NEW GROUP FOR PROFESSIONAL CREATIVES AIMS TO PROMOTE NETWORKING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Swimming In Social Media” Event Set for August 21
A new group has been formed to help creative professionals find ways to interact and learn from each other.
The Creative Kind was formed earlier this year by a group of designers, writers, web developers, design educators, and other creative professionals as a way to re-kindle some of the collaboration lost during the COVID pandemic. The group had its first open meeting in May, and has scheduled another for next Wednesday, August 21, at Meads Quarry in Ijams Nature Center.
“Since COVID, the professional creative community has lost opportunities to interact,” noted Cordelia Norris of Luna Creates, who along with Dan Lipe of Warner Bros. Discovery, spearheaded the formation of The Creative Kind. “Many of the professional associations we’ve enjoyed over the years stopped programming, and have yet to restart. There’s a void there.”
Norris said a group of about 10 people contributed to the formation of The Creative Kind, with the intent of giving professional creatives across a broad spectrum of disciplines a way to learn about each other and new developments.
Currently, The Creative Kind is still in a formative phase, and is inviting other creative minds to contribute to its mission and philosophy. A website (complete with a mildly tongue-in-cheek “manifesto”) has been posted: www.thecreativekind.org.
The group is open to anyone who uses creativity as a profession, including students who would like to build a career in a creative discipline.
“One very interesting point came up in our discussions,” Norris said. “2024 college graduates began their college careers during COVID, and for many, didn’t interact directly with other people much for a couple of years. What we’re seeing is that many have not learned personal networking and collaborating skills, which can be vital in our profession. So one of the reasons we started this group was to create an opportunity to develop those critical capabilities.”
For established creative professionals, the group provides the chance to re-acquaint themselves with colleagues they may not have seen since 2020. Programming will focus on education and professional development—and the fun of sharing and commiserating with what The Creative Kind calls “KINDred spirits.”
On August 21, the group is hosting a program, “Swimming Through Social Media,” at Meads Quarry at Ijams from 5:30-7:30 pm. Social media expert Holly Rainey from KEC will show people in a hands-on way, how to maximize the impact of their social media posts.
For the first hour, participants will be swimming, paddling, kayaking, or hiking at the quarry—and taking photos and videos of their adventures.
During the second hour, Rainey will guide everyone through creating content for social media using the photos and videos that were just shot.
Attending the event is free. Pizza and vessel rentals are also included, thanks to event sponsor, TEK Systems. There is a $5 parking charge at Meads Quarry.
To register, visit www.thecreativekind.org or The Creative Kind Facebook and Instagram pages, or follow this link: bit.ly/4dFPCHz.
