WE'RE BUILDING A CREATIVE SERVICES BUSINESS NETWORK & COOPERATIVE ACROSS THE ARTS DISCIPLINES!

“Triangle Creative Professionals” is a support business group local to the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, RTP & nearby communities in North Carolina.

Group Focus:

• This group is geared towards supporting Creative Professional Entrepreneurs and Building Creative Community in the Greater Triangle, NC
• Mixing creative disciplines brings a new dimension to brainstorming.  Though we all specialize in our own areas, a painter can bring a different viewpoint to a writer, a musician can connect well with a dancer, a dancer can inspire a painter, perspective is captured by the photographer (and so on).
• Those who pursue income from creative passions have similar challenges, business competitors, and desire to gain our share of the public market.  We all want our creative expressions to be valued.  Our creative disciplines are our passions, but we realistically have to make a living.
• Artists, Musicians, Writers, Crafters, Dancers, Actors, Photographers & Videographers, and other creative professionals can benefit from a supportive environment to brainstorm & collaborate.
• If you are thinking about a career in the arts or planning or conducting an arts-based business, this group is for you.
•  If you are a creative person not actively pursuing income from your creative passions, come network with like-minded others who understand the challenges of being a creative person and can help you keep your creative spark alive.  Your experience may also be valuable to those just starting out.

Member Dues are Voluntary:

• $10 dues are assessed on joining and renewed every January.
• Dues helps offset fees charged to the organizer bi-annually by Meetup.com
• Dues Supplement costs (time and financial) of planning meetings, communicating with the membership,  and maintaining the Meetup web presence.
• These are also backup funds for Meetup location security deposits when required.
• Dues show commitment from the members and prompts members to take responsibility for their own group experience
• They prompt higher level of involvement in the community and its growth
• Paid members are considered "Supporters", and have special priveleges.

(*Unpaid members will remain listed as "General Members", but do not have paid member priveleges.)

Meetings/Events:

• Monthly meeting dates are already scheduled.   
• Meetings focus on various aspects of doing creative business, some collaborating activities, networking, socializing, and support between members.  Sometimes we just sit and chat.
• Items of interest are added to the calendar.  These include member planned activities/shows/open houses, outside showcase opportunities, and events around the Triangle that have a creative focus.
• We try to patronize the merchants who offer free locations for our meetings. 
• We will be charging a fee for most events.  "Supporters" pay a lower or no fee.
• You must be a member of our group to RSVP for an event.  However, members are allowed to invite non-member guests with the permission of the organizer.  Non-members also pay event fees at the "Gemeral Member" price.

Benefits of Membership:

• Paid members get to advertise their creative business/service/activities on the group's site page as a sponsor and in the event calendar. 
• We can mentor each other and work together as an organization to build business for all of us across the creative professional disciplines.
• Paid members will also have free access to member pages at www.creativetalentedpeople.com as the pages are added.  (Creative Talented People is a fairly new web entity that promotes the sales of products & services by the creative professional community starting in the Triangle area.)
• Make use of the network by exploring relationships & collaborations with other members
• Enjoy outside perks & discounts from your Meetup sponsor.
• Share ideas in the discussion/message boards with related topics posted on our site. 
• Member input is encouraged!  Please e-mail the organizer directly with ideas, questions, or concerns.

Goals/Visions:

• There is no limit to what our minds can do...
• Individually become more confident, independent, and self-sustaining with our creative projects
• Form smaller creative groups between members in different disciplines to collaborate on projects
• Set up group businesses or foundations, or a centralized business to benefit all concerned
• Grow and earn income cooperatively instead of competitively.
• Participate or host creative trade shows & showcases
• Sponsor & maintain a retail outlet for member creations
• Promote creativity in the community for both educational appreciation of creative arts and for building creative skills in those with little opportunity to explore them

This Meetup group has meetings scheduled monthly. 

Visit the Meetup Website for more information.