We felt a burst of energy finding out more about creative community Creative Babes Club from founder, creator and BA (Hons) Textiles & Surface Design graduate Alice Toth. Alice, who created the project during her postgraduate degree, decided to create an online and in real life community as a way to encourage honest conversation, support others and seek openness within the artistic industry.

Through conversation, workshops, pop-ups and more Alice and her club seek to connect with other independent creatives, foster community and encourage people to just do it! Read on to find out more:

What is your name, age and where are you from?
I’m Alice! I’m 26 years old and I am from Teesside, in the North East of England! I am the one woman team and founder of Creative Babes Club! The Creative Babes Club is a creative community – online and IRL – that, through open, honest conversations, pop-up markets and community events, help creatives and small business owners feel less alone and more seen, supported and celebrated! In the less glossy, more crappy parts of being a creative, being your own boss and running your own business. Also known to the Creative Babes Club as, the ‘Juggles, struggles and joys’.

Tell us how you started your Creative Babes Club!
In 2019, I created the creative community that I craved myself as a post graduate. Through most of my creative degree and once I had graduated, I felt alone as a creative and “stuck”: unsure what I wanted to do, be, create. I was full of self doubt, inner criticism, comparison (and all of the rest). I looked at the creatives and businesses around me – all at different stages, in different industries, with different niches, different skills, design styles, products (you name it) and I would compare. I’d look at my uni class mates, strangers on the internet … everyone seemingly had their sh*t together.

Though, I know now though that the reality of being a creative and running a business is not all success, sell-outs and milestones… and everyone goes through the same doubts, thoughts and feelings at some point. At the time, though, I hadn’t a clue. I thought I was alone, stuck and “behind” where I should be. Rewind to social media in 2017-18, it was more “perfection”, “aesthetic” and “glossy” than ever. I craved honesty. I wanted to hear fellow creatives talk about what didn’t go according to plan. To know that I wasn’t the only one “winging it” or “half arsing” or “failing”. That it was okay to not know what I was blooming doing or how I was going to do it or where my creativity and career would take me. I wanted to feel seen in my own ‘Juggles, struggles and joys’ and I wanted others to not feel alone in theirs, either. My dream is for creatives to read my captions, hear my story and experiences, see my content at the Creative Babes Club and listen to my open conversations with other creative babes and be like “OMG LITERALLY SAME”. Did I know as a post graduate that I would be where I am in my business today? No. Am I still learning and growing and making mistakes along the way? Yes.

Tell us about your vision board making?
I have loved collage ever since “cutting and sticking” as a kid in my arts and crafts basket and throughout my creative degree, this love translated to concept boards, marketing and visual research — and my SKETCHBOOKS (faves).

When I graduated, I let this love go to the wayside as the day-to-day realities came into play. With the occasional afternoon of sketchbook-ing here and there. Until, I dived into Vision board making – collages of collated images that represent your goals, wishes, dreams, ambitions etc. A collage lovers dream. I began to explore vision boarding as a way to think about and visualise my goals and dreams for the Creative Babes Club – also, life in general – and I have found them SO beneficial. Not only do I find the collaging mega therapeutic and mindful, vision boarding also allows you to give yourself permission and dedicated time to concentrate on what YOU ACTUALLY WANT for your life, business, relationships, dreams, etc. With zero ifs, buts or outside noise.

I want to bring the magic and creative therapy of vision board making to you! And so, I have created my own Vision board making workshops with the Creative Babes Club. A chance to meet likeminded creatives, take a moment of reflection and calm for yourself and CREATE.

Let us know about your Pop-ups?
My Pop-up markets and community events are a way for the Creative Babes Club to help creatives feel less alone and more seen, supported and celebrated – which all began with my debut Pop-up, in person market in November, 2019. It was a Christmassy day, with a hall full of creatives, small businesses and independent brands – along with likeminded shoppers and many hot chocolates! Festive! 2020 then came along and my Spring Pop-up market had to be postponed, then cancelled.

Fast forward to summer 2020, I decided to take the Pop-ups online, which became the #creativebabesclubonlinemarket on our Instagram page and website. I was overwhelmed (in the best way) at how quickly and amazingly my virtual events took off! The Creative Babes Club online markets became a monthly celebration, across two national UK lockdowns and a somewhat-cancelled Christmas … and soon enough I had virtually-met, worked with and showcased hundreds of small and independent brands and creative babes. 500+ to date!

Now, as we have been transitioning into a more “normal”, post-social distancing world, I am taking the Creative Babes Club from online to IRL. In person Pop-ups, makers markets and events are coming! 

If you would like to be a part of the Creative Babes Club community, discover our upcoming Pop-ups and events, or apply to be a creative babes stall holder – you can visit my website (www.creativebabesclub.co.uk) to do so! Everyone is a member!

Any advice for creatives starting out?

Start, just start! Don’t wait for “perfection”, it’ll never come. You glow as you grow! Don’t wait or ask for permission. Don’t wait until you are “business ready”, until your branding is “Pinterest-worthy” or you have X amount of followers on social media (side note: followers don’t always = sales/clients!) The longer you wait until you are “ready”, the more time you’ll be wasting to go after your thing. Your dream job, your dream client, dream customer, dream collaboration… You don’t have to be 100% ready – I’m not entirely sure that’s even a thing. Your creativity, your thing, is meant to be in the world.

Also, don’t be afraid to work part time (or full time) or move back home, whilst you figure things out, save money and look for a creative job/start your own business. I worked part time in retail as a postgrad and as I started and built up the Creative Babes Club – it was a big financial help and allowed me to experiment and learn with less pressure money-wise. Nobody is on the same time line as you! Do you, for you, in your time.

What degree did you study?
I graduated from Northern School of Art – known as CCAD at the time – in 2017, with my BA (Hons) Textiles and Surface Design degree.

How was the Northern School of Art special for you?
My experience as a creative degree student and post graduate of Northern School of Art completely lead me on the path to my business and lifestyle, today. Looking back, I have learnt to just go for it – whatever sparks that excitement in you – you never know where it will take you. Or who is watching.

You can catch up with what’s happening with Creative Babes Club online at www.creativebabesclub.co.uk, email creativebabesclub@outlook.com Or head to Instagram @creativebabesclub