Calling all early bird creatives to Coffee Chats in University City

The early bird gets connected. A new series of early-morning flash talks and conversations with Philadelphia’s creative leaders starts Monday, June 30 in a series called Creative Café Coffee Chats.

The meetings, a joint venture between Replica Creative and Young Involved Philadelphia (YIP), take place from 8 to 9am on the last Monday of each month at University City’s Creative Café @ Replica. The chats feature three- to five-minute flash talks from four industry innovators, followed by 20 minutes of conversation.

The Creative Café @ Replica, a design/print and coffee shop in a combined space, is in the heart of the University City Science Center. Its aim is to redefine the interaction between creative people and customers. YIP works to make the city the premier place for the next generation of young leaders.

The theme of the inaugural Coffee Chat is “The Face and Future of Philadelphia’s Creative Economy,” which will explore “who’s leading the charge and how their work is positively impacting Philadelphia,” organizers say.

The featured speakers will discuss the issues and advances in Philly’s creative economy, their creative approaches, and their current and upcoming projects. They are Erica Hawthorne of Small but Mighty Arts and Campus Philly; Maori Holmes, founder of the BlackStar Film Festival; Tayyib Smith, publisher of Two.One.Five Magazine and founder of Little Giant Creative; and Thaddeus Squire, founder of CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia.

Squire’s organization provides a platform for sharing space, technology, and expert human resources “rented” out in different packages and portions by individual artists, curators, and producers in music, dance, theater, visual arts, design, architecture, film, and other media. The organization also supports the history and heritage community, including museums, historic sites, collections, libraries, journalism, and the humanities. At the first Chat, he’ll be discussing what his nonprofit does, how and why, and what projects are ongoing.

He’s familiar with Replica, where the Chats will be held, and is excited about the connection participating can bring because he understands the “benefits of belonging to a broader community,” he said. He thinks the Chats will be valuable.

“It’s always good to be fostering relationships, even if it’s just updating people on things,” he said. “I know all the other presenters, but I don’t necessarily know what everybody’s up to. This is a great way to improve communications.”

Squire’s also looking forward to feedback and audience interaction.

“Hearing people’s questions, other ideas, and people’s reactions to them helps us to understand our market better,” he said. “We also learn how we can communicate and get the word out. I’m hopeful it will be a mutual learning process.”

Upcoming Chats will explore topics within government, education, and arts and culture. July’s focus will be on technology and Philadelphia’s identity as an innovation hub.

Admission is $5 with a limited attendance of 20 participants, in order to let guests connect with “the city’s top creative players on a personal level over coffee and pastries,” organizers say. Tickets are already sold out for June 30, but fans can keep their eyes out for future Monday events.

Creative Café Coffee Chats will take place on the last Monday of each month from 8 to 9am at the Creative Café @ Replica, 3711 Market Street, Philadelphia.