Open studio: a collective offsite for creative leaders
A full day for founders, strategists, creatives, and operators to step away from the constant pace of work and reconnect with bigger thinking.
Hosted by Erika Velazquez Alpern in Brooklyn, Open Studio is part strategic offsite, part creative reset, part collaborative working session. Designed for people building ambitious things, especially in environments that can often feel isolating.
Together, we’ll explore what it means to create, lead, and build in 2026 through conversation, reflection, strategy, and making.
Limited to 12 attendees to ensure depth of conversation and connection.
WHO IT’S FOR
Open Studio is designed for experienced builders and creative leaders navigating their next chapter of growth.
This includes:
Early-stage founders with initial traction and revenue
Independent creatives, consultants, and strategists with 10+ years of experience
CMOs, creative directors, and marketing leaders shaping forward-thinking brands
Operators and cultural builders working outside traditional structures
The attendee group is intentionally curated to create a room of thoughtful peers, generous conversation, and high-context collaboration.
You do not need to have a polished business or perfect answers to attend.
You simply need to be in a season of building, questioning, evolving, or expanding.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The day blends:
Strategic conversations
Collaborative working sessions
Facilitated reflection
Creative exercises
Space for connection
Hands-on making
Practical problem solving
You’ll leave with:
Clearer thinking around your next season of work
New collaborators and peers
Fresh creative energy
Dedicated time to think about your business and ideas
Actionable insights from collective strategy sessions
THE EXPERIENCE
8:30am – 10:00am
Arrival, Breakfast + Coffee
Ease into the day with breakfast, coffee, conversation, and optional reflection prompts.
10:00am – 10:45am
Welcome + Grounding Practice
Facilitated by strategist and Dance Movement Therapist Eliza Fish, this opening session is designed to help attendees transition out of the pace of everyday work and fully arrive into the space.
10:45am – 11:45am
Fireside Conversation
What Does It Mean to Be Creative in 2026?
A collaborative discussion exploring creativity, ambition, technology, burnout, authorship, and building meaningful work in a rapidly shifting landscape.
11:45am – 12:30pm
Collaborative Breakout Sessions
Work through ideas, challenges, and projects alongside fellow attendees through guided small-group sessions.
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Roundtable Lunch
A shared lunch designed for deeper conversation and connection.
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Collective Hot Seats
Bring a challenge, roadblock, or strategic question to the table for facilitated group problem solving and feedback.
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Art Break: Pinch Pot Workshop
A tactile creative session focused on making without optimization.
No experience required.
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Future Mapping Workshop
A guided strategic reflection session focused on where you’re headed next, what you want to build toward, and what may need to shift to get there.
4:30pm – 5:30pm
Open Studio Sessions
Optional 1:1 strategy sessions with Erika, quiet working time, or continued conversation with the group.
6:00pm
Closing Dinner at Popina
An intimate family-style dinner to end the day together.
Location to be shared prior to
A full day for founders, strategists, creatives, and operators to step away from the constant pace of work and reconnect with bigger thinking.
Hosted by Erika Velazquez Alpern in Brooklyn, Open Studio is part strategic offsite, part creative reset, part collaborative working session. Designed for people building ambitious things, especially in environments that can often feel isolating.
Together, we’ll explore what it means to create, lead, and build in 2026 through conversation, reflection, strategy, and making.
Limited to 12 attendees to ensure depth of conversation and connection.
WHO IT’S FOR
Open Studio is designed for experienced builders and creative leaders navigating their next chapter of growth.
This includes:
Early-stage founders with initial traction and revenue
Independent creatives, consultants, and strategists with 10+ years of experience
CMOs, creative directors, and marketing leaders shaping forward-thinking brands
Operators and cultural builders working outside traditional structures
The attendee group is intentionally curated to create a room of thoughtful peers, generous conversation, and high-context collaboration.
You do not need to have a polished business or perfect answers to attend.
You simply need to be in a season of building, questioning, evolving, or expanding.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The day blends:
Strategic conversations
Collaborative working sessions
Facilitated reflection
Creative exercises
Space for connection
Hands-on making
Practical problem solving
You’ll leave with:
Clearer thinking around your next season of work
New collaborators and peers
Fresh creative energy
Dedicated time to think about your business and ideas
Actionable insights from collective strategy sessions
THE EXPERIENCE
8:30am – 10:00am
Arrival, Breakfast + Coffee
Ease into the day with breakfast, coffee, conversation, and optional reflection prompts.
10:00am – 10:45am
Welcome + Grounding Practice
Facilitated by strategist and Dance Movement Therapist Eliza Fish, this opening session is designed to help attendees transition out of the pace of everyday work and fully arrive into the space.
10:45am – 11:45am
Fireside Conversation
What Does It Mean to Be Creative in 2026?
A collaborative discussion exploring creativity, ambition, technology, burnout, authorship, and building meaningful work in a rapidly shifting landscape.
11:45am – 12:30pm
Collaborative Breakout Sessions
Work through ideas, challenges, and projects alongside fellow attendees through guided small-group sessions.
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Roundtable Lunch
A shared lunch designed for deeper conversation and connection.
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Collective Hot Seats
Bring a challenge, roadblock, or strategic question to the table for facilitated group problem solving and feedback.
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Art Break: Pinch Pot Workshop
A tactile creative session focused on making without optimization.
No experience required.
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Future Mapping Workshop
A guided strategic reflection session focused on where you’re headed next, what you want to build toward, and what may need to shift to get there.
4:30pm – 5:30pm
Open Studio Sessions
Optional 1:1 strategy sessions with Erika, quiet working time, or continued conversation with the group.
6:00pm
Closing Dinner at Popina
An intimate family-style dinner to end the day together.
Location to be shared prior to