The Power of Community in Creative Coworking Spaces
October 25, 2024
Blog
In a world where 35% of creative professionals are freelancers, isolation is common. Coworking spaces are stepping up to fill the need for human connection. It’s little wonder that the demand for these community-oriented spaces that foster creativity and collaboration has seen such an exponential rise.
According to Harvard Business Review, people thrive in coworking spaces for three primary reasons:
- They are more likely to see their work as meaningful
- They have more control over their job and their work life
- They feel they are a part of a community
Being a part of a broader community supports the health and wellbeing of everyone, but it can be particularly beneficial for creative professionals. Community can help generate new ideas, provide emotional support, and even build essential skills in aspiring artists and creatives.
Furthermore, being part of a creative community offers access to shared resources — whether it’s equipment, workspace, or expertise — allowing creatives to thrive without the full capital outlay required to pursue their work independently.
In this article, we’ll discuss why building community is so essential for artists, designers, and writers alike, as well as a few actionable tips to help you build community in your creative coworking space.
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The unique needs of creative professionals
35% of creative professionals work in a freelance capacity which is almost three times higher than the freelance rate in other industries. This means creative professionals are more likely to face challenges in their work life related to:
- Feelings of isolation: 70% of freelancers have reported feeling lonely or isolated at work. Many creatives, including artists, writers, designers, and makers work in solitary environments, which can compound these feelings of isolation.
- Lack of collaboration opportunities: Working alone doesn’t leave a lot of opportunity for collaboration and growth opportunities. This can be particularly beneficial for artists who thrive with new and creative ways of thinking.
Coworking is in a position to help address both of these issues for creative professionals by cultivating community.
Learn how Optix can help you automate your creative coworking space
The role of community in creative coworking spaces
When it comes to community in creative coworking spaces, here are a few benefits unique to creative professionals.
Community provides feedback and inspiration
For creative professionals, being part of a community is like adding fuel to the creative fire. Engaging with diverse minds sparks opportunities for feedback, fresh perspectives, and collaborative growth.
And the benefits don’t stop there: this collaborative environment nurtures creativity, as creative types draw inspiration and energy from those around them. For the 70% of freelancers who report feelings of isolation, coworking offers the perfect remedy — creating connections that dissolve loneliness and foster a sense of belonging.
Community offers emotional support and shared understanding
Art can be a deeply personal and emotional endeavor, and creative professionals may face struggles such as creative blocks or self-doubt.
A community provides emotional support and a space where these challenges are understood, offering encouragement and camaraderie from those with similar experiences.
Community can open up new career opportunities
For many artists, community is essential for networking and gaining exposure. Collaborations, exhibitions, and shared projects often arise from relationships within a community, providing platforms for artists to showcase their work and reach new audiences.
Community can help to build essential skills
Especially in fields where resources (like studio space, equipment, or materials) are expensive or scarce, a community allows artists to pool resources, share tools, and learn from one another.
These shared spaces allow for skill exchange and collaboration, which can be critical for artistic development.
How to cultivate community in your creative coworking space
1. Host events based on what your members are interested in
Events are a key part of a lot of coworking owner and operator’s community building strategy because they are so good at bringing people together. The challenge lies in finding an event that people are interested in attending, at a time where people are able to attend.
That’s why we always recommend asking your members via a member survey to better understand what they’re interested in.
Event ideas in a creative coworking space might include:
- Writer’s workshops where writers can share a piece of writing they’re working on
- Learning a new skill like watercolor painting or audio engineering
- Thursday night happy hours featuring local food and drinks,
- Keynote speaking spots from local artists
2. Build a digital community
Community doesn’t have to be restricted to the four walls of your coworking space. You can foster community no matter where your members are by building a digital community that can be accessed on any device.
Beautifully designed and easy-to-use coworking space software like Optix can help to create your community online with:
- A Member Directory so members can see who else is in the community and what their skills are — be it a master woodworker or an interior designer
- Direct Messaging between members to help them connect with one another and build deeper relationships
- A Community Feed to broadcast some of the most exciting announcements to your community, whether it’s a new member joining or an upcoming event
Complimenting the community building efforts in your physical space with an online digital community can help you support more creative professionals regardless of where they are.
3. Create moments of “serendipity” in your space design
A great way to spark conversation between members and start to build a natural sense of community is by designing your coworking space so that it allows for moments of serendipitous meetings. Think of those water cooler chats — simple meetings that happen spontaneously throughout the day — and consider how you can create more of them.
Mitchell Purdy, Founder at Suite Genius, designed his space to have big, open kitchens where members could come during the day and naturally run into other members. They also serve as a great central place for happy hours and other community gatherings.
Mariska Morse, Co-founder at Salon22, intentionally designed their women-focused coworking space so that there were no private offices or private nooks. The space itself is meant to help generate the kind of conversations that spark connections between members.
4. Build connections with the local creative community
Coworking spaces, especially those located in rural communities, are evolving into economic development hubs that are serving the broader community. With this in mind, consider how you can connect with the local creative community in your area to help build meaning and purpose beyond your space.
Reach out to a local artists workshop or writers circle and invite them to use your space. Or perhaps host an exhibition in your coworking space open to local artists in your area. Consider how you can integrate the community that you’re building with the broader artist community.
You could even take this one step further by attending local events together with the local creative community. Look for artist meet-ups and suggest post-event happy hour drinks to discuss takeaways and key learnings.
Start building community in your creative space today
Community building is both an art and a science. But with this practical advice, we hope you’ll be well on your way to building a strong, inspired community of creative professionals in your coworking space.
Consider how coworking software like Optix can support you in engaging your creative community and creating a better member experience, be it by connecting members through direct messaging or streamlining the booking experience. With creative coworking space clients around the world, we’re proud to power these spaces with a beautiful and intuitive platform.
