Community-based youth charity Young Bristol has become the third South West charity to win a place on the region’s Noble Deeds programme.

Set up in 2021 by Bristol-based SME Noble, the Deeds programme provides digital marketing training & support to not-for-profits, helping them deliver vital services in the area. Increasing in-line with Nobles’ own turnover, this year the support package stands at £25,000. Young Bristol will use this to upskill its marketing team and ensure its services reach the young people who need them the most

Supporting children and young adults aged 8-25 during their critical out of school hours in some of the most challenging areas of the city, Young Bristol’s mission is to provide innovative programmes that create a positive and sustainable impact on the lives of young people

With eight community youth clubs across Bristol, a mobile youth club on wheels, outdoor activity centres and an employment programme just part of what the charity offers, the support from Noble will help the Young Bristol team prioritise where its digital marketing efforts will make the most impact. As well as helping the team to learn new skills and maximise their knowledge of social media, SEO and other digital promotion techniques for a lasting impact beyond the Deeds programme

Lucy Saunders, Head of Fundraising & Development, Young Bristol, explains; “We are thrilled to be the selected charity for this year’s Noble Deeds programme. It is an incredible opportunity for our organisation to gain valuable experience and support from a team of experts. Their support will make a big difference, not only by up-skilling our team and improving our digital marketing, but also by helping us to further our reach and services to even more young people.”

With numerous deserving causes across the city that could benefit from the Deeds programme, choosing just one recipient is difficult. Previous winners have included homelessness charity Emmaus Bristol and South Bristol social enterprise Heart of BS13

Lorenzo Campbell, chair of Noble’s UK Deeds committee, said; “It’s not easy to choose between the many worthwhile entries to Deeds we receive. However, Young Bristol gives us the opportunity to work with a charity that reaches the communities right across Bristol who need their help the most. Making sure young people get the right start in life is so crucial and the passion the Young Bristol team has for that is inspiring.

“The impact the charity has can be life-changing for young people and leaves a real lasting legacy. Hopefully by helping the team enhance their own knowledge and digital marketing skills we can help them make that impact as long-lasting as possible.”

The Noble Deeds initiative was originally started over twenty-years ago by Nobles’ parent [KS1] company in Nevada, North America. Mirroring the US programme, the winning not-for-profit is chosen by an employee-led committee, with the UK Deeds programme opening every June at a free ‘Be Better Bristol’ event for local charities and businesses

The Noble team then work alongside the winning charity from September through to February each year helping them to achieve their specific objective

To find out more about Young Bristol go to https://www.youngbristol.co

To find out more about Noble go to https://nobleperforms.co.uk,

We’re excited to share our brand new flexible, affordable package that will make it possible for more people to enjoy our bright, airy first floor space at our Brunswick Square location.

Introducing: Flexi Plus…

Over the past few months we’ve been in constant communication with our members, listening to their stories and feedback on the challenges they’ve been facing. There’s no doubt it’s been a tough year for creatives, we hear you. One thing that’s stood out to us is that people value flexibility; now more than ever.

The first floor at our Brunswick Square location boasts beautiful, large Georgian sash windows, which floods the space with natural light even on a dull day. The space itself is already home to a group of like minded creatives who give the place it’s unique energy.

The Flexi Plus package includes a designated desk in our light-filled first floor space at Brunswick Square plus:

Plus of course, all the amazing member benefits included in our other packages – free yoga classes, wellness practitioner on site once a month, member breakfasts from Farro bakery, many free member events (summer and winter parties, wine and cheese evenings, industry networking events and more!).

A space where creativity thrives

We proudly stand by our mission to create a space where a creative community can thrive. Collaborations between members happen daily – it’s just the nature of things when you bring a group of creative minds together.

Gather Round is created by creatives for creatives and for all who work in creative industries. It’s more than a co-working space, it’s a growing network of like-minded professionals that go to work everyday and sit, write, design, consult and hang out. Soaking up the energy, passion and positivity from the ideas and expertise of others.

And for those who don’t know already, BCI members get 10% off any membership package at Gather Round for the first 6 months.

For info on all our membership packages take a look at our memberships page or book a tour. Come on in for a coffee and chat, we’d love to meet you!

Voice actor and founder of BRAVA (Bristol Academy of Voice Acting) Melissa Thom, has become a full voting member of BAFTA.

Melissa will now have a say in the winners of the Academy’s annual BAFTA Games Awards, which are presented annually to recognise, honour and reward outstanding creative achievement in games. The Awards are voted by an expert membership of over 1200 experienced professionals and are watched by millions online.

Melissa and BRAVA’s team of master coaches have trained hundreds of people in Bristol and beyond to become professional voice actors, with many already working in the gaming industry.

BRAVA has connections with games production companies and bodies across the UK and internationally. Melissa and her team work to support those coming up in the profession, liaising with industry stalwarts and championing diversity. Melissa’s gaming work as a voice actor includes roles in ZeniMax’s The Elder Scrolls (Necrom and Gold Road) and Grand Theft Auto V.

Melissa is British, with Indian-African heritage, and feels strongly about the need for diversity in the gaming sector. Melissa said:

“The online games industry is estimated to be worth almost $28 billion worldwide, dwarfing the film and music industries. It’s thriving and has a powerful influence. As the popularity of gaming continues on its upwards march, it’s critical that people from all backgrounds see themselves represented in games.

I am thrilled to be recognised by the Academy for all the work we do behind the scenes to support and guide voice actors and improve working conditions and diversity within gaming. I’m also committed to supporting the gaming community in the South West, which is a hot bed of creative talent.”

Melissa invites any actors in the South West with significant gaming experience to get in touch with her if they need support or advice.

                                                          -ENDS-

About BRAVA

Founded by experienced voice actor and communications consultant, Melissa Thom, BRAVA brings together acting and voice experts from the UK & US to deliver best in class training and advice about the industry.

At BRAVA, all learning is done online, meaning students can learn at their own pace, wherever they are. Training is offered as personalised 1-1’s or group sessions and covers a wide range of topics, including Getting Started in VO, Corporate, Commercial and Narration, Characters, Audiobooks, Performance Techniques, Home Studio, Marketing, Vocal Health, VO & Shakespeare, Voice, Presence, Impact, Presentation Skills and more.

Find out more at www.brava.uk.com

Melissa Thom’s IMDB: www.imdb.com/name/nm10724768/

The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.

See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.

If you’re an employer or education provider, scroll to the end of the article to find out how to get involved in the Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme, which is focused on boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline.

School sixth forms

A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:

Bath Academy

Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.

Beechen Cliff

A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.

Bristol Cathedral Choir School

Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A-levels offered by the school are art, drama and music.

Bristol Grammar School

The sixth form at Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A-level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.

The IB Diploma is an alternative to A-levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.

Bristol Free School

Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A-levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.

Cabot Learning Federation Post 16

The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A-levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.

King Edward’s School Bath

The sixth form at this school offers A-levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.

Kingswood Bath

The sixth form at this school offers A-levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.

North Bristol Post-16 Centre

The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A-levels include art, photography, film studies, and media studies.

St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School

Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A-levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.

Sixth form colleges, further education colleges and specialist schools

Bath College

Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.

Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, and performing arts.

City of Bristol College

As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A-levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.

For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).

The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including games design, animation and VFX, graphic design and photographic practices.

Abbeywood Community School

Abbeywood Community Schools is part of Olympus Post 16 with Bradley Stoke Community School and Winterbourne Academy.

Courses include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology, photography and textile design.

Digitech Studio School

Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.

For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media, e-sports, film and television, music, and photography.

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

This college has six campuses.

The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music production and musical and technical theatre.

At university level, the college offers a range of courses at foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Subjects include fine art, game art, media production and computer games design and production.

Since September 2022, the college has offered the new vocational skills focused T-levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A-Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include digital production, design and development.

St Brendan’s Sixth Form College

This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.

Weston College

Weston College has several creative industries-related diploma and extended diploma courses for 16-19 year-olds as part of Creative Arts Weston.

The departments are art, design, graphics and fashion; film and tv, media production, photography, game and animation; performing and production arts, and music.

Cirencester College

Creative courses at Cirencester College include craft and design (T-level), 3D design (A-level), digital foundation, digital media certificate, graphic communication (A-level), and photogrraphy (A-level).

Training providers

Access Creative College

Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers courses at various levels in subjects including games, animation and video effects, graphic and digital design, film, software development, video and photography and music technology.

In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.

Access runs degree courses in Bristol covering audio and music technology and music performance at dBS Institute, which it acquired in 2021.

boomsatsuma

Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Leadworks, Ashton Gate Stadium, Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory.

boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A-levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include creative and digital media, film and television, games, VR and VFX and photography.

Creative Youth Network

As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs and other venues in Bristol. Subjects include music, photography and song writing.

Creative Youth Network has opened The Courts in central Bristol. It is an enterprise hub, located in Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts, where young people can explore their creative potential, receive support, access mentoring, and find meaningful work.

dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies

Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, and game development.

It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.

Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.

Universities

University of the West of England

UWE’s School of Arts offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and design courses.

Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.

Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing, and MSc/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate in marketing communications.

University of Bristol

UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.

University of Bath

The University of Bath does not have specific creative industries courses as it focuses on engineering, humanities, management, science, and social science. However, its degree courses include management with marketing featuring a work placement.

Bath Spa University

Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.

The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.

University Centre Weston

UCW offers higher apprenticeships, full-time degrees and higher technical qualifications (HTQs) in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University.

Courses covers subjects including art, film, game, graphic design, digital technologies, performance, production arts and music.

Apprenticeships and internships

Bristol Creative Industries jobs board

Members of Bristol Creative Industries sometimes post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.

Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme, in partnership with Babbasa and Bristol-based creative agencies, provides placements to young people from underrerepresented groups with a mix of professional skills training, creative skills training, inspirational talks, networking events, mentoring and opportunities for future employment.

The 2024 programme is currently in progress. If you’re interested in getting involved in the 2025 programme, please email [email protected] for more information.

National College Creative Industries

The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.

Channel 4

Channel 4, which has a Bristol office, offers apprenticeships. Find out more.

BBC

The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.

Babbasa

Babbasa, who we work with for the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme, offers many training and employment opportunities for young people.

Government apprenticeships website

Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website. Search here.

Cirencester College

Circencester College offers apprenticeships in creative areas covering digital and IT, media broadcast and production, sales and marketing, and creative and digital.

The college provides intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.

UCAS

UCAS has a guide to creative and design apprenticeships here including a directory of relevant employers.

This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.

Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme

A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members.

As well as our groundbreaking Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme with social enterprise Babbasa and Bristol-based agencies, we provide opportunities for members such as our recent partnership with The Early Careers Foundation which allowed them to become a mentor and support a young person in building their confidence, developing their employability skills and offering invaluable professional guidance.

We have also committed to an annual programme of round tables with key post 16 education providers in the region including colleges, academies and universities.

Our aim is to promote creative careers to staff and career advisers, drive applications to our internship programme and explore how we can promote the creative industries to students already studying.

By joining the Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme as a partner, you’ll help to fund all of our activities that support  underrepresented groups entering the creative industries. Your support is vital to ensure we have a healthy and diverse talent pipeline.

For more details, contact Alli Nicholas, BCI membership and operations manager, at [email protected], or Lis Anderson, BCI co-chair, at [email protected]  

Birch, Bristol’s newest podcast studio, has opened at Nine Tree Studios in Brislington.

Designed with both “audio and video first”, the space offers high quality audio recording in a comfortable suite that’s designed for film.

“When we opened Nine Tree Studios, supporting the local creative industries was at the heart of everything” said Russell, Co-Founder of Nine Tree Studios.

“We have a huge amount of versatile space, and we want it to be useful, accessible and affordable – not just sit there empty. Bristol doesn’t have a huge amount of podcast suites, with some professionals even travelling to London just to record.”

“With our space we hope to welcome and support a variety of creatives, content producers, influencers and hobbyists alike.”

With full-RGB lighting and space for branding, the studio is perfect for both guest and episodic podcast recording.

Birch also has access to Nine Tree Studios’ other facilities, including ample parking, green rooms for hair and makeup, and a large kitchen breakout space.

The studio can be hired from the hour for just audio recording or including video, with various options to suit beginners and professionals alike.

Nine Tree Studios is Bristol’s biggest independent studio. Located just outside the centre of Bristol there’s parking for over 30 vehicles with easy access to Bristol, Bath and the M4.

For more information visit www.ninetreestudios.co.uk, email [email protected], or call 01173706372.

Bristol integrated brand agency saintnicks has announced a further senior appointment with the hiring of Marcus Culloty as the agency’s new Creative Director.

Marcus joins saintnicks after holding the title of Creative Director at McCann Bristol. Before that, he was the Creative Director of The Mix Dublin, part of Pernod Ricard’s global in-house agency network.

With more than 17 years experience working for some of the UK and Ireland’s leading network and independent agencies including Havas, Publicis, and The Leith Agency, he has created a raft of award-winning campaigns for global clients such as Toyota, O2, Jameson and Dunlop.

Now as saintnicks’ Creative Director, Marcus will be leading the agency’s conceptual output alongside supporting with the mentoring, shaping and development of its creative studio.

On his appointment, Culloty said: “saintnicks has a great philosophy for crafting great work that helps their clients and their brands really fly. That’s why I can’t wait to dive in, be part of this experienced agile independent agency’s senior team and take things further than ever.”

It’s a time of continued growth for the Bristol agency with further new talent joining across the business. This month sees the arrival of Richard Canueto-Cook and Hannah Bain into the Client Services team as Account Directors. Both join with previous careers at Ogilvy, Havas and McCann.

The appointments coincide with another strong year for the agency after a consistent period of new and existing client growth within the automotive, sport and audio sectors and a string of industry award nominations.

Steve Davies, ECD of saintnicks commented: “The quality of talent and the versatility of skills in the agency has enabled us to generate stronger campaigns and deliver better performance metrics across the board. With over 65% of our business from international brands we are always seeking talent who can help us to take clients further, and Marcus is a most welcome and exciting addition to the team.”

When it comes to building a professional, customisable, and easy-to-manage website for a client, WordPress stands out as one of the most popular and versatile platforms available.

Whether the website is for small businesses, corporate enterprises, or personal projects, WordPress provides a robust set of features that make it an excellent choice for creating our client websites.

Here’s why the web design team at eckhoMedia think WordPress is so great:

https://www.eckhomedia.com/why-wordpress-is-the-best-choice-for-client-websites/

WordPress is an open-source platform, meaning it’s free to use and constantly improved by a global community of developers. For clients, this translates into lower development costs and no expensive licensing fees. While the core platform is free, clients may choose to pay for premium themes, plugins, or hosting, which allows flexibility in budgeting.

Moreover, since WordPress is open-source, developers can build custom solutions without being restricted by proprietary software limitations.

If you are interested in finding out more about our services and what we offer please contact us today for a free quotation.

After the huge success of our last big event, ‘Building Creative Resilience’ we’re ready to take the stage for part three of ‘Gather Round Presents’, a series of free events designed to bring the local creative community together.

On Thursday 26th September, we’ll show a warm welcome to our four inspirational speakers as they delve into their stories of how they overcame societal barriers and smashed through glass ceilings to come out on top!

We’re honoured to be joined by…

Rema Mukena, Audio Producer and DJ

Rema is a woman of many talents, and awards. At just 24 years old she was named one of the most influential people in Bristol by Rife Magazine and one of the most inspiring Black journalists in the UK by Behind Local News in 2020. Pressing on from her previous accolades though, Rema has carved herself an even more prominent seat in the Bristol creative landscape as she expands her DJing career across multiple iconic music venues such as The Love Inn, Lakota and Lost Horizon. Alongside getting people dancing, she gets people listening, as Rema currently works as an Audio Producer with the team at 18Sixty, working out of our Brunswick Sq location as a Flexi member. We love you Rema!

Miranda Roundstone, Head of Marketing at Grace & Green

With a career spanning 10 years in the marketing industry, working with some incredible brands such as Pukka Herbs and Greenhouse Communications, Miranda is at the top of her game. Now advocating for education around menstrual health as Grace & Green’s Head of Marketing, Miranda recently spearheaded the overhaul of their visual identity, breaking the taboo around periods. Go Miranda!

Laura Lewis-Paul, Founder of Saffron Records

As Founder and Creative Director of music-initiative, Saffron Records, Laura knows a thing or two about breaking through glass ceilings. Laura’s mission to balance the scales in the music industry is one of personal passion and has since honed her commitment to creating a more equitable space for womxn in the industry. Working alongside global music tech companies, such as Spitfire Audio, Pioneer DJ and Abbey Road Studios, Laura is constantly searching for ways to increase the incredibly low percentage of womxn (5%), with only 2.6% back womxn, working in the industry today. We can’t wait to hear about her journey in detail.

Emmanuella Blake-Morsi, Multi-disciplinary Arts Producer

If you’re a Bristol native, you can’t go far without bumping into someone who knows Emmanuella, a creative powerhouse and award-winning artist, excelling in her field. Emmanuella recently left a 4-year long role as Production & Partnerships Manager at Bristol-based environmental communications agency Enviral to engage in personal projects full-time. Specialising in purpose-driven creative across film, photography, writing, graphics, sound and immersive events, her most recent project ‘Where Do We Go When We____?’ is a collaborative project aimed to normalise climate engagement for marginalised groups by exploring creative tech prototypes that create neurodiverse-friendly, multi-sensory experiences, using access as a creative tool to connect people to nature. Emmanuella’s wealth of experience is sure to prove great listening.

If that hasn’t given you enough reason to join us, we’ll also be providing free pizza from local legends Pizzarova, delivered by sustainable delivery company Foodstuff, as well as free drinks from our sponsor Positive Drinks Co – the only place to get the best non-alcoholic drinks! Alongside this we’ll have an open bar and plenty of time for a chat in our gorgeous ground-floor event space.

It goes without saying that you won’t want to miss this one and we’re sure it’s going to be another sell out, so get your name on the list quickly (we expect the spaces to book up quickly!) and we’ll see you soon!

Sign up here to get your name on the guest list!

A few spaces left for the 1 x week free trial in the resi area at Gather Round, Brunswick Square.

Throughout August and September we’re offering 1 x weeks membership, free of charge, no strings attached to anyone who works in the creative industry. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be a member here at Gather Round, now is your time to try!

With a thriving community of like-minded individuals and packed events calendar, we’re more than just a desk.

Every programme, pillow and perk comes from a focus on enabling creativity and community. Curating flexible co-working spaces that allows professional creatives to bounce off each other – so everyone can do their best work, feel motivated and enjoy the work in process every day of the week.

What makes Gather Round the best co-working space for creatives?

With over 250 creatives calling Gather Round home it’s safe to say we’re packed to the rafters. From graphic designers, writers and directors to photographers and web designers we hold host to the gamut of Bristol’s creatives. It makes for stimulating conversation in the kitchen and we love bringing everyone together over monthly breakfasts and after-work drinks. Our Campfire Talks see members share their latest project or expertise on a specialist subject over a coffee and a pastry on the sofas.

Sign up here to book your free weeks trial in September.

We can’t wait to meet you!

Werkshop Weekender (formerly known as Werkhouse) is finally back! This year they’re changing it up, and the torch for hosting has been passed on to Halo

The weekend, where future designers, copywriters, and strategists are given the chance to connect with the industry and get a taste for agency life first hand through a real brief, is happening in Bristol on 16th and 17th November 2024.

Breaking down barriers

As Halo takes over the mantle, they are continuing to dial up the focus on diversity and inclusion. The weekend is open to anyone over 18, no matter their previous experience or education, and all applications are being judged blind. 

“We know that university isn’t accessible, or even the right route, for everyone but yet there’s still such a heavy onus on having a degree when trying to move into the Creative Sector. We don’t think this should be the case. Creativity is open to everyone, and always should be, no matter where you are in life or what you’ve been (or are going) through. “ ~ Bryony Greenwood, People & Studio Coordinator at Halo

Werkshop Weekender

Werkshop Weekender brings together professionals from some of the best studios in Bristol and Bath, with curious individuals looking to enter the creative industries. Participants are divided into squads to tackle a real life brief from a client in the charity sector, developing ideas and communicating their concepts, with the support of assigned team leaders and on hand professionals. 

Studios that so far have signed on for the weekend are:

How to apply

Applications open on 2nd September and close on 1st October, but if you for any reason need more time to finish, please contact Halo at [email protected] and they’ll do what they can to accommodate you. 

The Werkshop Weekender team has made it clear; the weekend isn’t for those with experience. It’s for those with an interest in communications, design, and commercial creativity. They aren’t looking for professionals, they’re looking for those with a curious attitude and drive, who want to gain insight into agency life.

“If you’re passionate, if you have ideas, if you’re curious, we want to hear from you. Good ideas come from every aspect of life, and the experiences and the way people perceive life right from day one are what forms rounded ideas. We know life isn’t linear, and your journey into the creative space may not be either (mine wasn’t), so if you have even an inkling to apply, please do!” ~ Bryony Greenwood, People & Studio Coordinator at Halo

Go to the Werkshop Weekender website to find out more and to access the application when it opens.