Enriching Your Creative, Cultural and Personal Life

Ultimately, the synergy of collective creativity empowers artists, makers, crafters, and writers to flourish creatively, enriching both your personal development and the cultural landscape of your communities.

This story is about helping you to flourish creatively with groups, so where to find them, how to promote the creative group you’re part of and the benefits of getting involved with creative groups.

Where to Find Creative Groups

There are creative groups in all of our communities, in our towns, suburbs and cities. The range of from formal, long established associations through to ad-hoc gatherings.

Starting Your Own Group

You can start your own group simply by getting one or more friends together and making a regular time, agreeing on a purpose and growing with what comes.

I was part of a writers group where we met up at the cafe by the art gallery once a month to talk about our individual writing projects. I was able to achieve my writing goals AND I got to regularly go to exhibitions, another to do action on my list.

It all came about from the suggestion of the writers workshop leader Jackie French, saying that those of us in the room could get together again to discuss writing. About half of us went with this idea and that led to our very informal group. We didn’t have a leader, we weren’t a registered association and we were each focused on different writing goals.

Friends Forming Supportive Creative Groups

I know of other similar groups that meet once or twice a month, about four to seven creatives from various disciplines who gather for a meal (at a cafe, pub or home) to talk through what they are focused on.

So for some, this is about building their sustainable creative business, for others it is about growing their art practice with works for entering exhibitions, while for others it is far more social.  

Finding the Creative Groups

There are a bundle of ways to unearth the creative groups that could bring light and joy into your life. Here are eight ideas to explore:

1. Get along to events such as artist led exhibitions, workshops, classes, open studios, galleries, retreats and in conversations you’ll find out what is happening around you. When it is an artist led event, you are much more likely to be able to connect with the local arts and crafts community.

2. Art societies and groups put on these sorts of events as well and many are really welcoming to visitors and new members.

3. You local Show, markets, fairs and festivals are great ways to find interesting creative groups. Just get in conversations with those who are staffing the stalls and you’ll be surprised by what is happening all around us.

4. Be part of online projects that are about celebrating and promoting local artists, makers, crafters, artisans, writers, designers, curators, illustrators and composers. They will have a list of groups and events to get along to. 

5. Sign up for newsletters that promote what is happening in the arts and crafts community with events news, profile stories of groups and artists, and projects.

6. Facebook pages and groups are great for connecting and finding out about gatherings, events, exhibitions, workshops.

7. Check out online platforms like Meetup or the Urbane Sketchers Facebook Group for the area that you want to do something at. For instance there is an Urban Sketchers group in both Launceston and Hobart.

8. Just about every art and craft practice has a Guild or state association, ranging from the CWA with their activities across handicrafts, cookery and environment, to the Launceston Art Society, to spinners and weavers guilds and more. All these groups are active and are tied into their creative community.

Promoting Your Creative Group

While many groups can find it difficult to promote their activities and attract new members, it can be the simple activities that make all the difference. And it comes down to just deciding to make something constructive and useful happen.

1. Use Social Media to Promote Your Creative Group

Facebook and Instagram can be ideal platforms for connecting with your creative audience. Facebook also allows for either Pages or Groups where you can publish posts about upcoming events like Friendship Days, exhibitions, workshops, classes, regular gatherings.

While there is a strong community of artists on Instagram, it is harder to share links, re-share posts etc. Both platforms have their benefits and challenges.

Your Posts

When you’re starting out, think through what sort of posts you want to share, eg. What the posts are about, think behind the scenes, member profiles, updates from regular gatherings, events etc.

Decide on a publishing frequency, maybe starting with one or two posts a week and testing out how well this works for your audience as well as your contributing members.

Images are Crucial

You may find it easier to have a standard image size and to use free tools like Canva to work up the graphics for your posts. Keep in mind, all posts need to have at least one graphic as text only posts are rarely looked at, let alone read.

When writing the content for your posts, make sure you respect your audience in using proper sentences, correct spelling and grammar and that the post is about your audience interests.

Benefits of Being Part of Creative Groups

Being part of a local creative group for artists, makers, crafters, and writers can offer numerous benefits:

1. Creative Networking

You can connect with fellow creatives, which can lead to collaborations, inspiration, and opportunities for growth. 

This is such an important part of belonging to your own community that get you, where you share common ground and can flourish.

2. Support Creative System

Being surrounded by like-minded individuals can provide emotional support, encouragement, and constructive feedback, which is invaluable for creative growth.

So much of a making time is spent in isolation, so when we take the opportunities to come together, to explore and support each other, we realise that we are part of a community.

And for those of us who are earning our living doing something that doesn’t feel creative to us, this coming together with folk who get our creative spirit can be where the light is in our week.

3. Creative Skill Enhancement

Members often share knowledge, techniques, and resources, which can help you improve your craft and learn new skills.

This is a joyful two way street, where you share what is natural or strong for you, or, new skills you’re bringing back from workshops or retreats, with others who are making their own offering.

4. Exposure and Promotion

Group activities such as exhibitions, fairs, or readings can provide exposure for your work and help you build an audience.

Even sharing your work in the lead up to events can be a great way to gain confidence, learn about what sort of questions are asked and learn about what other events are open to you.

5. Motivation and Accountability

Being part of a group can motivate you to stay focused on your creative pursuits and hold you accountable for your goals and deadlines.

This can be a great way to launch or grow projects. You’re not isolated, you may be working on initiatives that are different to each other but you have the common ground of the interest and the subject, with each bringing something unique to the table.

6. Creative Learning Opportunities

Many groups organise workshops, seminars, or guest speaker events, offering opportunities to learn from experienced professionals or experts in your field.

Group gatherings can also include attending exhibitions, sketching tours, or talks in different towns.

Constantly learning and growing amongst a friendly, supportive cohort of like minded individuals brings a lasting richness to life.

7. Creative Community Engagement

Participating in group activities can help you become more involved in your local community and contribute to its cultural scene.

There is a different sense of belonging when you’re regularly gathering with a creative pursuit at the heart of the activity than there is with once-off events. And it boils down to the sense of belonging to a community.

9. Shared Creative Resources

Members often share tools, materials, studio space, or equipment, reducing costs and increasing accessibility.

Groups can meet at member’s homes or chip in to pay for rent.

The group can buy tools and equipment, books and components as a collective.

While this is also an environmentally considerate approach, it means that members can get to try different methods and discover new passions.

10. Friendship and Camaraderie

Building friendships with fellow creatives can enrich your personal and professional life, providing a sense of belonging and camaraderie.

For many of us, our closest adult formed friendships flow out of coming together as a group.

I met one of my closest friends as a fellow exhibitor at the Tasmanian Craft Fair. Stall holders in each pavilion tend to see themselves as a family that comes together once a year.

We’re like a flock of lorikeets when we are bumping in on the Thursday, catching up with each others’ news from the year. And then, every once in a while, there’s one who becomes a bestie.

The same can happen in any regular work place or professional group too.

But in terms of a gathering of creative souls, being part of events run by groups is a joy.

Choosing to Explore your Creativity Through Creative Groups

Choosing to explore being part of a creative group that meets regularly can be the ideal way to bring more creativity into your daily life.

Opening Doors and Challenging Yourself Creatively

It can open doors for you artistically as well as personally, it can challenge you creatively and surprise you by the opportunities that flow through.

Different Groups for Different Times

Finding the right group for you can vary for so many reasons, from being in a transition period in your life, to getting along occasionally to a group’s events, to having the right gelling between personalities or even it filling a need for a limited time.

All of these experiences enrich our lives.

What’s Next…

I’ve been finding action lists really useful to allowing me to be on the paths that are important to me. So maybe you would too? This is about clarity and purpose rather than noisy To Do Lists!

• From here, make a list of 3 – 4 activities, ideas about being involved with arts and crafts groups that you would like to explore.
• Write down how you might like to explore these groups in a way that works for you.
• Look at your diary/planner/calendar and make a space for at least one or two times to checkout a group or their events. 
• Then give it a go.
• Review and adapt as needed.

The key is to be kind and gentle with yourself. Doing a little sometimes, is way more beneficial that beating yourself up needlessly.

Enjoy!

Discover our Artist members…

Getting Along to  Artist Led Events…

Read What Our Members Say About Belonging

Join the growing, supportive artists community today and have your Artist story told here.

Click here to learn more in our Members’ Hub.