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Event

Make Art Work: Transforming good ideas into good illustrations

16 October 2026 - 10:00 am • 16 October 2026 - 11:00 pm • Barbican Creative Hub

Event Information

Make Art Work: Building better portfolios

The previous series helped you to identify routes into the industry and this follow up series takes a more collaborative approach to looking at your own work and how to best tailor your own portfolio and respond to briefs. Working alongside other likeminded creatives, we will offer a safe space for discussion and feedback on what is working in your portfolio, how to curate it to get the best out of your creative voice and how to apply the outcomes to opportunities such as commissions and competitions. The sessions are designed to allow you to engage with all three and take the full creative journey to transform and enhance your portfolio or can be taken individually. The delivery will be tailored to suit each individual learner.

September 25th

Make Art Work: Portfolio Party

More information here

October 16th

Make Art Work: Transforming good ideas into good illustrations

This collaborative workshop is part of the Make Art Work series by The School of Illustration at the Barbican Creative Hub. It’s all about helping artists and creatives find their voice in the world of commercial illustration and recognising their own individual pathway into this exciting and vast area of the creative arts.

This session is about producing a piece of work which demonstrates your creative voice in response to an industry standard brief. Suited to you and your aspirations within the world of illustration, you will respond to a set brief, tailored to the demands of the industry and your individual creative practice*. The session will cover how best to respond to a brief, from initial ideation to final concept you will have the opportunity to brainstorm and develop ideas in a supportive, creative environment. By the end of the session, you will be on your way to creating a piece of work that meets the needs of the industry and will be a powerful calling card that tells clients what to expect from your work.

*If you have taken part in Make Art Work: Building a Better Portfolio your brief will be tailored to the discussions which took place in that session.

November 6th

Make Art Work: Transforming good illustrations into great illustrations

More information here

About The School of Illustration

The School of Illustration is run by Nick Moffatt, a freelance illustrator with an MA in Illustration currently working in the industry. Nick has been a commercial illustrator for over 25 years, working for clients such as Google, Microsoft and the BBC. He has created illustrations for film, TV, animation, children’s books, comics and everything in between. Nick also has over 10 years of experience in lecturing at various UK universities across the disciplines of illustration, graphic design, concept art and comics. Passionate about empowering creatives to be able to make a career from their creativity, Make Art Work is part of his ‘The School of Illustration’ project which allows people to do this by providing the right tools and the right mindset.

What We’ll Cover

  • Raising your awareness of commercial illustration and the many areas you can work in.
  • Identifying where your work fits in the industry so we can ensure you get to create the work you
  • enjoy creating.
  • Building a solid portfolio of work that will get you noticed.
  • Creating a personal brand that makes you stand out from the crowd.
  • Establishing a social media presence that keeps your work fresh and accessible to potential clients.

What To Expect

  • Friendly, practical advice.
  • Feedback on your portfolio.
  • Real-life case studies and examples from an industry professional.
  • Supportive space to discuss your practice and receive informed feedback.
  • Time to ask questions and get feedback.

Who It’s For

Anyone who wants to start working in illustration – from children’s books to album covers.

What You’ll Leave With

You’ll walk away with the skills, confidence and tools to create an industry facing creative identity and portfolio unique to you that will allow you to approach clients and get work.
Price per workshop:

£11.50 for Barbican Creative Hub members
£16.50 for non-members

Organised by

Barbican Creative Hub

Contact details