Creative Mornings
Something worth getting up early for
Ask me my favorite thing to do in the city. I will tell you to come with me to Creative Mornings (CM). This is a monthly breakfast meetup and a community for creative people. It's also for everyone; read their manifesto. As of the time of writing, CM has over 244 global chapters and has been running since 2008.
Personally, I’ve attended 15 talks since my first one in 2015. Their top-class website keeps track for you! I regret that I’ve never attended one outside my own city. I just never seem to be visiting places like Miami at exactly the right time of the month. I will say, that CM is something worth getting up early for – even when on vacation! So I still plan on visiting in more cities.
Memorable Talks #
Some of the most memorable talks I have seen are:
- Jad Abumrad talked about some lessons learned about storytelling and creativity on the radio.
- Spirituality with Casper ter Kuile was about reimagining spirituality. I liked it so much I bought and read the book.
- Giles Duley shared his photography practice in war zones and his own personal stories about being impacted by war.
- Kevin Huynh tells the story of being the first full-time employee at CM.
It's always great seeing Tina Roth Eisenberg do the introduction at the CM New York chapter almost every time I go. She brings such positive energy to everything she does. Also, there is always some kind of music performance at the beginning. It’s more than high-quality entertainment – CM is like a big hug for your brain and soul.
A Case Study #
CM is actually a case study in a book called Get Together. The lessons are similar to the way Kevin Huynh described how CM around the world get organized. CM has figured out community and how to make attendees feel special. The free coffee and breakfast are part of it. However, the main innovation is how they provide resources and production kits for their hosts and volunteers. They describe it as making an experience for their organizers. The attention to detail, generosity, and kindness is pervasive. That energy rubs off on everyone and I always meet a new friend at every event.
You may gather… I go for the talks, breakfasts, and people. I also go to learn how they organize such an amazing community.
The Nametags #
One small thing that captures CM approach is the name tags. Each one has a simple prompt to break the ice. Some examples include:
- What makes your spirits rise?
- I’m looking for…
- What is something you will never do?
- My entrance song would be:
- If you didn’t have to worry about your job or lack of time what personal project would you start?
- What is the one brand you can’t live without (apart from Apple)?
- Your name is a verb. What does it do?
- What’s your best piece of advice?
- I wish they could all be…
- If you could ask any artist to do your portrait/sculpture who would it be?
- If I had to live my life as a cartoon character/children's book character who would it be?
- If I made a documentary it would be about…
- I can teach you…
Let me know if you are going. I am just so fond of slipping out of work on a Friday morning. I will absolutely go with you.
