CreativeMornings

Make Friends Doing Something You Love

CreativeMornings — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:05:00 -0400

Introducing our new way to gather IRL!

CreativeMornings/Clubs are intentionally small, recurring gatherings where people come together around a shared passion. Whether it’s crafts, photography, journaling, or whatever you’re into, there’s a Club waiting for you.

Clubs carry the open-hearted spirit of CreativeMornings beyond our Friday morning talks, bringing kind people together in neighborhoods throughout the month.

After prototyping this new initiative in 12 cities, we’re excited to roll out CreativeMornings/Clubs around the world. Check out all of the amazing Clubs that have already launched!

Each Club is led by a member of our community. And anyone can host one. Yes, that means YOU! See how to apply to start a Club.

You can start a Club like these members of our community!

Nelson loves taking photos and exploring neighborhoods, so he started a photo walk club.

Pam loves to knit, so she started a club to meet other knitters.

Carolyn gathers people to draw comics together.

Jennifer wanted to write more letters, so she started a snail mail writing club.

Katie loves writing, so she hosts an hour of side-by-side writing.

Ricardo loves old movies, so he invites people to watch them together. (He also has the best snacks.)

Brian wanted to read more, so he started a silent reading club.

Want to find out when Clubs launch in your city? Subscribe to your local Chapter’s newsletter to receive a list of upcoming Clubs in our Clubs Digest.

Curious about starting a Club? See how to apply.

The growth of CreativeMornings/Clubs is made possible by the generous support of our global patron the Harnisch Foundation.

Featured Talk: Find Your Path

CreativeMornings — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 15:11:00 -0400

“Don’t ask what will make you successful or feel validated or help you earn love, only ask what makes me feel alive right now.”

After years of relentless touring and recording as a professional singer, a rare neurological disorder took Greta Morgan’s voice. What happened next is a story of wandering and discovery that you don’t want to miss. Watch her talk from our Hudson Valley chapter, then find your voice and the fulfilling life you are meant to live.

^{Photo by Rana Faure.}

Discover more inspiring CreativeMornings talks from our chapters around the world.

Fun Stuff To Click On

CreativeMornings — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:05:00 -0400

Welcome to our joyful, little corner of the internet where we share our favorite links that we discover each week.

Creativity is a discipline in optimism.

What new heights are you meant to reach?

What if climbing higher up the corporate ladder isn't the best way to grow?

Does getting high make you more creative? No, really, does it? Wait, what about other drugs?

Why are we more likely to cry on airplanes?

Look over the Earth and pick a live video feed from different countries.

10 highest altitudes reached by aircraft.

Why you should take the high road. †

Beautiful aerial photography of fall forests.

Why it’s better to climb slowly.

† Thank you to Ivy Chan for submitting this link.
You can submit a link too.

Want even more fun stuff to click on? Subscribe to our Weekly Highlights newsletter and we’ll send cool links right to your inbox.

October's theme is ALTITUDE

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 16:00:00 -0400

Our theme for October is ALTITUDE. It was chosen by our Toowoomba chapter in Australia, illustrated by Alex Hotchin, and is presented by Adobe.

If you’re stuck, try going up.

Big ideas are often described as elevated. A flight of fancy. A lofty goal. A bird’s-eye view of the problem. Blue-sky thinking.

Turns out it’s not just a figure of speech. Psychologists have found that being higher up, like on a rooftop or a mountain trail, changes how the mind works. People asked to think while in physically elevated locations generated more abstract ideas. While subjects at ground level tended to think more literally.

We don’t just use height as a metaphor for creativity; altitude seems to switch it on. Your perspective changes looking out from a skyscraper or a window seat at thirty thousand feet. Chaos becomes a pattern. The altitude gives us clarity. Suddenly, you can see the big picture and your place in it.

So, gain some altitude. Then come back down and make something worthy of the climb.

Our Toowoomba chapter had this to say about the significance of this month’s theme:

“Toowoomba quite literally sits above; perched on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. ‘Altitude’ speaks to elevated views, both geographically and creatively. It reflects the fresh perspective our community brings and the headspace we make for big ideas.”

Watch this video from our Toowoomba chapter for more on what ALTITUDE means to them.

What new heights will your creativity reach this month?

How to Start a CreativeMornings Club

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:30:00 -0400

Are you Club curious?

CreativeMornings/Clubs are intentionally small, recurring gatherings where people come together around something they love: crafts, photography, journaling, or whatever lights you up.

Clubs meet in between our monthly chapter events and always happen in person unlike our Virtual FieldTrips.

Clubs are hosted by members of our community like YOU!

You don’t need a polished idea, a huge social media following, or a big budget. You just need something you love doing, a bit of consistency, and the willingness to be brave and put yourself out there.

What makes a good Club

These gatherings are meant to be intimate. Usually 5 to 20 people. Small enough that everyone learns each other’s names.
Hosted face-to-face IRL. In a park, someone’s home, a cafe, or wherever feels right for your people.
Centered on belonging and joy. It is about presence, not performance. There is no audience, only participants.
Always free to attend. You can ask people to chip in for materials (for example for craft supplies or snacks), but most Clubs don’t have any operating costs at all. Please note that CreativeMornings/Clubs are never profit-generating. Think of them as a gift to yourself and your community.
Focused on a shared interest. A repeatable, simple format is easy for people to understand and easier for you to sustain.

What makes a good Club Host

You want to gather people around something you already love. The ideal Club starts with something the host already does or wishes they did more often.
You’re willing to try, even without knowing exactly how it’ll go. Hosting a Club is a much lighter lift than running a CreativeMornings chapter, but it still takes the willingness to figure it out as you go and keep showing up.
You lead by generous example. Our hosts want to give something to their community, not get something from it. You believe in the spirit of the CreativeMornings manifesto and want to create more connections for the creative people around you.
You’re willing to invite people to join you. We’ll help promote your Club and cheer you on, but the responsibility is yours.

Here’s how to get started

You can apply to host a Club on this page of our site. The application walks through everything you will need to launch your Club.

We prototyped CreativeMornings/Clubs in 12 cities and they are quickly rolling out in more cities around the world.

If you are located in a city where Clubs have already launched, your application will be reviewed and processed right away.
If Clubs have not launched in your city yet, we need a total of 10 Club hosts to submit an application in that city in order for Clubs to launch there. (We’ve learned that this is the optimal number to establish a sustainable ecosystem of thriving Clubs.) Plus, you’ll be part of the CreativeMornings/Clubs Founding Cohort in your city!

What You Will Need to Fill Out Your Application

The application is designed to help you create everything you will need to start your Club. And it will be editable as you go, so don’t let this list intimidate you.

Please prepare the following in advance:

Club description: what it is, in your own words.
Club agenda: the shape of one gathering, start to finish
About you: a few sentences introducing yourself as the host.
Event page banner: an image for your event page on the CreativeMorings site. (The application will have a link to a template.) A friendly and fun image beats polished perfection.
Language for your Pre- and Post-event emails. These are short to tell people what to expect and to say thanks afterwards.
Headcount: the capacity you’ll be comfortable hosting.
Venue type, address, and name: a TBD is fine for now if you don’t know your exact venue yet.
4 scheduled dates: when will your Club meetings take place?

After You’re Approved:
Once you’re approved and you’ve signed your Club Host Agreement, your Club page will be drafted by us and editable by you. When you’re ready to make it public, it will be listed on the Clubs page of our site.
Share it with your community. CreativeMornings HQ and your local chapter help promote Clubs. But getting the word out yourself is key to success.
Commit to at least 4 gatherings. Consistency allows your Club to develop a rhythm and gives real relationships space to blossom.
After your first four meetings, keep gathering for as long as it brings you and your community joy. When you’re ready to stop, that’s your call.

Hosting a Club is free, fulfilling, and a genuine chance to give back to your community. You’ll get a lot of good energy in return!
Want more inspiration? Check out these popular Club examples.
Ready? Start your Club application now. We’ll be cheering you on all the way!

The growth of CreativeMornings/Clubs is made possible by the generous support of our global patron the Harnisch Foundation.

Meet our ALTITUDE illustrator: Alex Hotchin

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 -0400

Each month, CreativeMornings has a different theme for the talks given at our local chapter events around the world. It is our tradition to work with an artist in our community to create an illustration for each monthly theme.

Our theme for October is ALTITUDE. It was chosen by our Toowoomba chapter in Australia, illustrated by Alex Hotchin, and is presented by Adobe.

Alex is a cartographer, illustrator and writer currently living and drawing on a small farm in Australia. She makes art and books to tell stories about the world around her, and is especially interested in the art of map making and the inherent subjectivity of experiencing a place.

Alex shared the following reflection on their/his/her illustration for this month’s theme:

“Altitude_Other side of the Moon was inspired by the recent moon circumnavigation and the first images we saw of “the other side”. It revealed to us exquisite colours and textures. Poking their heads up from the top of the moon are the rabbit and turtle - who have themselves never (until now) seen the other side of the moon. The moon is oversized in this illustration highlighting the pull it has on our imaginations.”

Listen to how to pronounce Alex’s name.

You can see more of Name’s work on her site and follow her on Instagram @alex_hotchin.

Selected Works

You Can Start a Club Like These!

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:15:00 -0400

CreativeMornings/Clubs are intentionally small, recurring gatherings where people come together around something they love. They’re hosted by members of our community, just like you!

We’re so excited by the wide variety of Clubs that people are starting around the world.

Are you curious about starting a Club? Get inspired by these popular examples!

These Clubs all focus on a simple yet compelling activity. And each one has been meeting for over a year! You’ll see why people keep coming back.

PhotograPals: A Photo Walk Club

Nelson is a photographer who loves exploring different neighborhoods, so he started a photo walk club. PhotograPals is designed around the idea that taking photos is more fun with company and the conversation matters as much as the pictures. All skill levels and all cameras are welcome: film, phone, new, or old.

You can apply to host a photo walk club in your city. Put your own spin on a name!

Writeshop: A Writing Club

Katie loves writing, so she hosts Writeshop, an hour of side-by-side, concentrated writing time. Because writing alone can be lonely, but writing in a room full of other people quietly wrestling with their own blank page is inspiring and comforting.

Writeshop was founded in 2015 in Toronto by Kyle Baptista. He has graciously given permission to use the Writeshop name and graphics to anyone in the CreativeMornings universe.

You can apply to host Writeshop in your neighborhood. Or come up with your own version of a writing club.

Analog Reading Club: A Silent Reading Club

Brian wanted to read more, so he started the Analog Reading Club. It’s not your typical book club. In fact, it isn’t a book club at all. Instead, people read whatever they want in silence and solidarity.

Brian told us that anyone can use the name and graphics. As he put it, “It would be awesome to see branches of the Analog Reading Club around the world.”

You can apply to host the Analog Reading Club in your town. Or brainstorm a different name for your silent reading club.

Adopt one of these Clubs! Or start the Club you wish you could join. Applying is easy!

Do you have a different idea for a Club? Here are a few helpful hints.

Choose a Concept And Rhythm You Can Repeat

You should be able to describe what your Club does in one sentence. Choose a simple format that is easy to execute and explain. How often your Club meets is up to you. But we recommend that you meet on the same day, in the same place, with the same warm welcome. That consistency helps people feel comfortable. They know what to expect and it’s easy to tell other people about. Before long, they’re not just going to another event, they feel like they belong.

Make Space to Co-Create

Treat your first few gatherings as a prototype, not a finished product. Encourage the people who show up to help shape what the Club becomes. The format can evolve. The cadence might change. You may need to find a bigger venue. What matters is creating something with your community, not just for yourself. Perfection is not required. Being welcoming and supportive is the not-so-secret ingredient.

Become a Connector For Open-hearted People

By hosting a CreativeMornings Club, you’re not just gathering people who share a common interest. You’re bringing together kind, generous people who want to meet new people and feel more connected. This is an opportunity for you to become a community builder in your own neighborhood.

Start a Club! Because the best way to find your people is to gather them.

Find out how to apply to start a Club. You got this!

Do you have a question about starting a Club? We have answers.

The growth of CreativeMornings/Clubs is made possible by the generous support of our global patron the Harnisch Foundation.

October Playlist: ALTITUDE

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:01:00 -0400

Our theme for October is ALTITUDE. It was chosen by our Toowoomba chapter in Australia and is presented by Adobe.

This month’s playlist will get your ears soaring with songs about reaching greater heights.

Listen to the tracks added by our global community and add your favorite song related to this month’s theme.

Here’s how to your favorite song to the playlist:

Go to the playlist using this link to YouTube Music.

Click “join” on the pop up that appears.
Search for the song that you want to add.
Click the three dots next to the song title.

Select “Save to playlist” from the menu that appears.

Select our ALTITUDE playlist in the popup that appears.

Fun Stuff To Click On

CreativeMornings — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Welcome to our joyful, little corner of the internet where we share our favorite links that we discover each week.

See how the Hyper Industrial trend turns precision into powerful design with fun templates to get you started! §

How to age gracefully in your career.

3 ways to make your own luck.

Step inside the studios of contemporary black artists.

Handwritten confessions about how we use AI.

Join a festival of flourishing. †

Experience the alive internet theory.

Meet one of the 100,000,000,000 people who have ever lived.

Sharing your rejected art is a rite of passage. †

One League is democratizing access to power, promise, and privilege.

Having a breakdown.

§ Curated by CreativeMornings HQ and brought to you by our partners.
† Thank you to Helen Lawson Williams and Ashley LeMay for submitting these links.
You can submit a link too.

Want even more fun stuff to click on? Subscribe to our Weekly Highlights newsletter and we’ll send cool links right to your inbox.

LEVEL UP: Creating Professional Client Presentations for Busy Creatives

CreativeMornings — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:02:00 -0400

How you present your work can make or break it.

In this Virtual FieldTrip on an easier way to create great client presentations with Illustrator & Content Creator, Fabiola Lara, you’ll learn a system to build clean, professional presentations in Adobe Express, from sketch to final delivery. Watch the recording and you’ll have a brand system and template you can duplicate, plus know how to export a polished PDF and shareable link.

This FieldTrip is a part of Level Up, a series of workshops and resources designed to help you grow, gain confidence, and take meaningful next steps in your creative career. This series is made possible by CreativeMornings’ global partnership with Adobe .

Want more helpful tips to level up your creative career? See all of our upcoming LEVEL UP Virtual FieldTrips.

Sketch Notes on CURRENT

CreativeMornings — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:55:00 -0400

Each month, CreativeMornings chapters around the world host talks on a theme – and members of our local communities take sketchnotes (visual notes created with a mix of handwriting, drawings, hand-lettering, and other doodles.)

Our theme for September was CURRENT. It was chosen by our Columbia chapter in Missouri, illustrated by Bethanie Irons, and is presented by Adobe.

Luísa Diebold from Céu Azul captured Débora Bregolin’s talk from our Porto Alegre chapter. Watch this reel of her completed sketch in action.

Anushree Joshi captured Oguguam Ugwuanyil’s talk from our Chicago chapter.

Sam Hanson captured Carole Nicksin, Matt Wild, James Groh and Lainey Seyler’s talk from our Milwaukee chapter. See more on her instagram.

Petra Sonnenberg captured Kerstin Stolzenberg’s talk from our Cologne chapter.

Lama Tassabihji captured Bradley Betts’s talk from our Lausanne chapter.

^{Photo by Phuong Toan Tran.}

Mira Sarkar captured Uday Vijayan’s talk from our Bengaluru chapter.

Karthikeyan Gopinathan captured Uday Vijayan’s talk from our Bengaluru chapter.

If you create your own sketch notes at a CreativeMornings event, share a photo of them with the hashtag #CMsketchnotes and tag us, so we can include them in our next roundup.

Chapter Highlights: From Palm Trees to Letterpress

CreativeMornings — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:38:00 -0400

Every CreativeMornings chapter is organized by a team of local volunteers who pour their hearts into creating fun and interesting events that foster meaningful connections. Check out these recent highlights from around the world.

Our Khobar chapter gave away palm tree charms for the theme they chose NAKHLAH, an Arabic word meaning “palm.”

Cool carousel recap of a talk from our London chapter.

Our Chicago cut our paper palm leaves and wrote what keeps them rooted.

^{Photos by Elliot Powell and Kiana Marie, and Carlos Cerrato.}

Our St. Louis chapter danced to flex their creativity.

Colorful lanyards for our Poulsbo chapter volunteers.

Our San Salvador chapter drew palm trees.

Our Tegucigalpa chapter shared what they receive from their roots and what they share with others.

Our San Francisco chapter drew unique leaves on a big palm tree.

^{Photo by Tommaso Armstrong.}

Our Bengaluru played electronic Indian musical instruments.

Our Orange County chapter challenged their community to draw each other.

Our Santa Fe chapter created a photo frame to take “Mug Shots” of their community and this cute illustration encouraging people to bring their own mug.

^{Photo by Kerry Kehoe and Kaela Waldstein.}

Our San Francisco chapter’s Mug Librarian has cute carrying cases for their coffee mugs.

^{Photo by Tommaso Armstrong.}

Fun community member spotlight from our Orange County chapter.

Our Wroclaw chapter had a letterpress machine at their August event.

Want in on the fun? Find a CreativeMornings chapter near you.

LEVEL UP: Becoming Impossible to Ignore (Without Becoming an Influencer)

CreativeMornings — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:44:00 -0400

You don’t need to become an influencer or constantly create original content to become known for what you do.

In this Virtual FieldTrip on building your professional reputation with Author & Speaker, Lucy Werner, you’ll learn three ways to raise your profile beyond the social media treadmill: becoming a trusted filter by curating and adding context to other people’s work; asking better questions that create conversation and insight; and making real-world moments work harder. Watch the recording and get ready to have more visibility in your industry.

Want more helpful tips to level up your creative career? See all of our upcoming LEVEL UP Virtual FieldTrips.

Fun Stuff To Click On

CreativeMornings — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 19:32:00 -0400

Welcome to our joyful, little corner of the internet where we share our favorite links that we discover each week.

Feel a creative pull? Follow it in a hands-on experience built around this month’s theme, CURRENT. §

The benefits of joining a new group.

When is the best time to drink coffee?

Why are these Clubs so popular?

Not following your passion is a crime.

How to make new friends as an adult.

Is design getting uglier?

Can startups sell friendship?

How to save democracy.

Are we stuck in a friendship recession?

Cute art vending machine. †

How to overcome loneliness.

A playlist to help you focus on one task for 10 minutes. †

Why adults struggle to make new friends.

Create with whatever material you have on hand.

The mindset you need to make friends.

§ Curated by CreativeMornings HQ and brought to you by our partners.
† Thank you to Cody McCallum and Keva Epale for submitting these links.
You can submit a link too.

Want even more fun stuff to click on? Subscribe to our Weekly Highlights newsletter and we’ll send cool links right to your inbox.

Featured Talk: Convenience Is Overrated

CreativeMornings — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:25:00 -0400

“Convenience trains us to avoid friction… But friction is also where so much of life happens. Community is inefficient. Friendship is inefficient. Love is wildly inefficient. All the best parts of being human require us to spend time on one another with no guarantee of what we’re going to get back. Art is also spectacularly inefficient, and thank goodness because efficiency isn’t the point. Being alive is the point.”

Get off your phone. Get off the couch. As a musician, Nakia knows that art needs community to thrive. So, buy a ticket to a show and watch his talk from our Austin chapter to get inspired to support the culture you want in your city.

^{Photo by Manny Pandya.}

Discover more inspiring CreativeMornings talks from our chapters around the world.

Fun Stuff To Click On

CreativeMornings — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:17:00 -0400

Welcome to our joyful, little corner of the internet where we share our favorite links that we discover each week.

Want to be happier? Do this one thing.

You can forge your own path in a creative career.

A conference about the preservation of design.

Curiosity is a superpower.

Don’t panic. Slow down when times get tough.

Fight burnout by focusing on your values. †

The impressive precision of a well-made pencil.

Don’t waste your wildness.

Every creative job means you also work in sales.

Ode to a Dolly Parton Drag Queen.

† Thank you to Caru Jones for submitting this link.
You can submit a link too.

Want even more fun stuff to click on? Subscribe to our Weekly Highlights newsletter and we’ll send cool links right to your inbox.

LEVEL UP: The Networking Playbook

CreativeMornings — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:45:00 -0400

AI can’t replace human relationships. And if you want to grow in your career, business, or personal life, networking is still one of your best bets.

In this Virtual FieldTrip on optimizing your LinkedIn profile with Social Media Strategist, Portia Obeng, you’ll learn how to network in a way that respects your energy, your time, and your authentic self.

Watch the recording and get ready to network like a champ!

Want more helpful tips to level up your creative career? See all of our upcoming LEVEL UP Virtual FieldTrips.

LEVEL UP: How to Turn Every Setback into Your Next Advantage

CreativeMornings — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:18:00 -0400

Setbacks, rejections, and dead-end pitches aren’t the end of a creative career — they’re often the turning point.

In this Virtual FieldTrip on turning creative failures into career wins, with Director Vinny Anand, you’ll learn how to reframe a setback as useful data, rebuild your pitch or portfolio quickly after a loss, and use accessible tools like Adobe Express and Behance to repackage your work and get back in front of clients fast.

Watch the recording for a practical, repeatable framework for turning your next “no” into your next opportunity.

Want more helpful tips to level up your creative career? See all of our upcoming LEVEL UP Virtual FieldTrips.

Join Our Social Media Boot Camp to Stand Out Online

CreativeMornings — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:00:00 -0400

Registration for this cohort has closed.

Want to find out about future cohorts? Sign up for our newsletter.

Let’s learn from an expert and each other! All powered by Adobe.

Standing out on social feels harder and more important than ever. Join this cohort for an actionable plan and techniques to refresh and refine your social media presence.

Calling all freelancers, solopreneurs, small business owners, content creators, social media managers. This is for you!

In this free, three-week program, we’ll cover how to build a stronger personal brand, create content with confidence, and increase your professional visibility without spending hours creating posts. See how to stand out without burning out.

Each weekly session is led by an industry expert and we’ll have a dedicated, private online space to ask questions and learn from each other.

Virtual Session Topics and Schedule:

Brand & Identity | Monday, September 14th | 12-1pm EST

We’ll break down the brand sentence formula, a simple way to position yourself so people instantly get what you do. Then we’ll get into brand identity, the deeper layer that shapes how you sound, look, and show up everywhere online, and why consistency across social and web matters more than any single post. You’ll leave with your own brand sentence written and a clear picture of your brand identity across platforms.

Growth & Engagement | Monday, September 21st | 12-1pm EST

Decide where you actually need to show up online to grow, instead of trying to be everywhere. We’ll talk through the platforms that fit your audience, and growth in two layers: followers and subscribers who pay attention, customers and clients who pay you. You’ll leave with realistic goals for both and a clear next step for where to focus.

Getting Paid for Your Content | Monday, September 28th | 12-1pm EST

What happens when your content starts bringing in business? This session focuses on pricing your work with confidence and making sure you have the basics of a contract in place before any social-sourced project begins. Straightforward advice for turning online visibility into paid work, without getting burned along the way.

Please note that you must join the cohort to receive exclusive access to all three virtual sessions! Registration closes on September 9th.

This cohort will be led by brand strategist and content creator Phil Pallen.

This Social Media Boot Camp is a cohort-based program made possible thanks to CreativeMornings’ global partnership with Adobe.

Featured Talk: How Creativity Grows

CreativeMornings — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:55:00 -0400

“People don’t simply hunger for information. They hunger to belong, to be seen, to understand where they come from. To imagine where they’re going. And I’ve learned that creativity rarely grows in isolation.”

When we gather to tend to our shared soil, we are planting seeds of possibilities that allow our neighborhoods and cities to thrive. In her talk for our Portsmouth chapter, Akilah Campbell defines success, not as how much we can accumulate, but as what continues growing after we are gone.

^{Photo by Kevin Edge.}

Discover more inspiring CreativeMornings talks from our chapters around the world.