Creative Futures: Skills for Sustainable Practice
A new professional development programme in partnership with Barbican Creative Hub, Lincoln
We’re delighted to launch our first exclusive professional development programme in collaboration with Barbican Creative Hub in Lincoln.
Creative Futures: Skills for Sustainable Practice is a carefully curated series designed for designers, makers, and creative professionals looking to build resilient and sustainable practices. Running from April to July 2026, this programme offers a dynamic blend of learning, collaboration, and industry insight.
Participants must be members of the Barbican Creative Hub and will receive a four-month Associate trial membership with Design-Nation, expanding access to national networks and opportunities.
What to expect
This programme has been thoughtfully structured to support long-term creative growth. Through a mix of in-person workshops, online masterclasses, and collaborative meet-ups, participants will:
- Strengthen professional and business skills
- Gain practical tools to support sustainable practice
- Build meaningful connections within a vibrant creative community
Participants are encouraged to engage with the full series to gain maximum benefit.
The programme
The series begins with Plans & Priorities with Hayley Banks, offering a practical space for creatives to clarify goals and align their values with their next steps.
This is followed by In Conversation with Andrew Tanner, who shares industry‑level perspectives on branding, retail pathways, and navigating both maker‑led and commercial design sectors.
Midway through the programme, Digital Marketing with Elliot Forte, Business Think Digital provides a concise introduction to effective marketing strategies and essential digital tools tailored to creative practitioners, helping participants understand how to build and engage their audiences with purpose.
The programme continues with Pricing for Creatives with Patricia Van Der Akker, The Design Trust, which delivers a clear and actionable guide to costing creative work, understanding market fit, and avoiding common financial pitfalls.
The final workshop, The Portfolio Life of a Designer/Maker led by Design-Nation Fellow Nicki Jarvis, explores the multifaceted nature of portfolio careers, offering insight into combining making, teaching, exhibiting, and arts development as sustainable pathways for creative practitioners.
Alongside the workshops, participants are invited to attend Monthly Creative Meet-Ups (held on the first Thursday of each month). These informal sessions provide space to:
- Share progress
- Exchange ideas
- Build collaborations
- Strengthen peer support networks
The Barbican Creative Hub is a newly opened space dedicated to supporting creative practitioners in Lincolnshire. Membership offers access to professional development, networking opportunities, and a thriving local creative community.
