co-create — nights & weekends
Co-create is a 12–14 week sprint residency for young people (18–35) who want to take their ideas from spark to something real. it happens at the social commons, our shared creative base for young people in the Gold Coast/SE Queensland region & NSW Northern Rivers areas.
this is not a class. not a pop-up workshop. not another line on your cv.
this is about carving out evenings and weekends to build work that actually matters, with others who are tired of waiting for permission
why nights & weekends
most residencies ask you to pause life — quit your job, step out of study, leave everything behind, but most of us can’t, and honestly, we shouldn’t have to
co-create is built for the in-between hours: 3–6 hours a week, mostly on nights and weekends. it’s about steady rhythm, not burnout. you bring what you’ve got when you can, and the structure holds you
outside those sprint sessions, members can use the social commons anytime: the co-working zones, studios, café, or garden, so your project doesn’t just live in the program — it breathes in the space
the program includes
co create is more than weekly sprints — it’s a residency threaded with different types of gatherings and events that keep momentum alive
weekly sprint sessions — evenings of focused work + accountability
peer learning labs — small group feedback circles, honest and direct
creative seminars — conversations on ai, ethics, wellbeing, and sustainable creative lives
open studio hours — informal time to jam, test, co-work, or just sit with the work
music + media nights — live performances, screenings, listening sessions
exhibitions + showcases — public-facing share-outs of projects in progress
community roundtables — open forums on culture, civic life, and creative futures
every week has a rhythm — build, share, reflect, repeat
focus areas & creative vectors
projects inside co create move through six creative directions we call vectors — they’re not boxes, they’re orientations — ways to situate your work inside a bigger map of culture.
creative connection + collaboration — trust, dialogue, emotional infrastructure
innovation + economic resilience — ai literacy, coding, digital fluency, new models of making a living
visual storytelling + web culture — art, design, interactivity, narratives across screens
creative business + strategy — branding, audience design, sustainable economies
music, performance + events — sound, touring, festivals, and independent live ecosystems
motion, screen + immersive media — film, tv, vfx, xr, and hybrid storytelling
sustainable architecture + agriculture — regenerative building and food systems: passive energy housing, modular green design, recycled + bio-based materials, vertical farming, aquaponics hubs, agroforestry, and climate-resilient food projects that link ecology, community, and creativity
Activity cycle
one lecture/lab
one creative deliverable (prototype, video, draft, artifact)
one public share (social post, open studio, demo)
one peer check-in (cluster call, weekend jam, feedback circle)
3–6 hours a week — enough to move forward, flexible enough to live your life
sprint structure — 12–14 weeks
phase 1: grounding + direction (weeks 0–2)
week 0 — arrive + align → orientation, clusters, intentions week 1 — find the thread → land your idea + frame it clearly week 2 — build to discover → create a playful prototype
phase 2: feedback + refinement (weeks 3–5)
week 3 — invite response → share publicly + gather honest feedback week 4 — let it shift → adapt based on real input week 5 — shape the story → clarify message + offer
phase 3: depth + collaboration (weeks 6–8)
week 6 — pause + deepen → reflect, reset, sharpen week 7 — open the circle → collaborate across disciplines week 8 — show your thinking → make your process visible
phase 4: build + sustain (weeks 9–12)
week 9 — build the bones → set up systems + workflows week 10 — make the offer → finalise position your project week 11 — test + strengthen → polish and prepare phase 5: closing + carrying forward (weeks 12–14) week 12 — mark the moment → demo day + community showcase weeks 13–14 (optional extension) → scaling, funding, long-term sustainability
who it’s for
age: 18–35
where: northern rivers + gold coast, with online access nationwide
disciplines: artists, musicians, designers, technologists, educators, organisers
stage: idea-stage or mvp-ready
commitment: nights + weekends, honesty, willingness to share in progress
membership fees + support
every contribution goes straight into sustaining the co create program, supporting facilitators, maintaining our space, and making sure young people can afford to be part of it.
what membership makes possible
full participation in the co create sprint (12 weeks): weekly sessions, labs, showcases
shared use of the social commons: co-working areas, studios, café, and garden
peer learning labs, open studio nights, creative seminars, and roundtables
event support from mentors, coordinators, and community hosts
low-cost community gatherings: music nights, exhibitions, open mics, civic forums
access to digital tools and visibility through residents desk
the long-term sustainability of a permanent cultural space for 18–35 year olds in the region
membership options
one sprint — 12 weeks → $240
join for a full sprint cycle (3 months) | commons access during and between sessions | present your work at demo day
two sprints — 24 weeks (6 months) → $480
two back-to-back sprint cycles | continuous commons access between sprints | opportunity to grow one project deeper or start something new
yearly — four sprints — 48 weeks → $1,100
a full year of sprints (four total) | year-round access to the commons | priority for residencies, showcases, and partner programs
membership isn’t just access — it’s a way of investing in your practice while helping sustain the shared infrastructure that holds it.
what you’ll leave with
a finished, shareable, usable, sellable project or early stage product
creative fluency: skills in coding, storytelling, strategy, and collaboration
a trusted community of peers who’ve seen you grow
access to the commons co-working space beyond the sprint
pathways into residencies, collaborations, paid work, and future programs
a practice of building in public and asking for real feedback
closing
co create is not about polish — it’s about presence
not about hype — about belonging
if you’ve been holding an idea and waiting for the right moment — this is it.
bring your evenings. bring your weekends. bring your voice.
together, at the social commons, we’ll build what’s missing.
