WerkShop Weekender is go!

16th → 17th November

What is WerkShop Weekender?

WerkShop Weekender (formally Werkhouse) is an inclusive weekend studio experience for anyone looking to gain insight and access to the creative industries. It’s designed as a deep dive into the creative and interpersonal skills you need to succeed in a design studio. Alongside a heap of design professionals, we work with participants and show them how to rapidly develop ideas and communicate concepts to clients. We do this with a live project brief, in groups with a sprinkle of real pressure - the idea is that attendees should come out the other side with a better idea of what a career in design is really like.


Now hosted by the team at Halo, and supported by a whole heap of industry-leading, local studios, we’re excited to see the weekend werkshop evolve into 2024! We’re really keen to ensure the weekend encourages applications from a diverse and varied background.

Check out our studio partners

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A brief history

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In 2017 a small group of design professionals from Bristol and Bath got together to deliberate the changing needs of the commercial design industry. How can graduates and people seeking to enter the creative industry avoid the shock of deadlines and client negotiation when they enter a real studio environment? Are there other pathways for those talented and creative thinkers for whom university is unaffordable or is just not part of their family’s — or their own — expectation?

What started as a small group of like-minded colleagues, grew to a team of 20 design professionals, and the idea of Werkhouse was born. Werkhouse would be a weekend workshop of studio-led design training; fast-paced, client focussed and team oriented.

Fast forward to 2024 and we’ve renamed Werkhouse to WerkShop Weekender - following feedback from our community and supporters.

Training new creative leads. Learning together with peers.

Participants at WerkShop Weekender will be placed in teams, each led by a Senior Creative. Creative Leads will rotate throughout to provide their input and guidance. This way of structuring the group gives the Creative Leads an invaluable opportunity to lead a junior creative team. Plus it gives everyone the chance to work amongst peers and support emerging, creative talent. Everyone benefits!

More recently the team at Halo have taken on the WerkShop Weekender torch by offering to facilitate and host the event… Here we are today, with a shiny new name and a weekend event packed full of opportunity. WerkShop Weekender continues to be supported by the amazing team at WEDF as well as a whole heap of independent studios across both Bristol and Bath. More to come on this soon.

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Get involved

Check out our studio partners

Find out more

Want to share WerkShop Weekender with your network?