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The Story of Blick

We now have approximately 70 businesses across our studios with 115 creatives working in our spaces.

We are excited to be turning 10 and can’t wait for the next decade of creative adventures and projects and to continue supporting entrepreneurs.

Future

CREATIVELY EXPANDING

In 2017 we set up a brand new venture called Womenfolk to celebrate and promote women design entrepreneurs. We were excited to be involved again with Belfast Design Week in its 3rd year & new design events such as Late Night Design.

We moved from 52 Hill Street to Cotton Court in the Cathedral Quarter – a building full of creative companies.

We set up Flock, a trading arm of Blick that brings together the creative talent involved with Blick to work on multidisciplinary creative projects.

2017

SUPPORTING MORE CREATIVES

Increased income from growing our organisation gave us the opportunity to expand the free support we provide for creative entrepreneurs including:

  • Blick Academy for Creative Startups
  • Share 6 inspirational talks for creative entrepreneurs
  • 25 Pop-Up
  • The Faculty workshops and courses
  • Creative Business Bootcamp
  • Belfast Design Week &
  • our Graduate residency programme

2016

GROWING MORE

We opened Eighty81 Creative Workspace in Derry-Londonderry providing workspace for 18 businesses as well as the Nest incubation program, creative events and support.

In Belfast there was a growing market for our services so we opened a second set of premises in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter providing workspace for an additional 18 businesses.

2015 was the year of Irish Design and we secured funding to run a variety of design events and co-founded Belfast Design Week.

2015

EXPANDING TO THE NW

We secured a 3 year contract to manage the creative hub in Ebrington in Derry/Londonderry to provide incubation space, workspace and events and support for the creative industries within the city.

We developed the brand and concept for Eighty81 Creative Workspace on behalf of Ilex Urban Regeneration.

2014

GROWING BLICK

We moved into our first Cathedral Quarter premises allowing us to provide space for an additional 15 businesses.

With the premises being so close to Ulster University, we were able to connect more with students and startups and build our existing creative community through meetups and events.

2012

CREATIVE EVENTS

From 2008 – 2010 we ran a variety of events and courses to support small and startup creative businesses within Belfast including Blick Business Blitz and the Evolve Programme.

We saw a need to create more interactive and engaging enterprise events and set up Creative Camp Belfast – an interactive un-conference style event design to connect local creative entrepreneurs and encourage them to share their stories and speak on various topics.

2010

MOVING INTO MALONE

With support from Ulster University and Belfast City Council we moved into our first permanent space at 51 Malone Road.

We focused on becoming independently sustainable by renting our studio spaces, event spaces and offering virtual services. By the end of 2008 we provided space to 15 different creative businesses.

2008

BY CREATIVES FOR CREATIVES

Blick was set up by a group of creative entrepreneurs struggling to find suitable creative studio space in Belfast.

Our first studio was a rented warehouse in the City Centre which we set up with the help of £5000 from UnLtd.

2007

Our Locations

Malone Road, Belfast

Hill Street, Belfast

Cotton Court, Belfast

Talk to Blick

If you are interested in workspace, virtual services, room hire or coming to any of our events or any general enquiries get in touch.

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    A DIY GUIDE ON SALES & SELLING

    WED 5th MAY

    6.30 - 8.00pm

    This workshop will be facilitated by Emma Johnston ...

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    Apr 29

    Open
    A DIY GUIDE ON SALES & SELLING WED 5th MAY 6.30 - 8.00pm This workshop will be facilitated by Emma Johnston of @hunterpaperco  and Lisa Smyth of @shesaid_design . Two women from different creative business backgrounds, with very different business models sharing their story and offering advice and guidance on how they generate sales within their business followed by a Q&A session at the end. What we will be covering: Getting your business in front of potential customers How to present yourself & business How to sell your business products/services Techniques on building confidence Communication as a business Navigating money & payment Building relationships with clients Sign up the link in our bio

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    Creatives During Coronavirus One Year On, Upcoming Sales & Selling Workshop & Private Studio Space

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    Apr 26

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    Creatives During Coronavirus One Year On, Upcoming Sales & Selling Workshop & Private Studio Space

    blickstudios

    CREATIVES DURING CORONAVIRUS: ONE YEAR ON

    Join us online with @theblackboxbelfast  next Monday 26th April at 8pm for “Creatives During ...

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    Apr 20

    Open
    CREATIVES DURING CORONAVIRUS: ONE YEAR ON Join us online with @theblackboxbelfast  next Monday 26th April at 8pm for “Creatives During Coronavirus: One Year On” with a selection of our fabulous guests from 2020! During the summer of 2020, the team behind the Small Town Big Dreams podcast made a 4-part audio documentary called The World Turned Upside Down, profiling how creative entrepreneurs from across the creative industries had been impacted by the first unimaginable months of the Covid-19 lockdown in Northern Ireland. One year on from the start of the pandemic, Small Town Big Dreams returns with an online event to catch-up with some of those who participated in the documentary, and to see how they now feel about the experiences of the past year, and what they are hoping for in the months and years ahead. Join podcast hosts Karishma Kusurkar and Graeme Watson for what will be a fascinating discussion about the creative industries as we move in to a ‘new normal’, featuring special guests: – Patricia McGinnis ( Maven - @wearemaven_) – Shannon Delores O’Neill ( Sister Ghost / Girls Rock School Northern Ireland - @sister_ghost) – Tessa Ann ( Sound Healing Spa) – Ryan Ward ( Take Two Studio @taketwostudio) Small Town Big Dreams is a podcast and podcast channel produced by Blick Shared Studios, and is available on all good podcast apps. For more information, visit the website here: www.smalltownbigdreams.co.uk This event is generously supported by the @theblackboxbelfast Running time: 50 mins interview + 20 mins Q&A with audience via Zoom The event is free, but register online at the Black Box website to attend details on the events and workshops section of our website

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    Blue skies and spring sunshine transforming the Cathedral Quarter this morning

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    Apr 14

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    Blue skies and spring sunshine transforming the Cathedral Quarter this morning

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    Lovely to have the main room in our Malone studios back in use with @creatingaspace doing some filming

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    Apr 9

    Open
    Lovely to have the main room in our Malone studios back in use with @creatingaspace doing some filming

    blickstudios

    Upcoming Free Workshops on LinkedIn and Social Media Marketing

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    Apr 7

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    Upcoming Free Workshops on LinkedIn and Social Media Marketing

    blickstudios

    Perfect Easter holiday weather in the Cathedral Quarter today. Lovely spring flowers 💐 as well

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    Apr 2

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    Perfect Easter holiday weather in the Cathedral Quarter today. Lovely spring flowers 💐 as well

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    LinkedIn is a really important platform for building your network and promoting your business as a creative entrepreneurs. LinkedIn has over 700 ...

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    Mar 29

    Open
    LinkedIn is a really important platform for building your network and promoting your business as a creative entrepreneurs. LinkedIn has over 700 million members in over 200 countries and offers great potential for securing work, building your network and collaborating. Our next @womenfolk.co event is next Wednesday evening from 6.30 - 8.00pm and is free to attend and facilitated by Emma Gribben of Digital By Emma and Alchemy Digital Training Emma is a digital marketing consultant, mentor and trainer working with start-ups, SMEs, brands and agencies across NI, ROI, UK and Europe. Emma offers solutions across digital strategy, website performance enhancement, social media, content marketing, SEO, email marketing, online PR and influencer marketing. Emma has helped global businesses achieve impressive returns on digital marketing, including spectacular growth in website visitors (200%), in-unit sales (186%), revenue (97%) and e-commerce conversion (67%). As a training partner to Google and Facebook across the Google Squared Online, Google Digital Academy and Google Digital Garage programmes as well as the Facebook Digital Skills Training programme, Emma has insights into the latest digital trends, platforms and activities to continually give businesses a competitive edge. Emma’s training clients include global brands Aer Lingus, Pandora, Vodafone and Electrolux as well as Arts Council of Ireland, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Belfast Telegraph and Monaghan Mushrooms closer to home. Sign up for your free ticket now (link.in bio) https://www.blickstudios.org/events/a-diy-guide-on-linkedin/

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Writing for Your Business' on Sat 3rd April from 10.00am - 11.00am ...

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    Mar 24

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Writing for Your Business' on Sat 3rd April from 10.00am - 11.00am with @quillincni ---------------------------------------------- The aim of this event is to help you gain knowledge of how to create written content for your business and learning how to incorporate content creation into your working life. Heather will be sharing important tips on how to write content for your website and covering the importance of finding your voice in the content you create. https://www.blickstudios.org/events/a-diy-guide-on-writing-for-your-business-with-heather-mcgarrigle/

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    Happy Monday it's officially spring, lighter mornings and evenings are coming

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    Mar 22

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    Happy Monday it's officially spring, lighter mornings and evenings are coming

    blickstudios

    *** Small Town Big Dreams Guide to DIY Podcasting ***

    Date: 27/3/21

    Time: 10.00 - 11.30am

    Location: Online

    Have ...

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    Mar 18

    Open
    *** Small Town Big Dreams Guide to DIY Podcasting *** Date: 27/3/21 Time: 10.00 - 11.30am Location: Online Have you been dreaming of starting your own podcast? Are you a beginner looking for tips from those who know? Join @stbdpodcast for this special event as part of the @nerve_centre Spring Into The Creative Industries Programme. In this event they will catch up with experienced producers and presenters in the Northern Irish podcasting world to get some behind-the-scenes insights on ideas, and advice on making and sharing a podcast from home with minimal gear. The session will be hosted by Small Town Big Dreams @karishmakusurkar who will be joined by guests Jeananne Craig (All Change Please), Andi Jarvis (Strategy Sessions) & Graeme Watson (Small Town Big Dreams & Inside John Patrick Higgins). Link to book a ticket in our bio

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    Spring is in the air. Gorgeous seasonal flowers and colours in the Cathedral Quarter on a beautiful sunny spring morning

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    Mar 16

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    Spring is in the air. Gorgeous seasonal flowers and colours in the Cathedral Quarter on a beautiful sunny spring morning

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    Workspace plants & cosy corners

    #blickstudios #creativespace #creativeworkspace #coworkingspace #creativehub #plants #workspaceplants

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    Mar 9

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    Workspace plants & cosy corners #blickstudios #creativespace #creativeworkspace #coworkingspace #creativehub #plants #workspaceplants

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    We are delighted to be part of the @nerve_centre  Spring Into the Creative Industries Programme with 'A Time is Now' panel discussion on ...

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    Mar 3

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    We are delighted to be part of the @nerve_centre  Spring Into the Creative Industries Programme with 'A Time is Now' panel discussion on diversity in the creative industries for at 6.30pm next Monday for International Women's Day. The Time is Now is a collaborative project by Blick Shared Studios and @creatingaspace focusing on honest and meaningful conversations between early stage creative entrepreneurs. This event is produced in collaboration with @womenfolk.co @belfastdesignwk  and hosted by @nerve_centre EVENT DETAILS A vibrant and timely discussion on the urgent need for greater diversity in the creative industries in Northern Ireland. Join our panel of female creatives and innovators on International Women’s Day as they bring a wealth of life and professional experience to this vital conversation about diversity in the creative industries. Hosted by Esther Mogada from Creating A Space, this event will see Emily Searle, Sorcha Ní Cheallaigh and Margaret Watiri share their perspectives on the current make-up of the creative sector in Northern Ireland and their ideas on how we can improve diversity within these industries. This issue is long-standing in the creative industries, and is reflected in the visible absence of a diversity of gender, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation and socio-economic backgrounds among leadership roles in particular. The creative industries are vital to the Northern Irish economy. As the sector we rely on to create and sell us ideas, content and products, diversity is arguably most important here so that we can understand and create things of value that reflect society as a whole. https://www.blickstudios.org/events/the-time-is-now-diversity-in-the-creative-industries-panel/

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Instagram' on Sat 13th March from 10.00am - 12.00pm featuring the ...

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    Mar 2

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Instagram' on Sat 13th March from 10.00am - 12.00pm featuring the lovely @laurentaylorcreates and our own Blick resident @dannisimpsonart ---------------------------------------- The aim of this event is to help you gain knowledge of how to build a brand or business on Instagram through hearing the story & journey of Lauren Taylor and Danni Simpson. They will be sharing their insights on how they have built their business, how they have built their brand and how they navigate growing their audience and business on Instagram. https://www.blickstudios.org/events/a-diy-guide-to-instagram-with-lauren-taylor-danni-simpson/

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Photographing Your Work' next Wed evening 6.30 - 7.30pm full details ...

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    Feb 24

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    Next in our series of @womenfolk.co Dig Deep events is 'A DIY Guide on Photographing Your Work' next Wed evening 6.30 - 7.30pm full details below ------------------------------------------------ We understand how hard it can be to know the basics of photography and we wanted to create a workshop that covered the basics and that you can walk away with tips and tools that you can implement straight away. We will be covering: -Basics of photography - creating a strong focal point, using exposure and white balance to get your images right, working with natural light -Telling a visual story with your images -Different types of set up - plain backdrop, editorial styling and flat lay. -Editing your images - using software to improve your photos -Images for print and web use - Backing up and storing your image catalogue Get your ticket at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-diy-guide-on-photographing-your-work-with-carrie-davenport-tickets-141958777525?keep_tld=1

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    Blue Skies. Spring is definitely in the air. What a lovely start to the week

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    Feb 22

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    Blue Skies. Spring is definitely in the air. What a lovely start to the week

    blickstudios

    The tiniest bit of spring in the air in the Cathedral Quarter this afternoon. Fingers crossed things are starting to look up and these streets will be...

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    Feb 15

    Open
    The tiniest bit of spring in the air in the Cathedral Quarter this afternoon. Fingers crossed things are starting to look up and these streets will be busy with people again in the not too distant future!

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    We have this great online event on setting up a website yourself for your creative business on Sat 20th Feb part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep ...

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    Feb 11

    Open
    We have this great online event on setting up a website yourself for your creative business on Sat 20th Feb part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep Programme but open to all to attend ---------------------------------------------------- A DIY Guide on Creating Your Own Website The aim of this event is to help you become knowledgeable in getting started with understanding how to set up your own website DIY style. We will be covering: – What is important to include on a website ( information, photographs & copy) – How to make your website user friendly & accessible – Practical tips on using different platforms such as Squarespace – Domain names – SEO – Planning content – Consistency – Products to display – Logistics of the backend of selling online through a website As a creative, it can be hard to know where to start or what to include when creating your own website for your creative business or personal project. This is a DIY workshop to help you get started on your own. This event will help you understand how to design the website you want, the tools on how to create it and a clearer understanding of how to navigate the different platforms available. ------------------------------------------------ OVERVIEW The workshop will be split into two sections. The first part of the workshop will be facilitated by Karishma Kusurkar @karishmasworld who will be giving us practical tools on how to create a website and using Squarespace as an example of how to use it. The second half of the workshop will be led by Emma Jackson of @hunterpaperco and @huntandgatherbelfast who will be giving us a presentation of how she built her own business and website herself. ------------------------------------------------- WHO IS THIS FOR? This event is for anyone that is looking to set up a website for their creative business. Whether you already have a website and are looking for tips to navigate the platforms or update your current website, or you are someone just starting out and needing a push to get started, this is for you. https://www.blickstudios.org/events/a-diy-guide-to-setting-up-a-website-with-karishma-kusurkar-emma-jackson/

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    We have a great new online event this Wednesday evening on creating your own brand. It's part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep programme, but open ...

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    Feb 6

    Open
    We have a great new online event this Wednesday evening on creating your own brand. It's part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep programme, but open to all to attend and is kindly supported by Ulster Bank so is free to attend. Tickets can be booked through our website: https://www.blickstudios.org/events/a-diy-guide-on-creating-your-own-brand-with-karishma-kusurkar/ Full event details are below and on our website (link in profile) ---------------------------------------------------- A DIY GUIDE ON CREATING YOUR OWN BRAND WITH KARISHMA KUSURKAR Wednesday, February 10, 2021 6:30 PM 8:00 PM AIMS The aim of this event is to help you become knowledgeable in getting started with understanding how to set up your own brand DIY style. We will be covering how to create your own logo, what font to use, and what important things you need to include in setting up your own brand. As a creative, it can be hard to know where to start when designing your own brand, especially at the beginning as you may not have the finances to pay for a professional graphic designer to put it together. WHO THIS IS FOR Whether you are just starting out in business, wanting to create a personal brand, or need a refresher on how to create a brand, this is for you. We wanted to create an event where you can walk away with practical tools that you can apply and implement into your brand. This is a DIY workshop to help you get started on your own. Even if you are planning to pay for a professional, you may not know what is required to ask for, so in this workshop, we will be covering the following: A simple break down of what branding is Brand Guidelines Typography Brand Identity - what is a brand identity, what is it used for, and what is in it? Logo ( how to create a logo that translates well throughout various platforms, what format it should be in, where your logo will be placed, where it needs to be, Fonts ( what fonts are suitable & what they communicate) This event will be facilitated by @karishmasworld

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    We have put together lots of free business and self-care resources for creative businesses as part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep Programme. We will be...

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    Feb 1

    Open
    We have put together lots of free business and self-care resources for creative businesses as part of our @womenfolk.co Dig Deep Programme. We will be adding more content each week, to help you on your business journey https://www.womenfolk.co/dig-deep-resources1

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    Looking forward to having our spaces filled with busy creatives again. Hopefully in the not too distant future

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    Jan 20

    Open
    Looking forward to having our spaces filled with busy creatives again. Hopefully in the not too distant future

    blickstudios

    ⁠
    We just wanted to wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! ⁠
    ⁠
    What a year it has been, with everything going on. We ...

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    Dec 18

    Open
    ⁠ We just wanted to wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! ⁠ ⁠ What a year it has been, with everything going on. We hope that you all take the time to relax, and have a well deserved break and slow down over the Christmas season.⁠ ⁠ Spend time with your loved ones and stay safe! ⁠ ⁠ See you all in 2021!