The Creative Pact: A Creative Practice Community
The Creative Pact: A Creative Accountability Community
Mission
To create a supportive community where artists commit to showing up regularly and imperfectly for their creative practice, using structured accountability and collective witnessing to transform ideas into completed projects.
Vision
A world where creativity is treated as an ongoing practice rather than a pursuit of perfection—where artists consistently engage with their work, experiment freely, and build creative confidence through cyclical creation and community support.
At the end of each cycle, we collectively organize an Art Show & Party to showcase and celebrate our work.
Goals
Guide participants through all four phases of the creative act as detailed in Rick Rubin's The Creative Act : A Way of Being (Seeds, Experimentation, Crafting, Completion) over a two-month cycle
Foster mutual accountability through bi-weekly gatherings where creators work alongside community members who act as "creative witnesses"
Help artists shift focus from outcome to process, embracing experimentation and imperfection
Celebrate completed work through collective exhibitions that mark the end of each cycle
Build an energetic, dedicated community that makes creativity a sustainable way of being
Co-create the final event: an Art Show & Party to showcase & celebrate all our amazing work
“Living life as an artist is a practice.
You are either engaging in the practice
or you’re not.
It makes no sense to say you’re not good at it.
It’s like saying, “I’m not good at being a monk.”
You are either living as a monk or you’re not.
We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output.
The real work of the artist
is a way of being in the world.”
― Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Location
The workshops take place at JD's cozy loft in Riverdale. Specific location and instructions will be sent once you're signed up. There will also be a Zoom link for people joining remotely.
Art Show/Party Location: TBD
Cost
$30 per workshop (x5 workshops totals to $150 for the series) - Option to try the first one and then decide if you want to continue. If the price is a barrier for you, please let me know and I will accommodate you!
Agenda
We meet on Sundays, bi-weekly (except for a 3-week break in between Phases 2 & 3 for the holidays)
1:30 pm: Arrive & get settled
2:00 pm: Lecture & group discussion on the Creative Phase
2:30 pm: 1st Focused co-working session (45min)
3:15 pm: 10-minute break
3:25 pm: 2nd Focused co-working session (45min)
4:15 pm: Break out into small groups & debrief on how session went, what came up, opportunity to show & tell
4:35 pm: EAT & socialize
Schedule
Our workshop series comprises five group sessions, one for each Creative Phase (Seeds, Experimentation, Crafting, Completion) and one optional Art Show planning session. At the end, we will hold a co-created Art Show/Party to showcase and celebrate!
Phase 1: Seeds (Dec 7, 2025)
In the Seeds Phase, we gather all “seeds” of ideas and refrain from judging our ideas. We aim to for quantity, not quality, and treat all seeds as having equal potential.
Phase 2 : Experimentation (Dec 14, 2025)
In Experimentation, we explore different directions for the seeds. Try everything. Follow your feelings (and your excitement) as you observe the directions in which the seeds want to grow.
Phase 3: Crafting (Jan 4, 2026)
In the Crafting Phase, we bring more focus into the work by making concrete decisions. Up to this point, we were letting ourselves be guided by the work. In Crafting, we start to bring more elements of ourselves into the project.
Phase 4: Completion (Jan 18, 2026)
In the Completion Phase, we focus more on getting other perspectives, and using those perspectives to refine our project. Finally, we release our project into the world, relinquishing control over it.
Optional: Art Show Planning Session (Jan 25, 2026)
The Art Show/Party is a collaborative effort. During the planning session, we will discuss logistics and assign tasks leading up to the exhibition.
If you want to wish to contribute, this can be a very fun and rewarding part of the process. There will be lots to do leading up to the show (i.e. putting up flyers, spreading the word, making signs) as well as on the day (i.e. welcoming guests, ensuring food and drinks are replenished, cleaning up)
Finally: Art Show & Party (Saturday Feb 7 or 14, 2026)
It’s time to celebrate and share our work with friends, family, and strangers. This will be our second cohort and we hope this can be an ongoing, cyclical series that fosters a tight-knit community of passionate creatives.
FAQs:
Q: What types of projects are accepted?
A: Most project types are accepted, provided they can be worked on without disturbing others working in the same space (i.e. in relative silence).
We are looking for variety, so we encourage you to work in whatever medium or project type excites you the most. Your project could be deeply personal or eventually public-facing; anything from an idea you want to explore to a business plan you want to launch. (Bonus points if it's something you've always wanted to do, but have felt scared or unsure where to start!)
Some examples include: a stand-up comedy set, a piece of music, a novel, a recipe, a zine, a DJ set, a painting, a choreography, a piece of clothing, a website, a business plan.
Q: What if I miss a session?
A: Finishing a creative project takes commitment. We ask that if you are signing up, please make sure you can attend 3 out of 4 of the Creative Phase sessions (exceptions will be made only for extenuating circumstances). Also, please be on time and try to stay for the duration of the workshop. If you miss more than one sessions, you may not be able to participate in the Art Show at the end.
Q: What does it cost to join?
$30 commitment fee per workshop ($150 in total), which you can transfer to [email protected]. This helps cover meals during workshops, space rental, and creation + facilitation of the workshops, as well as other costs (website, operation, etc.)