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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
- 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
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
- - 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
- - 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
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
Some lovely comments from some of our current and past creative residents!
Mar 20
- - 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 [email protected] 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
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
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
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
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
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
As part of Irish Design Week 17th – 21st November 2025 with @belfastdesignwk we co-organised and co-curated a pop-up exhibition in Belfast School of Art featuring the work of the following 10 emerging designers working in different design disciplines.
Tarika Kinney - Fashion Designer
Lauren Kelso - Illustrator
Kristen Robb - Regenerative Designer
Ciaran Magee - Architect
Laura Bragger - Product Designer
Katie Wilson - Textile Designer
Andrea Villaester - 3D Artist
Matthew Talbot - Experiential Designer
Saul Duffin - Graphic Designer
Aoife Mulvenna - Multifaceted Designer
Full details of all designers and the project are on the projects section of our website: https://blickstudios.org/projects/islands-of-design/
Mar 9
- - BLICK FINANCE RESOURCES FOR CREATIVES - -
The last of our finance resources for creatives to tie in with our finance sessions for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland this week. Some techniques we have used to manage our costs at Blick over the years!
- Analyse all of your expenditure and think about what value it adds to your business e.g. look at your marketing expenditure to see if you are actually getting results from your adverts and promotions, are any consultants you are paying bringing added value to your business, do you need all of the subscriptions you are currently paying for?
- Be strict with yourself about business purchases. Ask yourself honestly if the purchase you are planning to buy will add value to your business or are you buying it to distract yourself or make yourself feel better or like you are doing something useful?
- Streamline your processes and systems to keep your costs low/ to increase your profitability, do you actually need to do everything you are currently doing or can you cut some of it out? Can you automate some of your processes? What can you do yourself to save costs on outsourcing.
- Make sure your bank account is the best value and shop around to see which accounts offer the lowest bank charges
- Monitor your costs as you go along rather than just at the year end. Sometimes you will find you have been paying for a subscription for something which you haven’t used all year!
- Check any supplier invoices carefully to make sure you have only been charged what you were quoted and there isn’t any added costs which you didn’t agree to.
- Check with utility suppliers e.g. broadband, electricity, mobile etc that you are on the best tariff and haven’t been pushed into expensive out of contract tariffs.
- Make sure people actually pay you! Don’t feel bad to ask for what you are owed. Follow up on any overdue invoices by sending reminders and following up with personal emails and phone calls! If you find this too difficult ask a friend or family member to help you with this or just give you moral support!
Read in full on the resources section of our website
https://blickstudios.org/resources/managing-your-cr
Mar 5
First properly sunny day in the studio for long time! 🌞 ☀️
Mar 3
Starting tonight on behalf of the Rural Community Network we are facilitating a series of 4 training sessions to support participants to have more confidence when organising rural heritage events.
Focus will be on encouraging the participants to build practical confidence, not perfection and to take the fear out of running events. Participants will be provided with useful resources, worksheets and sign posting to further support them following the training session.
It`s free to attend and there are still a couple of spaces left if you would like to join us!
Dates – Tue 3rd, Tue 10th and Mon 23rd, Tue 24th March 2026
Time – 7pm – 9pm
Location – Hill of the O’Neill & Ranfurly House, Dungannon
Free to attend, Tea/coffee and refreshments will be provided
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/4NqUE2dWgwA4ejXb7 or visit the events page of our website for more information
This event is part of RCN’s HEARTH project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland
Mar 3
This Sunday 8th March Blick resident @seasidebooksni have this great new course starting in our South Belfast Studios
Pop Culture Poetics is a six-week workshop for writers, creators, and curious minds who want to explore how pop culture can serve as a powerful muse for poetic expression. Sessions start March 8, 2026 and will be held Sundays from 5-7pm GMT at Blick Studios. £40 per person.
Each week, we’ll unpack how the media we consume shapes our understanding of identity, authenticity, and art. From The Kardashians to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Instagram poetry, we will explore how culture is created and discuss poetry each week that utilises pop culture as a vehicle to examine race, class, gender, and sexuality. Prompts will be given each week to inspire participants to write poetry inspired by television, music, internet culture, and more. We’ll imagine the future of poetry through the lens of economic uncertainty, digital overload, and a search for authenticity in an age of constant performance, gaining a deeper understanding of pop culture as both mirror and muse. Whether you’re new to poetry or a seasoned writer looking to reignite your craft, Pop Culture Poetics invites you to bring your obsessions, your playlists, your timelines—and turn them into verse.
https://blickstudios.org/events/pop-culture-poetics/
Mar 2
- - NEXT WEEK - FINANCE ADVICE SESSIONS FOR ARTISTS - -
As part of the Arts and Mental Health Partnership Programme, funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, National Lottery and the Baring Foundation we will be facilitating these 1-2-1 online Financial Advice Sessions for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
These sessions will be an opportunity for artists to talk through their art practice finances and the tailored financial resources we will put together ahead of the sessions. Registered artists will work with us in advance of the session to ensure the outcomes are personalised to meet the financial needs of each artist. All participants will receive personalised post-session goals and actions.
For more info and to book visit:
For more info and to book visit: https://blickstudios.org/events/13482/
Feb 27
What`s coming up at Blick over the next couple of months!
Feb 25
