for both kids ...

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Oct 11

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We are reminiscing about our Belfast Design Week Big Design Day Out 2019, where we had created an array of different events last year for both kids and adults throughout Belfast City.

It was a magical time being able to connect with different people and celebrate all things design related!

Unfortunately, this year isn’t possible to run the same type of events as we have done in previous years, but there are still lots of exciting things coming up for Belfast Design Week 2020!

The program is being released next week, so be sure to keep an eye on their feed to see what’s coming up!

Follow @belfastdesignwk or visit www.belfastdesignweek.com for details on this years festival

Video by Ross McConaghy

blickstudios

Part 2 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 ...

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Oct 9

Open

Part 2 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 Northern Ireland is out now.

In Part 2 we look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected communities and networks. We speak to architect Aisling Rusk Studio Idir, videographer and fellow podcaster Ryan Ward Morning Coffee Podcast , film-maker David Moody, and arts organisation director Nisha Tandon Arts Ekta

Self-Isolation. Social Distancing. Herd Immunity. Working From Home. Social Bubbles. These phrases have all become synonymous with 2020 as we navigate the various relationships in our lives and how we can look after them even at a distance.

People have rekindled their long lost hobbies and found newfangled ones too, from music to DIY to making poetry. What’s been more important than ever before is community – which can mean different things to different people, from our families, friends and work colleagues to the collectives we belong to. “We are all in this together” is a phrase we have heard many times before but this actually does ring true, both on a local and global scale for the first time this century.

The World Turned Upside Down is presented by Graeme Watson and Karishma Kusurkar with support from Future Screens NI, Northern Ireland Screen, and Dr Brian Dixon Ulster University.

Full episode details and info: www.smalltownbigdreams.co.uk or listen on Soundcloud Spotify or iTtunes

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We are excited to introduce our newest Blick Resident @lukehaslett from iakoe, who is based in our Malone Road studios.

We got to hear about ...

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Oct 8

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We are excited to introduce our newest Blick Resident @lukehaslett from iakoe, who is based in our Malone Road studios.

We got to hear about Luke’s new search marketing agency that was founded in March 2020. They combine SEO, content marketing and digital PR to drive long term search visibility and ROI. They work with everything from high growth startups to household name brands.

In this interview we asked him what the biggest hurdle has been starting out and what advice he would give to people starting out in a working environment.

Be sure to check the full interview on our Blick Studios website https://www.blickstudios.org/meettheresidents/meettheresident-iakoe/

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Lovely autumn light in our Hill St studios #creativespace #creativeworkspace #coworkingspace #creativehub #workspace #studiospace

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Oct 7

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Lovely autumn light in our Hill St studios #creativespace #creativeworkspace #coworkingspace #creativehub #workspace #studiospace

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#Repost @stbdpodcast
• • • • • •
Small Town Big Dreams is very much a collaborative project. The brainchild of @graeme_theory ...

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Oct 5

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#Repost @stbdpodcast
• • • • • •
Small Town Big Dreams is very much a collaborative project. The brainchild of @graeme_theory @karishmasworld and @blickstudios we have worked together to develop the project, sharing stories of Northern Ireland’s creative entrepreneurs since 2018.

We thought it would be nice for everyone to find out a bit more about the team behind the podcast and their experiences producing our new audio documentary 'The World Turned Upside Down' during lockdown and the pandemic.

We begin this week with Graeme Watson, who has a background in Comedy. We asked him about his thoughts on the impact of the pandemic on the comedy scene in Northern Ireland, what he found most challenging and what kept him sane during lockdown, his key takeaways from the interviews with local creatives for 'The World Turned Upside Down' and much more. You can read the full interview here: https://www.smalltownbigdreams.co.uk/blog/2020/10/5/meet-the-team-behind-small-town-big-dreams-graeme-watson

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Francesca Biondi, Art Director of @gallery545online will be having a solo exhibition at their new premises in Blick Shared Studios, Malone Road.
...

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Oct 1

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Francesca Biondi, Art Director of @gallery545online will be having a solo exhibition at their new premises in Blick Shared Studios, Malone Road.

The exhibition, ‘Ways of Seeing’ features award-winning emerging artist @latishareihillartist

It presents her new unique abstract paintings, a series of carefully balanced and textured multi-colour compositions.

Inspired by the qualities and histories of buildings and landscapes and the artist’s response to them, they can take the viewer on a visual and emotional journey.

Visiting the exhibition in person

The safety of our staff, visitors, and artists is our paramount concern. We have specific safety measures in place because of Covid-19.

The number of people allowed at the same time in the exhibition space is limited to 6. When visiting the exhibition, please wear a face mask /covering, adhere to social distancing guidelines, and leave your contact details for tracing purposes.

Any updates about Covid-19 measures will be published on the exhibition page on our website. Unfortunately, there is no disabled access to this venue.

Exhibition Information

Location : Opening at Gallery 545, 51Malone Road, Belfast

Date : 2/10/20 - 32/10/20

Opening at @gallery545online
Friday 2nd October, 1pm-6pm (book your free ticket)

For more information please visit www.gallery545.com

Hope to see you there!

blickstudios

Part1 of our new @stbdpodcast 4-part audio documentary The World Turned Upside Down sharing stories of how the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has impacted ...

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Sep 29

Open

Part1 of our new @stbdpodcast 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 Northern Ireland is out now.

In Part 1, we go back to the beginning – to the dramatic turn of events in early March when national lockdowns across Ireland and the United Kingdom were introduced. We share the lockdown stories of @wearemaven_ co-founder Patricia McGinnis, freelance illustrator @jackysheridan videographer Sean Duncan from @redcap.productions and Derry-based games production company Hypixel.

The World Turned Upside Down is presented by @graeme_theory and @karishmasworld with support from Future Screens NI and @northernirelandscreen , and Dr Brian Dixon @ulsteruni
@belfastschoolofart
Full episode details and info: www.smalltownbigdreams.co.uk
Or listen on Soundcloud Spotify or ITunes

blickstudios

- - 1 W E E K T O G O - -

Apply now for our 'Womenfolk DIG DEEP' 9 month creative enterprise program for young women 18 - 30 ...

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Sep 27

Open

- - 1 W E E K T O G O - -

Apply now for our 'Womenfolk DIG DEEP' 9 month creative enterprise program for young women 18 - 30 years.

This program brings together young women (18 - 30) from different backgrounds NI & BAME to help them build successful and sustainable creative industry businesses.

Taking a holistic view of starting a business, combining self-care and creativity alongside business skills and knowledge. It will be a tailored program to help you grow your creative business to meet your values, goals, and ambitions through a series of online workshops, resources, peer, and one-on-one mentoring.

Topics covered will include:

- Business planning - values, vision, aims & objectives

- Finance planning & management

- Branding

- Social Media

- Setting up a website

- Sales

- Confidence

- Failure

- Self Care

- Habits

- Work-life balance

- Imposters syndrome

You will also get to connect with a group of like-minded creative women for support, community, motivation and peer learning.

Closing for applications next Sunday 4th October at 5.00pm

Limited spaces available! To apply, visit our website www.womenfolk.co

blickstudios

Are you a creative business that needs a city centre address to help with your professional public image for your business?

At Blick ...

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Sep 24

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blickstudios

Tomorrow night at 8pm we have a live IGTV event about our new audio
documentary on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on a range of local
...

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Sep 22

Open

Tomorrow night at 8pm we have a live IGTV event about our new audio
documentary on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on a range of local
creatives. Hear from podcast co-creators @karishmasworld and @theinfinitejest and Dr Brian Dixon who provided
academic support and ask any questions you have or share your experiences

--

blickstudios

Super excited our new Small Town Big Dreams audio documentary on the impact of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic on local creatives is almost ready!
...

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Sep 21

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Super excited our new Small Town Big Dreams audio documentary on the impact of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic on local creatives is almost ready!

Our first episode drops on Tuesday 29th September.

Small Town Big Dreams - The World Turned Upside Down, is a collaborative project. Co-created by @karishmasworld and @theinfinitejest with academic research by Dr Brian Dixon (Ulster University). It's a 4-part audio documentary series sharing stories of how the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the lives and livelihoods of people working in the creative industries in Northern Ireland.

We have a live IGTV event on Wed at 8pm or subscribe now to Small Town Big Dreams on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Presented with support from Future Screens NI @northernirelandscreen and @ulsteruni @belfastschoolofart

blickstudios

#Meettheresident - @roryquiggillustration

Introducing a resident that has just recently joined Blick Studios in our Hill Street space.
...

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Sep 21

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blickstudios

Are you happy working from home or just starting out but want a professional address for your business?

We offer virtual services for all ...

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Sep 11

Open

Are you happy working from home or just starting out but want a professional address for your business?

We offer virtual services for all business types with reduced rates for creative industry businesses. Whether you are just starting out and can’t yet afford workspace or are happy to work from home but seeking a professional public image for your business.

A city centre address creates a confident and professional first impression and separates your business and home life and as a virtual office customer you are entitled to 20% off meeting room hire fees and free AV equipment use with any hire.

We have two premises to choose from: our South Belfast address at 51 Malone Road, BT9 6RY or our Cathedral Quarter address 46 Hill Street, BT1 2LB.

For more information, please visit our website at
https://www.blickstudios.org/virtual-services/

blickstudios

We are currently working on a podcast series on the impact of the pandemic on the creative industries in Northern Ireland and are creating an ...

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Sep 10

Open

We are currently working on a podcast series on the impact of the pandemic on the creative industries in Northern Ireland and are creating an accompanying creative enterprise toolkit as a useful resource to help creatives in NI.

To make this as comprehensive as possible we would be very grateful if you could take the time to fill in our short survey about your experiences and insights (it should only take a few mins)

https://blickstudios.typeform.com/to/LXSuoU68

blickstudios

We are excited to introduce our September Resident Blog
#Meettheresidents - The First 47

@thefirst47 is the studio of Irish graphic ...

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Sep 9

Open

We are excited to introduce our September Resident Blog
#Meettheresidents - The First 47

@thefirst47 is the studio of Irish graphic designer and artist Alex Synge. The studio specialises in design for print, web and visual identity for a wide range of clients in the cultural, commercial and academic fields.

We got to catch up with the founder and hear about their journey of starting their own business, how they stay inspired and the recent projects they have been working on.

Full interview on our website!
https://www.blickstudios.org/meettheresidents/meettheresidents-the-first-47/

blickstudios

'DIG DEEP' is a project born out of a love of entrepreneurship and empowering women to create the steps they need to succeed in starting ...

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Sep 8

Open

'DIG DEEP' is a project born out of a love of entrepreneurship and empowering women to create the steps they need to succeed in starting their own business.

We wanted to take a different route on developing a business course that will actually create the long term progress that is needed to start your own business.

Often there are business courses that mislead people, saying that a business can be created in a quick and fast route but we have realized that doesn't create long-lasting change.

We are passionate about creating a course that gives people the time and space to build sustainability, to ask the big questions needed, to build self-confidence, to nurture, and to support everyone through the process.

Taking a holistic view of starting a business, combining self-care and creativity alongside business skills and knowledge. It will be a tailored program to help you grow your creative business to meet your values, goals, and ambitions through a series of online workshops, resources, peer, and one-on-one mentoring.

Our applications are open now! There are limited spaces available so book your space today!

Apply here: https://blickstudios.typeform.com/to/G8VR3EMD
Or you can head to our website
www.womenfolk.co

Full interview on our facebook page!

This program is kindly supported by Ulster Bank.

We are excited to share our co-Founder of Dig Deep, Esther Mogada @namokobe

Esther is a creative based in Belfast and has been working in the creative industry for the last 5 years. She has worked on various projects in relation to fashion, podcasting, events, and now is building a video production company called @creatingaspace

Video by @creatingaspace

blickstudios

Do you have a desire to start your own creative business but don’t know where to start?

'DIG DEEP' is Womenfolk's new free ...

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Sep 2

Open

Do you have a desire to start your own creative business but don’t know where to start?

'DIG DEEP' is Womenfolk's new free creative online business program which brings women from different backgrounds together in a supportive and nurturing environment.

It is designed over a 9 month period to help them build successful and sustainable creative industry businesses.

The 9 month online programme is created for young women (18 - 30 years) especially reaching out to recent graduates and young women from NI & BAME backgrounds.

This course is designed to help you BUILD and GROW into the person you want to become, the business you want to have and the life that you want to live.

All of the information about the course will be featured on our website so please visit www.womenfolk.co

Our applications are now officially open! Limited spaces available!
Visit : https://blickstudios.typeform.com/to/G8VR3EMD

This program is kindly supported by Ulster Bank.

Without further ado - we want to introduce one of the co-founders of this project is Christine James who is the founder of Blick Shared Studios, Womenfolk and Co-Founder of Belfast Design Week and many other creative projects.

🎥 @creatingaspace

blickstudios

Happy bank holiday weekend. Hope everyone has a restful weekend and gets a bit of a break during this stressful time

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Aug 28

Open

Happy bank holiday weekend. Hope everyone has a restful weekend and gets a bit of a break during this stressful time

blickstudios

Great to have our main room in Malone back in use today for filming. A slow return to normality.

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Aug 24

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Great to have our main room in Malone back in use today for filming. A slow return to normality.

blickstudios

We've had to rejig all our studio spaces to ensure social distancing and keep our spaces safe and comfortable working environments for all our ...

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Aug 18

Open

We've had to rejig all our studio spaces to ensure social distancing and keep our spaces safe and comfortable working environments for all our residents. Thankfully with a bit of creative positioning and rearranging we managed to keep all our existing furniture in Hill St as no idea how we would even fit the sofas down the spiral stairs to get them out in one piece

blickstudios

Gorgeous sunny Friday in the Cathedral Quarter. Hope everyone gets out to enjoy the good weather while it lasts

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Aug 14

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Gorgeous sunny Friday in the Cathedral Quarter. Hope everyone gets out to enjoy the good weather while it lasts

blickstudios

‘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 ...

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Aug 12

Open

‘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 what their process is, how they got started in the industry, who inspires them, and what advice they would give to people just starting out.

‘POWER’ was the theme of Belfast Design Week 2019, and we wanted to explore how people receive that word and the connotations attached to it.

This week we are revisiting an interview we did with @cricky_captures who is a Belfast based compositor and photographer.

We asked him – “what does power mean to you? “

“I don’t see power as being physically fit or better than someone or in a position of superiority. In terms of being a creative or a designer, power is using those skills to empower those around you, to challenge the norms, and just using your skills to benefit those around you, or push further to grow Belfast.”

https://www.blickstudios.org/belfast-design-week/the-power-of-design-series-chris-mckenna/

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Almost the weekend and thankfully a bit of sun ☀ for a change. Let's hope it lasts

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Jul 31

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Almost the weekend and thankfully a bit of sun ☀ for a change. Let's hope it lasts

blickstudios

‘The Power of Design’ series is a project that was created by @creatingaspace & @belfastdesignwk with the aim to explore and interview ...

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Jul 29

Open

‘The Power of Design’ series is a project that was created by @creatingaspace & @belfastdesignwk with the aim to explore and interview different designers within Belfast.

The aim of this series was to ask designers what their process is, how they got started in the industry, who inspires them, and what advice they would give to people just starting out.

In this interview we get to talk to @lydia.mokros who is a German designer based in Belfast. We asked her ‘what does POWER mean to you’?

‘POWER’ was the theme of Belfast Design Week 2019, and we wanted to explore how people receive that word and the connotations attached to it.

“For me POWER has mainly a negative association when I hear it. I guess design is a good opportunity to empower people.

Sometimes within institutions, or in societal structures, we feel everything is as it is, but then we have to question if we can swell change it.

I think with feeling powerful, that is the kind of possibility for us to change something or be part of the change. And maybe we need to rethink about the term power."

blickstudios

Quick refresh of our Malone hallway - reusing and recycling where possible to keep costs down and to reduce environmental impact. This dresser came ...

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Jul 28

Open

Affordable, Flexible Creative Workspace, Dedicated Desks & Private Studios, Virtual Services & Support for the Creative & Digital Industries.

Our workspaces

Malone Road

Hill Street

Cotton Court

Upcoming events

Audio Documentary The World Turned Upside Down: Episode 4 – Staying Sane

Audio Documentary The World Turned Upside Down: Episode 3 – Connection Lost?

What’s new at Blick

Meet the Team Small Town Big Dreams – Dr Brian Dixon

Audio Documentary The World Turned Upside Down: Episode 4 – Staying Sane

Audio Documentary The World Turned Upside Down: Episode 3 – Connection Lost?

Blick’s virtual services

Interested in workspace?

Paul, Illustrator

Talk to Blick

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