I’m really excited that we’re finally getting to do this open space in Clacton. There’s such a buzz across Tendring at the moment – there’s a multitude of brilliant artists and other creative freelancers making and doing brilliant work right across the district; new cultural spaces, collectives and companies have been springing up in recent years; we’re seeing more cultural activity in our schools and libraries, and a new 3 year Creative Tendring programme is just getting off the ground. At a time when there’s not much to be cheerful about, it feels like we are ‘having a bit of a moment’.

That’s not to say things aren’t tough. The cost of living means people have less money to spend on the things we make and do. Funding is harder to secure than it’s ever been. We need more affordable creative work, R&D and performance spaces. Freelancers can feel isolated and under-valued. Organisational overheads are going up. I won’t go on; this is stuff we all know.

But taken together, this is exactly why the time is right for us to jointly create what we’re calling ‘a Tendring Playbook’. Think of it as a route map (or the makings of one at least) for how we can work together more effectively so that more people engage with what we do.

Change has to start somewhere, and open space events are a great place to (as Phelim from Devoted & Disgruntled says) “engage with the stuff… I only knew how to complain about before”. So I hope you’ll join us for an afternoon of creative ‘what ifs’, collective plotting and decision making.

So, how’s it going to work? Read on for the low down…

Open Space is people power in action

It’s called an ‘open space’ event, because the agenda at it won’t be set in advance by the hub team, the Council or anyone else. It will be set by those of you who come along.

My experience is that often the best ideas emerge when very different kinds of people come together. So that’s what this event aims to do: bring together people from across the sector – from artists to curators, producers to marketers, volunteers to CEOs – to explore what we can do together so that more people get to engage with brilliant creative and cultural experienced.

So what’s going to happen?

After a couple of cracking ‘provocations’ from Creative Tendring’s Kayleigh Boyle and local cultural champion Marc De’ath, we’ll get down to business.

Open Space ‘technology’ is simple. It’s people.

We’ll start in a circle, a circle of people who’ve come along because they care about Tendring. In our opening circle, there’ll be a chance for anyone with a burning issue, big question or great idea to timetable a conversation about it. Your topic will get timetabled and the agenda will come together, in real time. Then, over the rest of the afternoon people will join the conversations that ‘speak to them’ the loudest.

At any point, there might be 2, 5, 10 or even more breakout conversations going on at the same time, with people in each one working hard on the topic at hand. You might dip in and out of conversations as you want, you might sit through one or two from start to finish. The choice is yours. The responsibility is yours. It’s people power in action.

Then, at the end of the event, everyone comes together again in a final circle, to share their reflections, learning and actions they want to commit to. We end as we finish, sharing what’s important to us all.

More than just a talking shop, the aim is to get things and people moving

‘Open Space’ isn’t about any one person or organisation taking control or promising to solve everything; it’s way of bringing together people who want to address a complex issue, by focusing on what matters to them, making connections, and doing what they think must be done. It’s about a culture of shared responsibility through which ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

At ‘open space’ events all of the thinking, ideas and actions get documented. Because the aim is for this event to feel like a beginning of something bigger rather than an end in itself, we’ll produce an open space report from it that captures all of this and will act as a potential blueprint for whatever participants want to do next – individually or collectively.

I’m hoping for some ‘atomic collisions’ that will propel the sector forward

I love the ‘atomic collisions’ that occur when you bring together people with different ‘norms’ and starting points to explore and invent new ideas and alternative realities that wouldn’t otherwise see the light of day. In my experience, after an ‘open space’, everyone involved leaves a little bit changed – and re-charged – by the experience.

I’m no scientist, but I like to think of open space conversations causing ‘atomic collisions’. By this I mean that everyone WILL go home feeling a little bit different as a result , with new insights, some potential new collaborators, a spring in their step and some clear action points to keep them busy and connected in the weeks and months that follow.

But who knows?! I certainly don’t. That’s the whole point, the beauty of open space, and what makes it so exciting! Friends and colleagues know that the phrase I most overuse is ‘that’s a good idea’. Small wonder I can’t wait to get started! I hope the same is true for you as you read this.

To find out more about our open space event, and book your place, HEAD HERE.

(Huge thanks to Arts Council England and Tendring District Council for helping make this event possible.)

“Julia thank you for your excellence, it really was a brilliantly delivered workshop with such a great approach to business planning. It isn’t an easy discipline to make time for, rationalise or develop, but your definitions and approach  demystifies and clarifies why and how creative professionals should do this!”

Previous business planning training participant

This is business planning training for creatives who hate business planning…

Business planning, but not as you know it! Aimed squarely at Tendring-based artists, creative freelancers and entrepreneurs who think business planning isn’t for them, this playful but super-informative course will see the hub’s Julia Payne share some top tips, tricks and real life examples to help you get clearer – and more excited – about your career and business goals.

Over this 1-day course (delivered across 2 mornings) Julia will help you flex, improvise and think differently whilst sustaining or developing your organisation or career. This is business planning training for difficult times – designed specifically for creatives.

You can APPLY HERE.

Here’s what to expect and what you’ll learn

Over 2 3.5-hour modules, Julia will share a host of useful insights, resources, tips and tricks and real life examples.  Playful and creative but designed to make a real difference, there’ll also be an emphasis on small group work, peer learning and sharing collective experiences. You’ll get inside the following:

• Why a plan, and how to make planning less daunting
• What business planning is, and how on earth we can do it now
• Messy thinking and tidied up plans: right brain vs left brain planning
• How to make sure it starts with you, where you want to go, what’s important to you, and what you are for
• Superheroes in disguise – strengths, weaknesses and making a change
• Sketching your landscape and finding your tribe… looking around to get ahead
• The strategy stuff… debunking the strategic jargon and getting the ideas down
• Belt and braces risk… What are the risks? And how would you deal with them?
• Making the money work – how to budget not fudge-it
• Making this work for you…how to turn your plan into action

About your course leader

Julia Payne is Director of the hub, a creative social enterprise she founded in 2002 with an aim of doing innovative work and building the capacity of the creative sector. Known for being curious and generous, she’s worked with hundreds of creative freelancers to help them build their careers and businesses and identify what ‘good growth’ looks like. In 2021 she won the IPSE Wellbeing Freelancer Award for the hub’s Balance programme, which helped 1000+ artists and creative freelancers balance their minds and their books at a time of huge uncertainty, and included a  free toolkit packed with 100+ business planning and wellbeing resources, action learning sessions, monthly wellbeing talks and training.

When and where?

Session 1: 13 March 2026

Session 2: 27 March 2026

Both sessions will happen at Harwich Arts Centre, 10am-1.30pm.

To take part, you need to be based in Tendring. You also need to be able to attend both sessions, and also be able to commit to doing a small amount of preparation/homework in between sessions.

Did we mention, it’s FREE?!

This course is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. It’s also funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Thanks to this investment, this training is free to any Tendring-based creative freelancers or others who work as part of Tendring’s creative community. All we ask is that you commit to taking part in both sessions.

I’m sold! How do I apply?

If you are shouting, ‘yaaasssss this is perfect for me’, you can APPLY HERE.

The application form should hopefully be simple to complete, and take about 10-15mins to complete. The deadline to apply is 1 March, and we’ll aim to get back to you by 3 March to let you know if you have got a place on the course. In the meantime, we suggest you pencil the course dates in your calendar, just to make sure you can definitely make it. We wouldn’t want you to miss out!

“It was excellent, thank you very much. It de-mystified the process a LOT; I probably WILL apply for funding now. (I feel) A lot more confident, and I now can think about them from the Funder’s point of view, which is a great idea. I knew it would be good. Julia is superb.”

Previous fundraising training participant

The Winning Formula– a short course this February for Tendring-based creative freelancers and small arts organisations, designed to help you write more compelling funding applications and improve your strike rate with funders.

With funder budgets under greater pressure than ever, it’s more important than ever that any funding application you submit is ‘on the money’. But how to do that when many funders use jargon that leaves us none the wiser about what they fund and why, and whether or not what we do hits the spot?

If you’re confused by the jargon, not sure how best to answer funder questions, or which story to tell, this 1 day course (delivered across 2 mornings on 13 & 27 February) is for you. Course leader Julia Payne will help you get inside the real value of what you’re doing, think about how to tell a compelling story, and how to make sure that your budget storytelling adds up too.

You can APPLY HERE.

Here’s what to expect and what you’ll learn

Over 2 3.5-hour modules, Julia will share a host of useful insights, resources, tips and tricks and real life examples. She’ll also be joined by guest speakers from key funding organisations. Playful and creative but designed to make a real difference, there’ll also be an emphasis on small group work, peer learning and sharing collective experiences. You’ll get inside the following:

• Getting the prep right, to maximise your chances
• Are you a good match? How to know who to apply to
• Funder jargon – what they really mean, and how that relates to what you do
• The who – how to talk about who you’re working with
• The winning ingredients in a good funding application – what do they look and sound like?
• So what? How to tell a compelling story
• How to demonstrate need
• How to describe project aims, objectives and milestone
• Making the budget add up – literally and metaphorically!

About your trainer

Julia is Director of the hub, a creative sector social enterprise she founded back in 2002 with the aim of building the capacity of her peers in the independent music sector. Working in and with a range of arts organisations, she’s raised over £13m in her career, and has worked with hundreds of artists, freelancers, promoters and venues to help them improve their fundraising skills and understanding. She’s also worked in and with a number of funding bodies, as a funding officer and adviser, so knows what it’s like to be a funder too.

When and where?

Session 1: 13 February 2026

Session 2: 27 February 2026

Both sessions will happen at Sunspot in Jaywick, 10am-1.30pm.

To take part, you need to be a creative freelancer/run your own arts organisation based in Tendring. You also need to be able to attend both sessions, and be able to commit to doing a small amount of preparation/homework in between sessions.

Did we mention, it’s FREE?!

This course is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. It’s also funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Thanks to this investment, this training is free to any Tendring-based creative freelancers or others who work as part of Tendring’s creative community. All we ask is that you commit to taking part in both sessions.

I’m sold! How do I apply?

If you are shouting, ‘yaaasssss this is perfect for me’, you can APPLY HERE.

The application form should hopefully be simple to complete, and take about 10 mins to complete. The deadline to apply is 2 February, and we’ll aim to get back to you by 4 February to let you know if you have got a place on the course. In the meantime, please pencil the course dates in your calendar, just to make sure you can definitely make it. We wouldn’t want you to miss out!

Entirely free, the aim through this group coaching is to nurture a stronger peer learning culture and provide regular, ongoing support and connection.  To submit your expression of interest just head here! 

Action learning is like working with a team of brilliant inspiring coaches….

Imagine having a team of brilliant, inspiring coaches – working with you to help you with the big decisions you need to make, and you’re in the right ball park. Sounds great, right? That’s what you’ll get from this project – that, and the chance to develop your own coaching skills.

Action learning involves working on real issues and implementing solutions.  From my own experience, it can really stretch your thinking and is great for tackling the isolation that often goes with being an artist, freelancer or running your own creative organisation.

It unlocks real ‘lightbulb’ moments, creates action and nurtures connections

For me, being part of an action learning set has been the single most useful investment I’ve ever made in my professional development. It literally changed my life! And since becoming an action learning facilitator I’ve gone on to run sets for hundreds of creative freelancers up and down the country – from creative producers to illustrators, composers, copywriters and even acrobats!

Again and again, I’ve seen it help people unlock really powerful reflections, decisions and actions –  true ‘lightbulb moments’ – and increase their confidence and resilience. It’s incredible how quickly trust and relationships develop between set members, and I LOVE how everyone leaves each session with new energy and resolve. It’s like magic!

Providing a safe space for reflection, it’s not about telling each other what to do, more about helping people to find the answers themselves.

Get the lowdown here & sign up to our online intro session to find out more…

***If you’d like to find out more about what’s involved, we’d love you to come along to our 30 min introduction session on zoom at 10.30am on Mon 17 November.
You can sign up for it here.*** 

Meanwhile, here’s the lowdown on the project…

The project gives 12-16 people from Tendring’s creative community the chance to join one of two new coaching groups (action learning ‘sets’). You’ll get the help you need to weather the challenges you face and make the most of opportunities around the corner.

From mid-December-mid-March, our 2 action learning sets (6-8 people each) will meet every fortnight(ish) on the dates below, for 1.5 hours each time. One set will meet at the nOse in Walton, the other at Harwich Arts Centre. We’ll schedule sessions around set members, so when you apply you just pick the location and timeslot (morning: 10-11.30/afternoon: 1-2.30/evening: 7-8.30) that works best for you on these dates, and we’ll work out a schedule from there.

The dates each set will meet are:

Set 1 (the nOse, Walton), all Wednesdays:
17 Dec (2hr session); 7 Jan; 21 Jan; 4 Feb; 18 Feb; 4 Mar; 18 Mar

Set 2 (Harwich Arts Centre), all Thursdays:
18 Dec (2hr session); 8 Jan; 22 Jan; 5 Feb; 19 Feb; 5 Mar; 19 Mar

So what will actually happen in each session? And how much does it cost?

Each action learning involves a coaching conversation in which someone from the group (or ‘set’) brings a problem or opportunity they need help with figuring out. During the conversation their fellow set members work together with the facilitator (that’s me!) to coach them towards an answer that’s right for them. We take it in turns over the project so that everyone gets help when they need it, but in each session there’s also a moment for everyone to think about what they’ve learnt from the conversation. And along the way you’ll also develop the skills to facilitate action learning conversations yourselves, so that – if you want to – you can continue to meet as a set and/or create a new set of your own at the end of the project.

It’s free to take part, as the project has been funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. But to be in with a chance of joining the programme you must be able to commit to attending all of either the Walton or Harwich sessions.

I’m in! What do I do next?  

If you’d like to be considered for one of the spaces, all you need to do is fill out this short expression of interest form by 30 November 2025. It’ll just take about 5-10 minutes. Rather apply by video? That’s fine. Just follow the instructions on the form. Any questions, just email julia@thehubuk.com.

We’ll get back to everyone who applies by close of play on 3 December. In the meantime, do pencil the set meeting dates in your diary. Thanks!

Last year, the hub was commissioned by Manchester Music City (MMC) to carry out research into the city’s grassroots music venue ecology and provide recommendations for how the City Council, MMC and their partners can best address challenges faced by these venues.

Over the course of 18 months we worked on our findings and recommendations with venues, representatives from the City Council and Manchester Music City, and a brilliant advisory group that included members of the Music Venue Trust, LIVE and Attitude is Everything teams.

And we’re so thrilled that this research, due to be published by Manchester Music City in September, is already making a difference. Yesterday, Manchester City Council announced a new £245K fund to support the city’s grassroots venues, responding directly to the research’s key findings around business rates, rising costs, and financial pressures threatening the sector. 

Manchester is a big noise in the music world. This summer all eyes have been on the city as we’ve hosted some huge concerts and seen unprecedented success in our large venues.

Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council

Along the way, some people told us it couldn’t be done, but yesterday’s announcement by the City Council is proof that it could. And we couldn’t be happier.

The move comes off the back of a big summer of music for the city – five Oasis Heaton Park homecoming gigs, plus gigs by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Charlie XCX, Elbow, Fontaines DC and Robbie Williams – with it being estimated that Manchester will have attracted 1.3 million music tourists – a tremendous boost for the city’s economy as a whole, especially the hospitality industry.

These huge events are also generating income for the Council, either by being hosted in the city’s largest parks – with commercial arrangements for their use – or through the business rates paid by major venues. And it’s this which has enabled this Fund to be created. Councillor Craig added:

While the biggest gigs – in the city’s arenas and parks – might dominate the headlines, we know they are only possible because they are part of a wider ecosystem with smaller, grassroots venues providing the launchpads for acts to develop and grow.

“We know that across the country grassroots venues are struggling. That’s why we want to ensure that our grassroots venues can share some of the benefit from the success of those big events. “We’re blessed in Manchester with an array of great smaller venues. They are there to be enjoyed and I’d encouraged anyone who values them to get out and support them.

Kate Lowes, Director, Brighter Sound  (sector lead Manchester Music City), who we worked with closely on the project, commented on the news too:

Grassroots venues sit at the heart of our city’s music scene – supporting emerging artists, bringing people together, and enriching local communities.

Recent research, commissioned by Manchester Music City and delivered by the hub, has shown that business rates relief is one of the sector’s most pressing concerns. We therefore welcome this announcement and are encouraged to see Manchester City Council and Music Venue Trust working in partnership to deliver meaningful and targeted support.

Exact details of the fund are still being finalised, but in a brilliant move, it’s been agreed that it will be administered by Music Venue Trust, ensuring that the money will get to where it is needed as quickly and effectively as possible.

Our full research report, containing detailed findings and recommendations, will be published by MMC in September.

Running until July 2025, these groups brings together local creative practitioners/ producers once a month, in person and virtually. They are part of Creative Colchester’s wider support programme, funded by Arts Council England and the Shared Prosperity Fund.

WHAT YOU’LL GET FROM BEING PART OF A SET

Facilitated by the hub’s Director, Julia Payne, who is an experienced coach and facilitator, the action learning groups have been running since summer 2024. They are a brilliant way to gain insights into how to tackle challenges, exploit opportunities and develop your career and practice. You’ll also widen your network and develop your own coaching skills along the way.

THE WHATS AND WHENS

The groups meet monthly, one on Tues evenings and the other on Wed mornings, on the following dates:

SET ONE (Tuesdays 7-8.30pm): 4 Feb, 4 Mar, 1 Apr, 6 May, 3 Jun and 1 Jul.
SET TWO (Wednesdays 10-11.30am): 5 Feb, 5 Mar, 2 Apr, 7 May, 4 Jun and 2 Jul.

The programme is free, but to be in with a chance of joining the programme you must be able to commit to attending all of the Tues or Weds dates.

APPLYING IS EASY!

If you’d like to be considered for one of the spaces, all you need to do is fill out this short expression of interest form by 9am on Monday 20 January.

INTERESTED, BUT WANT TO KNOW MORE??? COME TO OUR INTRO ZOOM

If you’d like to find out more about what’s involved, please come along to our 30 min introduction session on zoom at 9.30am Tuesday 14 January. You can sign up to this HERE.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

We’ll get back to everyone who applies by Monday 27 January. And then we hope our new set members will be able to join in from February onwards, so do pencil the dates in your diary.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

African Proverb

As someone who’s been involved in promoting, producing or touring culturally diverse music for more than 25 years now (eek!), I’m really excited to be facilitating Arts Council England’s ROUTES Beyond WOMEX ‘open space’ event at WOMEX on Friday 25 October.

Like my many peers and friends across the music sector, I know that it’s never been harder to make ends meet and get (big enough) audiences along to gigs. Ticket sales are hard to predict and the funding climate is really tricky; in short, there’s just less money around. Small wonder then that bookers are find it increasingly hard to take a punt on something new or different that might not bring a ready-made audience with it.

That’s why the question at the heart of this specially-curated event is “how can the music sector work together increase the touring of culturally diverse music and develop and/or diversify our programmes and audiences?”  

Hosted by Arts Council England (ACE), and bringing together a representative group of UK independent promoters, producers and venues (and a smattering of other international professionals) ROUTES Beyond WOMEX is an ‘open space’ event that is designed to help you to super-charge your relationships, expand your networks and kick start new possibilities.  The Arts Council wants WOMEX24 to leave a lasting legacy, across the North of England and throughout the UK, including a practical and sustainable change to the programming and touring culturally diverse music, and in terms of developing and diversifying. In the room will be a group of professionals who are actively engaged in these areas and have a lot to share, so the focus will be a mix of discussion and networking to enable you to explore the current landscape, meet likeminded people and develop your work in the UK and internationally. Ultimately the point is to explore whether we can make the world a little bit ‘better’ for everyone.

Change has to start somewhere, and open space events are a great place to (as someone I know once said) “engage with the stuff […] I only knew how to complain about before”.

So, how’s the event at WOMEX going to work? Read on for the low down…

Open Space is people power in action

It’s called an ‘open space’ event, because the agenda at it isn’t being set by any funders, or by the WOMEX Jury. Instead, it will be set by the people who come along. In my experience, often the best ideas emerge when very different kinds of people come together. So that’s what this event aims to do: bring together people from across the music sector – producers, promoters, venue reps and agents – to invent an exciting future for touring culturally diverse music and developing/diversifying the audiences for it, and discuss how to make that future a reality.

Open Space ‘technology’ is simple. It’s people. ‘Open Space’ isn’t about any one person or organisation taking control or promising to solve everything; it’s a way of bringing together people who want to address a complex issue, by focusing on what matters to them, making essential connections, and doing what they think must be done. It’s about a culture of shared responsibility through which ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

So what’s going to happen?

The process will start with a group of people coming together at Manchester’s Midland Hotel, people who’ve come along because they care about the future of culturally diverse music in the UK; a group of people that’s unique, and who have never and will never again be together in exactly this grouping.

At the outset of the session there’ll be a chance for anyone with a burning issue, big question or great idea to timetable a conversation about it. You’ll post a topic on the wall, it will get timetabled, the agenda for the event will come together, and over the course of the event people will join the conversations that ‘speaks to them’ the loudest. It’s people power in action.

At any one time, there might be 4, 5, or even more, breakout conversations going on at the same time, with people in each one working hard on the topic at hand. The ‘law of 2 feet’ (or of ‘personal mobility’) means that you can dip in and out of conversations as you want; you might sit through a couple from start to finish, or move between loads more than that, adding a few ideas to all of them as you go. The choice is yours. The responsibility is yours. Then, at the end of the event, everyone comes together again, to share their reflections, learning and the actions they want to commit to after the event. We end as we finish, sharing what’s important to us all.

More than just a talking shop, the aim is to get things and people moving

At ‘open space’ events all of the thinking, all of the ideas, all of the actions get documented in some way. Because the aim is for this event to feel like a beginning of something bigger, the notes from all of the conversations that have taken place will be shared with you after the event, along with details of all participants (and contact details where people are happy to share these), so that you can reach out to others as you start to work together to move forward your ideas.

I love the ‘atomic collisions’ that occur when you bring together people with different ‘norms’ and starting points to explore and invent new ideas and alternative realities – thinking that wouldn’t have come about in any other circumstance, and ideas are generated that wouldn’t otherwise have seen the light of day. In my experience, after an ‘open space’, everyone involved leaves a little bit changed – and re-charged – by the experience.

I’m expecting some real ‘atomic collisions’ when we get together. By the end of the afternoon, what will have happened? My hope is that everyone WILL leave feeling a bit different, with some new ideas and insights, some new potential collaborators, a spring in their step and some clear action points to keep them busy and connected in the weeks and months that follow.

We all have a role to play in helping to build a healthy touring ecosystem for culturally diverse music, and in developing and diversifying audiences, so please have your say, make your mark…

Spaces at the open space are limited, and booking is essential. It would be great to see you there, so please book your ticket here.

“Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it— just as we have learned to live with storms.”

Paulo Coelho

It’s really easy for me to trace a line from the 10 year old me who experienced crippling anxiety around exams and the adult me – a creative entrepreneur who has to work hard to keep in check her workaholic tendencies. Over the 20-something years I’ve run the hub I’ve learnt a lot, about running said business, about life, about myself and about the shockingly high rates of mental illness amongst those of us who work in the creative sector.

Even before the pandemic, working in the creative sector wasn’t great for our mental health. Whilst 1 in 4 people in the UK will typically experience a mental health issue each year, Inspire’s 2018 research showed that for those of us working in the creative sector the likelihood of doing so was 3 times greater, with anxiety and depression the most common disorders. Fast forward to the pandemic, and research we carried out demonstrated just how severe its impact was on the mental health of those working in the creative sector. Amongst those we surveyed in late 2020 and summer 2021, 8 out of 10 reported Covid 19 had made their mental health worse – compared to 2/3 of adults more generally across the UK – with increased anxiety, feelings of overwhelm, stress and sadness all reported by more than 2/3 of respondents. Our research also suggested that their mental health had worsened by 23% on average (compared to 8% across the UK’s adult population.) [1]  Fast forward again, and the impact of the cost of living crisis and Brexit are compounding financial pressures we were already facing through being the last sector to re-open post-pandemic. The result? On a personal level, the majority of people I know who work in the sector are experiencing unsustainable levels of stress and anxiety, while more widely, people in their thousands have left the sector having found a better way to live. Spring 2023 is tough, no?

My top tips for tackling anxiety

Luckily, over the 20 years or so I’ve been doing this stuff, I’ve also learned a fair bit about what makes me anxious, and – crucially – how to keep (for the most part) my worries under control. And it’s these insights that I thought it might be useful to share this Mental Health Awareness Week. We’re all wired differently, and what makes you anxious will be different to what keeps me awake at night, but I’ve learnt from our Balance community that many of us find the same things helpful when tackling anxiety. So, I hope you’ll find something here that will help beat your worry gremlins!

Choose curiosity over fear

“Anxiety is when the butterflies in your stomach turn into bees.”

Brigett Devoue

Curiosity is one of the hub’s core values, and something I try to bring to all of  my work. A few years ago I had a lightbulb moment, when I realised that curiosity and fear are two sides of the same coin. When faced with a perceived threat, we can either respond with curiosity (“I don’t know how we’ll do this…Interesting…What might the possibilities be?”) or with fear (“I don’t know how we’ll do this. Oh no! I’m going fail.”). This was a real revelation to me, and now, whenever I feel anxious about something, I try to bring curiosity rather than fear to the mix.

Get better acquainted with your thoughts

“The best use of creativity is imagination. The worst…is anxiety.”

Deepak Chopra

Our brains are hard at work all the time; research suggests that we have 60-70,000 thoughts every day. As creative entrepreneurs, our minds are capable of imagining all kinds of things, good and bad; that’s one of our real strengths, right?! It took me a while to realise that when – just like The Queen in Alice in Wonderland – you can “imagine as many as 6 impossible things before breakfast”, the trick is to be selective about which thoughts you listen to, and recognise they are merely thoughts and NOT FACTS! Now when I find myself falling into negative thinking, I do my best to challenge my thoughts and ask myself if they are actually true or just something my inner critic (called Brenda, as some of you will know!) has conjured up.

I call this my ’SOS moment’, because it’s about Standing back, Observing and Steering myself in the right direction. Part of the observing is sometimes about asking myself what the worst that could happen really is (as opposed to listening to Brenda’s take on that). Meanwhile, the steering element  means I’m focusing more on what I can actually control; super helpful for worriers as we waste lots of time and energy on stuff beyond our control.

Key to this is being able to reflect on my thoughts – finding the space to properly explore them, to expand on them or to challenge them. For me, journalling helps me with this; just spending time scribbling things down, having a conversation with myself on paper really helps. (And – guilty pleasure alert – it’s a great way to justify spending money on lovely stationary!)

Why don’t you go do something less boring instead?

Moving from fever pitch anxiety to moments of calm reflection can be tricky. But sometimes it can really help to just distract yourself and interrupt the worry. Suggestions from our Balance community for so-called ‘circuit breakers’ range from doing a 5 minute micro-blitz/clean to jumping up and down on a bouncy chair, a mini kitchen disco, going for a walk… or even shoe shopping! There also some well-known grounding techniques, such as the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise you’ll find in our Balance toolkit. Whatever takes your fancy, anything that interrupts that unhelpful train of thought should work a treat.

Stay in the now and schedule some worry time

One thing that I sometimes find useful is bringing myself back to the now, to the present. Sometimes when the worries persist, I find it can be really effective to just ask myself, “What’s happening right now?”, “Am I safe?”, “Is there something I really need to do about this right now?” If there is, I’ll do something to interrupt the worry (see above) to ‘reset’ my mind. If there isn’t, I put a time in my diary later in the week/month to revisit that particular worry and take some action when I’m calmer. Doing either seems to provide a bit of a ‘reset’, and gives me permission to move on with my day as best I can, knowing that I’ve got things covered.

Say hello to the 5×5 rule!

The 5×5 rule is one of my favourite anxiety busting tools! This really simple rule states that when you’re feeling anxious you simply take a moment to reflect on whether or not the thing you’re worrying about will matter in 5 years. If the answer is yes, then you should schedule some time to come up with a strategy to address it (see above!). But, if the answer is no, then you allow yourself just 5 minutes to worry about it, before moving on. If you can play by this rule, it’s a brilliant way to break out of a worry spiral!

I will survive! And be the smarter for it

“The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.”

John C. Maxwell

When times are tough and you’re feeling super anxious, there are worse things you could do than put your trust in the Gospel of Gloria: “I will survive”. Thinking back to times when I’ve tackled problems before can sometimes be just the thing to soothe my anxiety. I’ve realised that, most of the time, we’re more resilient than our worries give us credit for.

Kill worry with kindness and treat yourself as you would a friend

Anxiety is rooted in fear, and in my experience the best way to respond to fear is with kindness. When you’re anxious, try showing yourself the kindness you’d show your best friend if they came to you with a worry. Whether that’s seeing off a noisy inner critic, parking the worry and getting yourself some tea and cake (actually, thinking about it, tea and cake should be on this list in their own right!) or going for a run, above all you need to be kind to yourself.

And while we’re talking about treating yourself as you would a friend, I also find it helpful to ask myself what advice I’d give to a friend in this situation. Even if the solution I come up with isn’t quite right for me, it helps me reset my mind into a more rational state, and before I know it I’ve had my own lightbulb moment and moved on.

Reach out to a friend

The saying goes that “a problem shared is a problem halved”, and one of the best ways I know to calm my worried mind is to reach out to a trusted friend or colleague. What I need from the conversation might differ from one situation/person to another; sometimes it’s advice, sometimes I need help finding the answer myself, sometimes it’s empathy and reassurance, or even just distracting! Just saying things out loud can really sharpen my clarity, as if I’m hearing myself for the first time. So, go on, phone a friend and give your worries an airing!

Just breathe!

We all know that deep breathing helps us calm down. But what, if like me, you worry that you’re ‘not doing it right’?! There are so many books about breathing (a good number of which are languishing half-read on my bookshelves)! The good news is that in moments of anxiety you don’t need to worry about counting out a certain number of breaths. Instead, just focus on evenly inhaling and exhaling. Trust me, and join me in abandoning the counting!

Preventation is better than a cure

So, we’ve looked at a few of my favourite ‘go tos’ for easing moments of anxiety, but I also wanted to share a few thoughts on what helps me avoid such moments in the first place.

Setting clear boundaries

A big source of anxiety for lots of the creative freelancers I work with is not having clear (and clearly communicated) boundaries – with themselves and with their clients. In response, one thing I often ask them to do is make a ‘manual of me’: a record of things like how they like to work, what fuels or drains their energy, what inspires them and what makes them anxious (see this lovely website for inspiration). Doing this can really help set boundaries; it’s both a personal reflection tool AND the basis for a manifesto/set of T&Cs you can set out to prospective clients.

Being a good employer of myself

I’m slightly embarrassed that it’s only in the last few years that I’ve realised a key part of being successfully self-employed is to be a good employer of myself. For years, I employed myself in a way that if anyone else had done so, I would have quit straight away! This changed a few years ago when, towards the end of a sabbatical, I wrote some ‘returning to work guidelines’ for myself. Knowing that a simple list of changes to make wouldn’t work, I wrote about Julia as my employee, developing a code of conduct for how I employed her that I eventually distilled into ‘KNEES’, an acronym of sorts about how work should be: Kind (to me); Nurturing; Exciting; Enough (but not too much), and Sustainable. Having this has helped curb some of the tendencies that fed my anxiety.

Investing time and effort in balancing my mind

When you’re self-employed YOU are your biggest asset, and yet all too often looking after ourselves falls to the bottom of our to do list. That way lies anxiety, depression, burnout and a business and way of life that no one would choose. As employers of ourselves, we need to put nurturing our minds at the top of our to do lists. If you do just one thing as a result of reading this blog, make it this! And as starter for 10, you could of course do worse than head over to our entirely free to use Balance toolkit, designed specifically to help creative entrepreneurs balance their minds AND their books, or catch up on our Balance talks here.

[1] Calculation based on research carried out by Institute of Fiscal Studies research

All of the sessions were led by members of our amazing community of curious and generous creatives (thank you, thank you!!!), who’ve come together around Balance since we launched it in June 2020. And the day was just lovely, a coming together of creatives keen to learn from, and share with, each other. A real tonic!

Sharing our crowd-sourced wellbeing tips for creatives

Balance really is about community, about creative freelancers sharing and inspiring each other to live better and make better livings. In that spirit we invited participants to share what helps them take better care of their mental health and wellbeing. And in that same generous spirit we’re sharing all of those tips here.

We hope they’ll inspire you… either to spend more time doing what you already know is good for your mind, or try out something entirely new! After all, looking after your mental health isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a once a year thing, it needs to be on your daily to do list!

So here they are, our Made For Each Other paticipants’ top wellbeing tips…

Beth Martin: Be kind to yourself and willing to give yourself a treat  – whatever you need relax, big glass of wine, read a good book…For myself, that’s about walking and gardening.

Zimena Percival: Swimming

Clare: Walking and making art/writing

Steve Mead: Radio 3 in the morning, fresh air in the afternoon (and Remy Martin in the evening!)

Catherine Doran: Gardening, including making raised beds (not very professionally). Time in there keeps me going

Nick: Making time for writing, and walking in the Shropshire hills

Nina Lewis: Walking in nature, deep breathing

B:Facial routine and herbal detox teas

Catherine: Tap dancing

Miranda Horn: I like to take myself to a new cafe and write

Anne F: Playing tennis with friends

Tanya Denhere: Forest walks, calligraphy, yoga

Julia McGuinness: Bicycle ride in the sunshine – enjoying surroundings, not going fast!

Seònaid Lafferty: Swimming in the lakes

Ria Bagley: Playing guitar, recording sounds of nature and getting lost in music

Amy: Painting the colours I intuitively need to use adding collage texture (process of wrapping up paper) and then stopping when it feels I need to, whatever the outcome. And writing and reading

Parv: Zen doodling

Laura Ramsbottom: I do a lot of gardening by volunteering in two different community gardens and for an elderly neighbour. I also go forest bathing and foraging for dye materials. So lots of time outside!

Like those? Then check out our other Balance resources

If you like what you’ve seen and are keen to find out more about how – as a creative freelancer – to take better care of your mind and your business, do check out our Balance toolkit. It’s packed with 100+ bespoke resources made just for you, covering everything from beating burnout to building good habits, and finding your purpose to making the money stuff work.

And if you like a good chat, then you might want to check out our Balance talk playlist, where you’ll find hub director, Julia Payne, in conversation with Mindapples’ Andy Gibson. In these super friendly chats they cover everything from dealing with uncertainty to boosting your self esteem and staying motivated.

Keep in touch, and share your tips

If you’re not already part of the Balance community, and like what you’ve seen here, then we’d love you to come on in! As part of joining this amazing community of curious and generous creatives you’ll get to add your own wellbeing tip to the mix.

And if you want to be part of the community conversation, you can also tag or follow us on twitter (@tweetsatthehub) or on Instagram (@the_hub_balance). Come say hello!

It’s brought to you by members of the hub’s amazing community of curious and generous creatives (thank you, thank you!!!), who’ve come together around Balance since we launched it in June 2020. A gift from them to you and your fellow creatives, the day is yours to dip in and out of, and you can book tickets for as many events as you like.  We’re soooo grateful for everyone’s support,  and can’t wait to see you on there on 10 October! There are more sessions still to be announced, but for now read on for our first programme announcements. And do book now if you don’t want to miss out…!

THE LOWDOWN…

Coaching taster sessions, with Steve Goatman (10.00am-4.00pm)

As his World Mental Health Day gift, fellow hubster and accredited coach Steve Goatman is offering free 20-minute coaching taster sessions, plus an optional follow-on free hour session worth £40, bookable at your convenience. Coaching is a powerful and future focussed practice which is brilliant for creative thinking and unravelling knotty problems, and in uncertain times can offer you control over areas of life that might be more difficult than usual. Steve is an accredited and experienced Relational Dynamics coach. He has a passion for helping people improve their careers and lives, and some of you will know him from our RE:SET action learning programme.
Want in? Choose your time and book your session via stgoatman@gmail.com

The Healing Art of Mantra, with Sangita Lakhanpal (10-11am)

Mantras are poems of primal sound which have a harmonising effect on our minds and bodies, part of a practice that stretches back thousands of years as a way to experience union with our essential nature and the wider web of nature herself. Led by Sangita Lakhanpal, this session will provide an introduction to the science and art of mantra of Vedic mantra, through exploring the song cycles of Indian Mythology, which relate to the romance of the God and Goddess. Sangita will then share a simple but effective mantra that we will all learn to sing together and that can be used as a practice for healing meditation.
Looking for a new mantra? Book HERE.

The Balance Sunday Service – vocal workshop with Jon Baker (11.15-11.45am)

Join Voice Project Director Jon Baker for a fun vocal workshop guaranteed to lift your heart and feed your soul. Kicking off with a gentle warm up to get you energised and limbered up, after that we’ll tear up the hymn sheet and get stuck into a specially curated mix of cloud busting mood enhancers. Before you know it you’ll be singing your heart out, hitting heights you never knew you had, and have the neighbours round wanting to join in. In fact, why not invite them round beforehand? The more the merrier, and all that! And don’t worry, you’ll be on mute, so the only people who’ll hear you are your nearest and dearest!
Ready to tear up that hymn sheet? Book HERE.

Mindful millinery, with Susan Widlake (12.15-1.15pm)

If you know what a rectangle is, and can count up to twelve, why not join Susan from Mill House Millinery this World Mental Health Day to do some ‘mindful millinery’!  You won’t quite get to making a whole hat in this friendly and hands on session, but you will get to make your own rosette that you can use as a brooch, hair clip or to spruce up your favourite pair of shoes. Or you could of course channel the Suffragettes and get political with your ribbons!
Mind tied up in knots? Book HERE.

The write stuff – an introduction to poetry therapy, with Shelley Tracey (1.45-2.45pm)

Poetry therapy involves the use of images, inspiring quotes and literature to stimulate writing and other creative responses, to help people develop their self-expression and awareness and improve their wellbeing. In this friendly and interactive poetry therapy session, Shelley will take you on a journey through a series of uplifting and thought-provoking quotes, images and poems, before you take pen to paper (or finger to screen!) yourself, to tune into what makes you happier.
Want to find the write way forward (sorry!)? Book HERE.

Drawing the Line: Mapping our Boundaries for Thriving Collaborations, with Fanny Martin (3-4pm)

Led by producer and facilitator, Fanny Martin, this session is about making space for joy in our work by setting boundaries. We’ll discuss why it’s important to set and hold our boundaries; look at a few examples of formats and processes to develop and share boundaries we’re happy with, and try out a couple of methodologies to get started on or go further into this work. Saying no makes space for saying yes, so if you want to find more joy in your work, get better at drawing the line and improve your ‘personal mastery’, this friendly, interactive and super-collaborative session could be just for you.
Want to say yes to saying no more often? Book HERE.

Bloomin’ marvellous self-care! A wild-crafted cream workshop (4.30-5.45pm)

Take a moment for yourself and sow the seeds of self care in this hands on workshop! Let artist Lora Aziz guide you through how to use common flowers, seeds and plants gathered from your local area to create wildcrafted creams for your face, hands and body. During the workshop, Lora will take us all on a step-by-step journey, starting with where on our high streets and in our parks we might find our ingredients, and finishing with a natural and totally homemade pot of gorgeous self-care. Forget sourdough, this is where it’s at this autumn!
Think this is a bloomin’ marvellous idea? Book HERE.

Sunday Somatics: an introduction to moving mindfully, with Sylvia Jay (6-7pm)

You may not have heard of Somatics before, but if you’ve ever done any Alexander Technique, yoga or pilates, then you’ve already been doing some somatic moving without knowing! In this gentle and fun session, led by Sylvia Jay, you’ll experience how stress brings ongoing physical tension and learn how practicing Somatic Movements can restore ease, reset your muscular habits and rebalance your posture. And you don’t have to be bendy to come along! All that’s required is an open mind, sense of curiosity and some comfy clothing.
Minded to join us? Book HERE

Made For Each Other is part of the hub’s Balance programme, and has been made with love for World Mental Health Day by the hub and members of our community of curious and generous creatives. A real community effort, we’re so grateful to everyone involved for their help in making Made For Each Other possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!