Creative Tribe Workshop founder Theresa Delaney has her eye on Phoenix.
And a few other cities.
The creative community started having workshops in Tucson in September 2015 and moved into its airy space downtown at 236 S. Scott Ave. in October 2016.
Now Delaney is taking her model north.
On Thursday, May 18, Creative Tribe will host its first workshop outside of Tucson — a saguaro embroidery workshop at a funky Tempe hotel.
On the Creative Tribe website, you can suggest where you'd like to see the next pop-up workshop. That's what got Delaney dreaming of exporting Creative Tribe in the first place: People started asking her to come.
"My vision for expanding to other cities definitely would start the same way we started in Tucson, where our focus has been on putting down roots in the creative community and trying to integrate into what's already happening here," Delaney, 24, says.
She hopes that the Phoenix workshop will be the first of many. She's cautious to say it but hopeful: She'd like to see Creative Tribe organizing workshops in four cities by the end of 2017.
Tucson. Phoenix. And pop-up workshops in two cities still undecided.
Creative Tribe recently hosted a workshop on hand lettering with Modern Aquarian.
Although she sees makers and entrepreneurs hosting workshops in other cities, Delaney thinks there is space for the Creative Tribe model.
"We're not targeting exclusively entrepreneurs or moms or students or whoever it may be," she says. "I really love that our audience is a mix of people from different places and careers and home lives and all of these things. That's what different."
Delaney started Creative Tribe in Tucson to give women especially a place to connect comfortably and learn creatively, two skills Delaney believes we are losing in our digital era.
"It's human instinct to know how thing work and use our hands," she says. "Creative Tribe is a way for people to reconnect with that and indulge creativity more, which makes them better thinkers and people who in turn can help the city grow."
To expand, Delaney will have to do the groundwork in each city herself to make sure her vision stays consistent. But down the road she envisions hiring hosts in each city.
She won't say yet where she's looking.
"I really want to look at cities with a similar growing creative culture to Tucson," she says. "Something special is happening in Tucson right now with the creative spirit and community growing here with young creative professionals. We're looking at cities with something similar going on."
Join the tribe
Register for one of these upcoming Creative Tribe Workshops. Stay in Tucson or make a road trip out of it.
Saguaro Embroidery Workshop
By: Kate Hughes.
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 18.
Where: Graduate Tempe, 225 E. Apache Blvd. in Tempe.
Cost: $29. Materials included.
Succulent and Air Plant Terrarium Workshop
By: Kalyn Caballero of Palm + Pine Design Co.
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 21.
Where: 236 S. Scott Ave.
Cost: $49. All materials included.
Yoga + Essential Oils Wellness Workshop
By: Anndrea Terry, a self care life coach and yoga teacher.
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 3.
Where: 236 S. Scott Ave.
Cost: $39. Materials included, but bring your own yoga mat!
Shooting In Manual: Digital Photography Workshop
By: Nieves Montaño, photographer.
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 15.
Where: 236 S. Scott Ave.
Cost: $45. Materials included. Bring your own camera.
