If you’ve ever been to a CreativeMornings Charleston (CMC) lecture, you know that the free monthly event is worth getting up early for. It’s a chance to network with creative people, listen to a lecture from a local powerhouse and explore cool venues around town. Plus, a Friday morning that kicks off with free breakfast, coffee, live music and art-making sets up an inspiring vibe for the weekend.
With its next event on Sept. 20, CMC celebrates 10 years of early morning lectures in Charleston. Since 2014, CMC has seen 109 events, 11,000+ attendees, 10,000+ minutes of inspiration and 11,000+ cups of coffee consumed.
What it’s all about
CreativeMornings exists in 243 cities across 69 countries — it started in 2008 when graphic designer Tina Roth Eisenberg began the event series in New York City out of a desire to share ideas over breakfast with her creative community. The series was launched in Charleston in 2014 by artist Sophie Treppendahl who is now based in New Orleans.
The Charleston community gravitated toward the monthly events quickly, organizers said, and soon there was a dedicated team of volunteers making it happen, some of whom are still involved today.
Those original volunteers include current co-hosts, Cristy Armstrong and Sarah Williams-Scalise, a public relations professional and insurance agent, respectively, who said they are “so proud of what our volunteer team is able to create month after month.”
“The time, energy and effort is all for the people of Charleston,” Armstrong said. “It’s so worth it.”
The volunteer team finds local speakers to fit the monthly themes, which come from CreativeMornings Headquarters in New York. Plus, they bring in live music, directed by Abby Duran, and starting two years ago, visual artists, arranged by Daisy McClellan.
“Brittany Lavelle Tulla, a historic preservationist, was a recent highlight,” Armstrong said. “Probably one of my favorites of all time. Not only did she speak the month we got to choose the global theme, but she also focused on our city and home. “
Williams-Scalise said a highlight for her was the last event at Cannon Street Arts Center, when CreativeMornings team member Kyle Whitcroft’s band, The Tapedecks, performed as guests arrived. Musical performances in fact always kick off the event, and have included DJs, solo performers, bands, modern dancers, rappers, poets, spoken word artists and more.
Recent lecturers include Tonya M. Matthews, the CEO of the International African American Museum; Marcus Amaker, Charleston’s first poet laureate, who spoke about “embracing weird;” jazz musician Charlton Singleton; Ben Towill of Basic Projects, who spoke about his row across the ocean; Jonatan Guerrero Ramirez from We Are Family on what Pride means to him; and Sarah Frick, owner of The Works fitness studio, who gave a raw and emotional talk a few years ago. All of the past talks can be found online.
Paul Roof, a professor of sociology at the College of Charleston, was one of the first CMC speakers. He said that after seeing what the group offered to Charleston, he was inspired to join as a volunteer, and he’s worked with the team in some capacity ever since. “It’s great to have a morning event in town, especially on a Friday, that sets such a positive tone for the upcoming weekend.”
Get involved
Armstrong explained that the team at CMC gets together quarterly to go through requests and nominations for speakers — they’re always looking for local people making impacts on the community.
“We accept nominations from anyone. What we’re looking for is someone who is either making an impact, doing something really interesting or who we think would fit the theme and have it relate to their journey.”
Speakers cover their personal journey, their professional journey or some combination of the two, Armstrong said. “I love hearing about people’s stories and how they got to where they are. We hope that attendees leave thinking about something in a new way.”
The next event on Friday, Sept. 20, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. will be held at the Cannon Street Arts Center (134 Cannon St., downtown). Speakers Courtney and Michael Zentner, co-founders of The Drifter, will discuss this month’s theme: Reflection.
The event will feature a live musical performance from the orchestral group North Charleston POPS, and live art-making from painter and fiber artist Ester Araujo. Plus, The Drifter and Nothing Bundt Cakes will provide bites, and Counter Culture will offer free hot coffee. Guests are encouraged to bring their own mugs.
Armstrong said her goal as CMC moves into a new decade is to keep “creating an event that people want to attend.
“We’re really appreciative of the Charleston community for continuing to support our work, because we do put in a lot of effort. We’re all volunteers. We all have full time jobs and lives outside of this, and we come together to put on these monthly events because we love the people of Charleston. I’m just really grateful that people continue to be interested in what we’re doing.”
RSVP for the 8 a.m., Sept 20 event here. Up next: Oct. 20. Stay up to date with @creativemorningschs on Instagram.
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