ROTTERDAM ILLUSTRATORS PRESENT:

Through the Trees

Brand Retreat with
Nicola at Brand Warrior
1st & 2nd of February, 2025 (Saturday and Sunday)
10:00-16:00, Rotterdam





CALL OUT TO ILLUSTRATORS AND ARTISTS!
Want to build your reputation and grow a steady flow of clients without feeling overwhelmed by your marketing?


Discover how at Through the Trees: a two-day brand retreat for illustrators and artists in Rotterdam and beyond.

Building your reputation and getting your work known is key to building a successful illustration or art business or freelance illustration or art career.

However, in such a busy market, it can be challenging to get your work seen, especially when you work for yourself, and everything is down to you!

Of course, you love the creative side of what you do as an illustrator or artist, but when it comes to the business and marketing side, it’s easy to feel a bit lost and out at sea, which can lead to overwhelm and other negative feelings.  

The Through the Trees brand retreat is an opportunity to change this!

Created and led by Nicola at Brand Warrior, who helps illustrators  and artists around the world build their reputation through her coaching programme, over one weekend, you’ll go on a journey, which will transform how you think, feel and approach marketing yourself as an illustrator or artist.

With a group of fellow illustrators and artists, you’ll do the deep brave work that goes into building a soul-deep illustration / art brand, that builds your reputation in a way that’s aligned with your values and who you are as a person.

You’ll pause, step back and reflect on where you are now and where you want to go. You’ll explore who you are and what you stand for as an illustrator or artist in the market, and you’ll figure out and get clear on who you want to talk to and what you want to say.

As you dig deep, unearth and unravel the different roots of your brand, you’ll discover what makes your illustration / art offer unique in the market (hint: it’s not just your illustration style!), and you’ll figure out how you can stand out and get your work known, without the thought of marketing leaving you cold.

Nicola at Brand Warrior

Whether you’re an established illustrator or artist or early in your illustration/art career, the Through the Trees brand retreat is an opportunity to take a break from the hustle and reconnect with what truly drives your creativity.

Pause and reflect
Learn and develop
Connect and grow


Is the brand retreat for you?


If any of these things resonate with you right now, then the brand retreat is for you…

  • You’re feeling stuck! You know what you want but don’t know how to get there.

  • You’re at a crossroads. It’s great to have options, but you don’t know which route to take!

  • You’ve lost your mojo and feel disconnected with your work. You’re looking for a way to feel motivated again and relight the fire within!

  • You love the creative side of what you do, but you’re struggling with the business and marketing side. 

  • You’re craving some in-person support and connection with other illustrators / artists who are in a similar boat.


What do illustrators and artists say about Nicola’s workshops?


“Amazing and very helpful”
Manon

“Incredibly informative and encouraging”
Sofia

“Interesting and inspiring”
Wojka

“Amazing workshop! I have learned SOOO much!.”
Lucy

“Just to say that was brilliant.… I’m super inspired myself.”
Marianna


Join Us!


There are eight parts to the two-day journey, which will incorporate coffee, tea, drinks and lunch breaks along the way to re-energise. Plus, for those who’d like to stay and unwind, we’ll finish Sunday with a casual borrel to celebrate your discoveries and renewed sense of direction!

Dates
1st & 2nd February 2025
1st of February (Saturday): 10:00 – 16:00
2nd of February (Sunday): 10:00 - 16:00 with a borrel until 17:00 for those who are up for it.

In total you will receive 10 hours of coaching. 

Location:
De Ruimte Voor Ideën
Vijverhofstraat 114, 3032 SP Rotterdam

De Ruimte Voor Ideën is an inspiring location in the monumental Hofbogen of Rotterdam, with lots of daylight, a spacious interior (90m2) and the largest whiteboard in Rotterdam!

It is connected to design and communication agency Budelinc.



Price
€350 (ex. BTW)
Over the weekend, you will receive 10 hours of coaching as well as coffee, tea, snacks, drinks and a delicious lunch on both days, and a couple of nice treats to write your ideas down.

Split the cost payment plan
Book before 15th of December and you can opt to pay in three monthly instalments of €117. Payment installments are to be paid as follows: 
Payment # 1: €117 - pay by 16 Dec 2024
Payment # 2: €117 - pay by 4 Jan 2025
Payment # 3: €117  - pay by 31 Jan 2025

Please note 
The workshop will take place in English. You can take notes and write your reflections in Dutch, however Nicola is from and lives in the UK. Rachel can assist with some translation if needed.


Book your spot!


Purchase your spot in the Through the Trees workshop. Please fill in this form to sign up. Once you fill in the form, you will receive an invoice from us within 3 working days.

Please check your spam box if you do not receive an email from us within 3 working days. 

The email will be sent from info(at)rotterdamillustrators.nl

20 places available, book early to avoid disappointment!


Who is behind all this?


Nicola Mullen and Rachel Sender are making this workshop happen. They met two years ago through one of Nicola’s coaching sessions. Read their bios below. 

Nicola Mullen, Brand Warrior

Nicola will lead the workshop. 


Nicola set-up Brand Warrior in 2022, when she decided to take her 20 years’ experience of working with arts and culture brands and craft it into a one-to-one programme helping artists and illustrators to stand out in the market and build their reputation, without feeling overwhelmed with their marketing.

She has since worked with clients in Australia, Italy, Ireland, Canada, France, United States, the Netherlands and across the UK. All of Nicola’s clients to date, rate her programme five stars and 100% would recommend her one-to-one programme to a friend.

She regularly delivers workshops for the Association of Illustrators and has recently worked as a Mentor as part of their mentorship programme. Nicola is the AOI Meet-Up Host for Drawn In, the meet-up group for illustrators in Manchester, UK.

Instagram: @brand.warrior
Linkedin: Nicola Mullen
Website: brandwarrior.co.uk

Rachel Sender,
Rotterdam Illustrators

Rachel is helping coordinate this workshop, which will be led by Nicola.



Rachel Sender is a community builder, educator, and editorial illustrator based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.  With over a decade of experience as a practicing illustrator, she is also the founder of rotterdamillustrators.nl, a platform connecting and uplifting a growing community of over 70 local illustrators. Passionate about what illustration can bring to the world and to individual projects, Rachel believes in the power of illustration.

Alongside her practice, Rachel has extensive experience organising community-focused events, including Zine Camp and the Delfshaven Design Market, and Rotterdam Illustration Festival, which provide spaces for creators to connect, collaborate, and showcase their work.

She is an educator at the Willem de Kooning Academy and loves working with the future generations of illustrators.

As an illustrator, Rachel has had clients like the L.A. Times, TED Talks, and de Volkskrant. Rachel’s work combines a curiosity for people and a playful sense of humor. 


Instagram: @rachelsenderw
Linkedin: Rachel Sender
Website: rachelsender.com








Email info(at)rotterdamillustrators.nl for any questions.